MARILYN CORNWELL: Marilyn's Photos - July 28 2026

A names identifies a person. We spend a lot of time choosing a first name to go with a surname. That's to make it personal. So what about your name becoming a noun or a verb. I wouldn't be bothered about that if I was the Earl of Sandwich. He went from gambler to lunch meal. He invented the "sandwich" so he could keep on gambling without interruption. I wonder if it started out as a derisive term for the Earl. For other people, it can be a mostly positive story. Look at these words:

Saxophone - after Adolphe Sax 1846
Mesmerise - Franz Mesmer who claimed the "Mesmer effect" was real in the late 1700s
Nicotine - after Jean Nicot in 1559
Mausoleum - after Mausolus 2300 years ago because his burial chamber was so big
Lynching - Charles or WIlliam Lynch both fans of vigilante justice in the 1780s
Dunce - John Duns Scotus - centuries after he died in the 1200s people decided his philosophy was for stupid people
Diesel - after Rudolf Diesel in the late 1800s who named the engine after himself
Mentor - after Odysseus' friend Mentor who looked after Odysseus' son Telemachus while he was off creating the kind of legends that turn into IMAX movies

There are lots more HERE. And what about Caesar salad, Nachos, Graham crackers, Fettucine, Omelette, Bechamel sauce, Eggs Benedict, Chateaubriand, and many more. Food is particularly attracted to being named after people.

In reverse, there is a theory - nominative determinism - in which people tend to gravitate towards areas of work or interest that fit their names. These have occurred by chance over time. For example, Mr. Filin was a substitute teacher, a piano teacher was named Patience Scales and the Vatican's spokesman on the evils of rock n roll was Cardinal Rapsong. Remember food industry consultant Faith Popcorn? These are examples of aptronyms. Take this exquisite example - Robin Mahfood was CEO and president of the nonprofit organization Food For the Poor.

Here's my latest watercolour/digital drawing pictures.