Why Do They Call It That? How 12 Common Things Got Their Name

Our language, in this case, I mean English, is fascinating. The way we use letters to form words to form sentences to convey thoughts is truly spectacular. Especially when you consider how many words in the English language are spelled exactly the same but can have totally different meanings depending on the context in which they are used.

Names of things are not exempt from this strange quirk of our language. That's the focus of this article. How did these 12 fairly common things get named what they are named? In most cases, there is a story and to me, many of those stories don't quite make sense.

What I have discerned is that most things were named by accident or at least not on purpose. It's kind of like a nickname. Once someone starts calling you by your nickname then others start using it too. Pretty soon your given name will only show up in your obituary, especially if you're from St. Martin Parish.

Many of the items we are about to present to you take their names from an ancient form of our language. Or, they are a bastardized form of an original moniker that changed and evolved over time to become the common words, phrases, and names that we repeat without giving them a second thought.

We're running the gamut from sports phrases to fashion to bodily functions. They all earned their names and this is their story.