- List of companies named after people
This is a list of
companies named after people. For other lists of eponyms (names derived from people) seeLists of etymologies .#
*
20th Century Fox – William FoxA
*
A&M Records –Herb Alpert andJerry Moss
*A&W Restaurants – after Roy Allen and Frank Wright
*A. G. Edwards –Albert Gallatin Edwards
*Abbott Laboratories – Wallace Calvin Abbott (1888)
*Abercrombie & Fitch Co. – David Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch
*Abrams Air Craft –Talbert Abrams
* Adam Opel AG –Adam Opel
*Adidas –Adi Dassler
*Agusta – Giovanni Agusta
*Albert Heijn andAhold (Albert Heijn Holdings) – Albert Heijn
*Alza – name of the founder Alex Zaffaroni.
*Amstrad – Alan Sugar - Alan Michael Sugar Trading
*Anheuser-Busch –Adolphus Busch and Lilly and Eberhard Anheuser
*The Anschutz Corporation –Philip Anschutz
* Archer Daniels – George A. Archer and John W. Daniels
* Armani –Giorgio Armani
*Aston Martin –Lionel Martin
*Audi – founderAugust Horch ("audi" is Latin for "horch" which means "listen" in English)
*Avery Dennison Corporation –R. Stanton Avery
*Ayala Corporation –Zobel de Ayala family B
*
B&Q – from the initials of its founders, Block and Quayle
*Baedeker's –Karl Baedeker
*Bajaj Auto –Jamnalal Bajaj
*Baker International (toBaker Hughes ) –Reuben C. Baker
*Baldwin Locomotive Works – founded byMatthias W. Baldwin
*Ball Corp. – theBall Brothers
*Banta COrporation –George Banta , Sr.
*Barnes & Noble – William Barnes and G. Clifford Noble
*Bashas' –Eddie Basha, Sr.
*Baskin-Robbins –Burt Baskin andIrv Robbins
*Bass & Co – William Bass founder in 1777
*Bausch and Lomb –John Jacob Bausch and Henry Lomb
*Bayer –Friedrich Bayer
*BEA Systems – from the first initial of each of the company's three founders: Bill Coleman, Ed Scott and Alfred Chuang.
*Beck's –Heinrich Beck (1873)
*Beckman Coulter –Arnold O. Beckman
*Bell Aircraft –Lawrence Bell
*Bell Telephone Company ,Bell System –Alexander Graham Bell
*Benetton Group –Luciano Benetton
*Bennett Schneider – Bennett Bernard Schneider
*Benz & Cie. (laterDaimler-Benz ) –Karl Benz
*Black & Decker –S. Duncan Black andAlonzo G. Decker
*Bloomberg L.P. –Michael Bloomberg
*Boeing –William Boeing
*Bombardier –Joseph-Armand Bombardier
*Bose Corporation –Amar Bose
*Brentano's –August Brentano
*Briggs & Stratton –Stephen Foster Briggs andHarold M. Stratton
*Brooks Locomotive Works – founded byHoratio G. Brooks
*Bugatti –Ettore Bugatti
*Buick –David Dunbar Buick
*Bulgari – founder Sotirios Bulgari
*B&L MACHINE WORKS from its founders Brad & lemuel Dreher
*BMB SOFTECH from Mr. BRIJ MOHAN BANSAL and Mr. ASHUTOSH AGGARWALC
*
C&A – Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer
* Cadbury –John Cadbury opened his shop in 1824
*Cadillac –Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac , founder ofDetroit, Michigan
*Calvin Klein –Calvin Klein
*CKE Restaurants – founded asCarl Karcher Enterprises
*Casio –Tadao Kashio
*Charles Schwab Corporation –Charles R. Schwab
* Chase National Bank (to Chase Manhattan Bank andJ.P. Morgan Chase & Co. ) – in honor ofSalmon P. Chase
*Chevrolet –Louis Chevrolet
*Christie's – James Christie
*Chrysler (toDaimlerChrysler ) –Walter Chrysler
*Citroën –André Citroën
*Cizeta – Claudio Zampolli
*Colgate-Palmolive –William Colgate
*Collins Radio Company –Arthur A. Collins
*Colnago – Ernesto Colnago
*Coors Brewing Company ,Adolph Coors Company –Adolph Coors
*Corel – from the founder's name Dr.Michael Cowpland . It stands for COwpland REsearch Laboratory.
* Crane & Co. – Stephen Crane or the Crane family
*Cray Research –Seymour Cray
*Cummins –Clessie Cummins
*Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (toCurtiss-Wright ) –Glenn Curtiss D
*
Daimler-Benz (toDaimlerChrysler ) –Gottlieb Daimler andKarl Benz
* Damiani – Enrico Grassi Damiani
*Danelectro – Nathan Daniel
*Dassault Group –Marcel Dassault
*Dean & DeLuca – Joel Dean andGiorgio DeLuca
*Dean Guitars – Dean Zelinsky
*Debian – project founder Ian Murdock named it after himself and his girlfriend, Debra.
*Deere & Company –John Deere
* Dell –Michael Dell
*De Lorean Motor Company –John De Lorean
*Dick's Sporting Goods – Dick Stack
*DiGiorgio & Company – family philanthropyRobert P. DiGiorgio Chairman, Boston
*Dillard's –William T. Dillard
*Dolby Laboratories –Ray Dolby
*Dolce & Gabbana –Domenico Dolce andStefano Gabbana
*Douglas Aircraft Company (toMcDonnell Douglas ) –Donald Wills Douglas, Sr.
* The Dow Chemical Company –Herbert Dow
*Dow Jones & Company –Charles Dow and Edward Jones
*Duke Energy –James Buchanan Duke
* Dunlop –John Boyd Dunlop
*Dunlop Manufacturing –Jim Dunlop
*DuPont –Eleuthère Irénée du Pont .
*Dyson –James Dyson E
*
Eastman Kodak –George Eastman
*Eatons –Timothy Eaton
*Edison Records –Thomas Edison
*Eli Lilly and Company – Eli Lilly
*Ericsson –Lars Magnus Ericsson F
* Fender –
Leo Fender
*Fendi –Edoardo Fendi
*Ferragamo –Salvatore Ferragamo
*Ferrari –Enzo Ferrari , founder
*Fisher-Price –Herman Fisher andIrving Price
*Fitch Ratings –John Knowles Fitch
*Ford Motor Company –Henry Ford
* Fox – William Fox
* FranklinCovey –Benjamin Franklin andStephen Covey . The company was formed in a 1997 merger of FranklinQuest and the Covey Leadership Center. FranklinQuest was best known for selling personal management systems inspired by the writings of Benjamin Franklin.G
*
Gannett Company –Frank Gannett
*Garmin – named after founders Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao
*Gartner –Gideon Gartner
*Getty Images –Mark Getty
*Getty Oil –John Paul Getty
*Ghirardelli Chocolate Company –Domingo Ghirardelli
*Giannini – Tranquillo Giannini
*Gibson Guitar Corporation –Orville Gibson
*Glenn L. Martin Company (toLockheed Martin ) –Glenn Luther Martin
*Global Gillette –King C. Gillette
* GLOCK GmbH –Gaston Glock
* Godin – Robert Godin
*Goldman Sachs –Marcus Goldman and Samuel Sachs
*Goldwyn Picture Corporation (toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer ) – a combination of the names of Samuel Goldfish (he later adopted the nameSamuel Goldwyn ), Edgar and Archibald Selwyn
*Goodrich Corporation –Benjamin Goodrich
*Gottlieb – David Gottlieb
*Gucci –Guccio Gucci
*Guinness –Arthur Guinness
*Gretsch –Friedrich Gretsch H
*
H&R Block –Henry W. Bloch andRichard Bloch
*H. J. Heinz Company –Henry John Heinz
*H. K. Porter, Inc –Henry Kirke Porter
*Halliburton –Erle P. Halliburton
*Hammond Organ –Laurens Hammond
*Hanna-Barbera Productions –William Hanna andJoseph Barbera
*Harley-Davidson –William Harley andArthur Davidson
*Harman Kardon –Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon
*Harrah's Entertainment –William F. Harrah
*Harvey Norman –Gerald Harvey andIan Norman
*Hasbro – the Hassenfeld Brothers
*Hearst Corporation –William Randolph Hearst
*Heineken International –Gerard Adriaan Heineken
*The Hershey Company –Milton Hershey
*Hewitt Associates –Ted Hewitt
*Hewlett-Packard –William Hewlett andDavid Packard
*Hill Audio –Malcolm Hill
*Hilton Hotels –Conrad Hilton
*Honda –Soichiro Honda
*Honeywell –Mark Honeywell
*Horlicks –James Horlick andWilliam Horlick
*Hormel – George A. Hormel
*Hovnanian Enterprises –Kevork Hovnanian
*Hughes Aircraft ,Hughes Tool Company (toBaker Hughes ),Hughes Airwest –Howard Hughes I
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IKEA – from an acronym using the initials of the founderIngvar Kamprad , who was from a family farm called Elmtaryd, which was near the village of Agunnaryd.J
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J. P. Morgan & Co. –J. P. Morgan
*Jackson Guitars – Grover Jackson
*JCPenney – James Cash Penney
*The Jim Henson Company –Jim Henson
*J.J. Newberry –John Josiah Newberry
*John Deere –John Deere
*Johnson & Johnson –Robert Wood Johnson I ,James Wood Johnson , andEdward Mead Johnson
*Johnson Publishing –John H. Johnson K
*
Kawasaki Heavy Industries –Shozo Kawasaki
*Kellogg Company –John Harvey Kellogg
* Kent H. Landsberg Company – founder Kent H. Landsberg
* Kroger Co. –Bernard Henry Kroger
* King Kullen Grocery Co. – founderMichael J. Cullen , he replaced the "C" with a "K" for marketing purposes.
*Knight Ridder –John S. Knight (Knight Newspapers, Inc.) andHerman Ridder (Ridder Publications, Inc.)
*Kohl's –Max Kohl L
*
Lafarge – Joseph-Auguste Pavin de Lafarge
*Laidlaw –Robert Laidlaw
*Lamborghini –Ferruccio Lamborghini
*Lancia – Vicenzo Lancia
*Lavazza –Luigi Lavazza
*Lazard –Alexandre Lazard ,Simon Lazard , andElie Lazard
*Lee Enterprises –A. W. Lee
*Lehman Brothers –Henry Lehman ,Emanuel Lehman andMeyer Lehman
* Leslie –Donald Leslie
*Lesney Products –Leslie Smith and Rodney Smith
*Levi Strauss & Co. –Levi Strauss
*Lewis & Clark Outfitters –Meriwether Lewis andWilliam Clark
*Lincoln National Corporation – to convey the integrity of U.S. PresidentAbraham Lincoln
*Liz Claiborne, Inc. –Elisabeth Claiborne Ortenberg
*Lockheed Corporation (toLockheed Martin ) –Allan Haines Loughead andMalcolm Loughead
*Lorillard Tobacco Company –Pierre Lorillard IV
*Louis B. Mayer Pictures (toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer ) –Louis B. Mayer M
* Macy's –
Rowland Hussey Macy
* Mahindra & Mahindra Limited –K.C. Mahindra andJ.C. Mahindra
*Marriott Corporation (later split intoHost Marriott andMarriott International ) – founderJ. Willard Marriott
*Mars, Incorporated –Frank C. Mars
*Marsh & McLennan Companies –Henry W. Marsh andDonald R. McLennan
*Marshall Amplification – Jim Marshall
*Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia –Martha Stewart
*Martini & Rossi –Alessandro Martini and Luigi Rossi
*Maruri Publicidad – from founderJimmy Maruri
*Mattel – from founders Harold "Matt" Matson and Elliot Handler
*Maytag –F. L. Maytag
*Mazda –Jujiro Matsuda , also possibly inspired by Zoroastrian godAhura Mazda .
*McAfee –John McAfee
*McCaw Cellular –Craig McCaw
*McDonald's –Dick and Mac McDonald
*McDonnell Aircraft (toMcDonnell Douglas ) –James Smith McDonnell
*McGraw-Hill –John A. Hill andJames H. McGraw
*McKesson Corporation –John McKesson
*Mellon Financial Corporation –Thomas Mellon
* Mercedes – an 1902 automobile model of Daimler Motor Company –Mércédès Jellinek
*Merrill Lynch –Charles E. Merrill and Edmund C. Lynch
*MGM or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer – after the last names of Samuel Goldfish and Edgar and Archibald Selwyn and Louis B. Mayer.
*Miele – Carl Miele.
*Mitel – from "Mi"ke and "Te"rry's "L"awnmowers after the foundersMichael Cowpland andTerry Matthews
*Molson –John Molson
*Moog Music – Dr. Robert Moog
*Morgan Stanley –Henry S. Morgan andHarold Stanley N
*
Nero AG –Nero
*Nestlé –Henri Nestlé who created the milk-based food in 1867
*Nordstrom –John W. Nordstrom
*Northrop –Jack Northrop O
*
Oldsmobile –Ransom E. Olds
*Olin Corporation –Franklin W. Olin
*Olivetti –Camillo Olivetti
*Orton Ceramic Foundation –Edward Orton, Jr.
*Oztas –Habib Öztaş , who founded the company in1958
*OSAquatics -Oliver andSamuel sons of founderTimothy Haywood P
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Pathé – Charles andÉmile Pathé , who founded the Société Pathé Frères in1896
*Peavey Electronics –Hartley Peavey
*Penske Corporation –Roger Penske
*PerkinElmer –Richard Scott Perkin andCharles Elmer
*Perot Systems –H. Ross Perot, Jr.
*Peugeot –Armand Peugeot who founded the company in 1882
*Pfizer –Charles Pfizer
*Philips – Gerard Philips, who founded the company in 1891
*Pontiac –Chief Pontiac , leader ofPontiac's Rebellion
*Porsche –Ferdinand Porsche
*Prada –Mario Prada
*Procter & Gamble – William Procter andJames Gamble
*PRS Guitars –Paul Reed Smith Q
R
*
Rawlings (company) – George and Alfred Rawlings
*Renault – Louis Renault
*REO Motor Car Company –Ransom E. Olds
*Reuters –Paul Reuter
*Rickenbacker –Adolph Rickenbacher
*R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) –R. J. Reynolds
*Robeez – named after Sandra Wilson's son Robert
*Robert Bosch GmbH –Robert Bosch
*Rockwell International ,North American Rockwell ,Rockwell Semiconductor –Willard Rockwell
* Rogers Communications Inc. – Edward S. "Ted" Rogers
*Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works – Thomas Rogers
*Rogers Vacuum Tube Company –Edward S. Rogers, Sr.
*Rolls-Royce plc /Rolls-Royce Motor Cars –Charles Rolls andHenry Royce
*RPG Group -Rama Prasad Goenka
*RSA Security – from the first letters of the last names of foundersRonald Rivest ,Adi Shamir andLen Adleman .
*Ryanair –Tony Ryan *
Sam's Club – Sam Walton (same owner ofWal-Mart )
*Savoia-Marchetti –Umberto Savoia and Alessandro Marchetti
*S. C. Johnson & Son –Samuel Curtis Johnson, Sr.
* Sainsbury's –John James Sainsbury
* Sears –Richard Sears
** Formerly "Sears, Roebuck" – Sears andAlvah Roebuck
*Sherwin-Williams Company –Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams
*Shugart Associates –Alan Shugart
*Siemens AG –Werner von Siemens
*Sikorsky Aircraft –Igor Sikorsky
*Singer Corporation –Issac Merritt Singer , inventor, improvements in the design of the sewing machine
*Sotheby's –John Sotheby
*Stanley Works –Frederick Trent Stanley
*Stewart-Warner –John K. Stewart andArthur P. Warner
*Stihl –Andreas Stihl
*Sukhoi –Pavel Sukhoi
*Suzuki – Michio SuzukiT
*
Tata –Jamsetji Tata
*Tesco – amalgamation of "TES" (fromT. E. Stockwell ) and "CO" (from Jack Cohen)
*Thomas Cook Group ,Thomas Cook Airlines –Thomas Cook
* Various named afterElihu Thomson :
**Alstom
**Thomson SA
**Thomson-CSF (nowThales Group )
**Thomson-Houston Electric Company (nowGeneral Electric )
*Thomson Corporation –Roy Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet
*THX – from the name of the technology's inventor and the audio technology of a 'crossover' amplifier,Tomlinson Holman
*Tiffany & Co. –Charles Lewis Tiffany
*Tim Hortons –Tim Horton
*Timken Company -Henry Timken
*Towers Perrin - from two of the original four founders, John Towers and Charles Perrin
* Toyota Motor –Kiichiro Toyoda
*Toyota Industries –Sakichi Toyoda
*Trump Air Shuttle ,airline - ownerDonald Trump
*TVR – founder TreVoR Wilkinson
*TVS Motors ,TVS Electronics –T. V. Sundram Iyengar
* Tommy Hilfiger Corporation – Thomas Jacob HilfigerU
V
*
Vibram – Vitale Bramani
*VIP Industries – V I Piramal
*Vroom & Dreesmann – Willem Vroom and Anton Dreesmann, foundersW
*
W. R. Grace and Company –William Russell Grace
*W. W. Norton –William Warder Norton
*Waitrose – foundersWallace Waite andArthur Rose
*The Walt Disney Company –Walt Disney
*Wal-Mart –Sam Walton
*Walgreens –Charles Rudolph Walgreen
*Wang Laboratories -An Wang
*Warner Bros. – the brothersJack Warner , Sam Warner, Harold Warner and Albert Warner
*Wells Fargo – founders Henry Wells and William Fargo
*Wendy's – founder Dave Thomas' daughterMelinda "Wendy" Thomas
* Westinghouse Electric –George Westinghouse
*WHSmith – William Henry Smith
*Wright Company ,Wright Aeronautical (toWright-Martin ) – Orville and Wilbur Wright
* Wrigley Company –William Wrigley Jr. X
Y
*
Yamaha Corporation –Torakusu Yamaha Z
* Zend Technologies – Co-Founders Zeev Suraski & Andi Gutmans
ee also
*
List of company name etymologies
*Lists of etymologies
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