List of companies named after people

This is a list of companies named after people. For other lists of eponyms (names derived from people) see Lists of etymologies.

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness. Revisions and sourced additions are welcome.

#

• 20th Century Fox – William Fox

A

• A&M Records – Herb Alpert and Jerry 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
• Adam Opel AG – Adam Opel
• Abrams Air Craft - Talbert Abrams
• adidas – Adi Dassler
• 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 – founder August Horch (audi is Latin for horch which means listen in English)
• Avery Dennison Corporation – R. Stanton Avery

B

• B&Q – from the initials of its founders, Block and Quayle
• Baedeker's – Karl Baedeker
• Baker International (to Baker Hughes – Reuben C. Baker
• Baldwin Locomotive Works – founded by Matthias W. Baldwin
• Ball Corp. - the Ball Brothers
• Barnes & Noble – William Barnes and G. Clifford Noble
• 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
• Bennett Schneider – Bennett Bernard Schneider
• Benz & Cie. (later Daimler-Benz) – Carl Benz
• Black & Decker – S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker
• Boeing – William Boeing
• Bose Corporation – Amar Bose
• Brentano's – August Brentano
• Briggs & Stratton – Stephen Foster Briggs and Harold M. Stratton
• Brooks Locomotive Works – founded by Horatio G. Brooks
• Buick - David Dunbar Buick
• Bulgari - founder Sotirios Bulgari
• B&L MACHINE WORKS from its founders Brad & lemuel Dreher

C

• Cadbury – John Cadbury opened his shop in 1824
• Cadillac - Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, founder of Detroit, Michigan
• Calvin Klein - Calvin Klein
• CKE Restaurants – founded as Carl Karcher Enterprises
• Casio – Tadao Kashio
• Charles Schwab Corporation - Charles R. Schwab
• Chase National Bank (to Chase Manhattan Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. – in honor of Salmon P. Chase
• Chevrolet - Louis Chevrolet
• Chrysler (to DaimlerChrysler) – Walter Chrysler
• Citroën – André Citroën
• Colgate-Palmolive – Henry W. Colgate
• Collins Radio Company - Arthur A. Collins
• Coors Brewing Company, Adolph Coors Company - Adolph Coors
• Corel – from the founder's name Dr. Michael Cowpland. It stands for COwpland REsearch Laboratory.
• Cray Research – Seymour Cray
• Cummins – Clessie Cummins
• Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (to Curtiss-Wright) – Glenn Curtiss

D

• Daimler-Benz (to DaimlerChrysler) – Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz
• Danelectro – Nathan Daniel
• Dassault Group – Marcel Dassault
• De Lorean Motor Company – John De Lorean
• Dean Guitars – Dean Zelinsky
• Debian – project founder Ian Murdock named it after himself and his girlfriend, Debra.
• Deere & Company - John Deere
• Dell – Michael Dell
• Dick's Sporting Goods – Dick Stack
• Dillard's – William T. Dillard
• Dolby Laboratories – Ray Dolby
• Douglas Aircraft Company (to McDonnell 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.

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
• Ferrari – Enzo Ferrari, founder
• Fitch Ratings - John Knowles Fitch
• Ford Motor Company – Henry Ford
• Fox – William Fox
• FranklinCovey – Benjamin Franklin and Stephen 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
• Gartner – Gideon Gartner
• Getty Images – Mark Getty
• Getty Oil – John Paul Getty
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Company – Domingo Ghirardelli
• Gibson Guitar Corporation – Orville Gibson
• Glenn L. Martin Company (to Lockheed Martin) – Glenn Luther Martin
• Global Gillette – King C. Gillette
• GLOCK – Gaston Glock
• Godin – Robert Godin
• Goldman Sachs – Marcus Goldman and Samuel Sachs
• Goldwyn Picture Corporation (to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) – a combination of the names of Samuel Goldfish (he later adopted the name Samuel Goldwyn), Edgar and Archibald Selwyn
• Goodrich Corporation - Benjamin Goodrich
• Gottlieb – David Gottlieb
• Gretsch – Friedrich Gretsch

H

• H&R Block – Henry W. Bloch and Richard 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 and Joseph Barbera
• Harley-Davidson – William Harley and Arthur Davidson
• Harman Kardon – Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon
• Harrah's Entertainment – William F. Harrah
• Harvey Norman – Gerald Harvey and Ian Norman
• Hasbro - the Hassenfeld Brothers
• The Hershey Company – Milton Hershey
• Hewitt Associates – Ted Hewitt
• Hewlett-Packard – William Hewlett and David Packard
• Hilton Hotels – Conrad Hilton
• Honda – Soichiro Honda
• Honeywell – Mark Honeywell
• Horlicks – James Horlick and William Horlick
• Hormel – George A. Hormel
• Hovnanian Enterprises – Kevork Hovnanian
• Hughes Aircraft, Hughes Tool Company (to Baker Hughes), Hughes Airwest – Howard Hughes

I

• IKEA – from an acronym using the initials of the founder Ingvar Kamprad, who was from a family farm called Elmtaryd, which was near the village of Agunnaryd.

J

• J. P. Morgan & Co. – J. P. Morgan
• Jackson Guitars – Grover Jackson
• JCPenney – James Cash Penney

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. – founder Michael J. Cullen, he replaced the "C" with a "K" for marketing purposes.
• Knight Ridder – John S. Knight (Knight Newspapers, Inc.) and Herman Ridder (Ridder Publications, Inc.)
• Kohl's – Max Kohl

L

• Lafarge – Joseph-Auguste Pavin de Lafarge
• Laidlaw – Robert Laidlaw
• Lamborghini – Ferruccio Lamborghini
• Lancia – Vicenzo Lancia
• Lazard – Alexandre Lazard, Simon Lazard, and Elie Lazard
• Lee Enterprises – A. W. Lee
• Lehman Brothers – Henry Lehman, Emanuel Lehman and Meyer Lehman
• Leslie - Donald Leslie
• Levi Strauss & Co. – Levi Strauss
• Lincoln National Corporation - to convey the integrity of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln
• Liz Claiborne, Inc. - Elisabeth Claiborne Ortenberg
• Lockheed Corporation (to Lockheed Martin) - Allan Haines Loughead and Malcolm Loughead
• Lorillard Tobacco Company – Pierre Lorillard IV
• Louis B. Mayer Pictures (to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) – Louis B. Mayer

M

• Marriott Corporation (later split into Host Marriott and Marriott International) – founder J. Willard Marriott
• Mars, Incorporated – Frank C. Mars
• Marshall Amplification – Jim Marshall
• Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia – Martha Stewart
• Mattel – from founders Harold "Matt" Matson and Elliot Handler
• Maytag – F. L. Maytag
• Mazda – Jujiro Matsuda, also possibly inspired by Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda.
• McAfee – John McAfee
• McCaw Cellular – Craig McCaw
• McDonald's – Dick and Mac McDonald
• McDonnell Aircraft (to McDonnell Douglas) – James Smith McDonnell
• McGraw-Hill – John A. Hill and James H. McGraw
• McKesson – John McKesson
• Mellon Financial Corporation – Thomas Mellon
• 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 Mike and Terry's Lawnmowers after the founders Michael Cowpland and Terry Matthews
• Molson - John Molson
• Moog Music – Dr. Robert Moog
• Morgan Stanley - Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley

N

• Nestlé – Henri Nestlé who created the milk-based food in 1867
• Northrop – Jack Northrop

O

• Oldsmobile - Ransom E. Olds
• Olin Corporation – Franklin W. Olin

P

• Pathé – Charles and Émile Pathé, who founded the Société Pathé Frères in 1896
• Peavey Electronics – Hartley Peavey
• PerkinElmer - Richard Scott Perkin and Charles 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 of Pontiac's Rebellion
• Porsche – Ferdinand Porsche
• Procter & Gamble – William Procter and James Gamble
• PRS Guitars – Paul Reed Smith

Q

R

• R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) - R. J. Reynolds
• Robert Bosch GmbH – Robert Bosch
• Renault – Louis Renault
• REO Motor Car Company - Ransom E. Olds
• Rickenbacker – Adolph Rickenbacher
• Rockwell International, North American Rockwell, Rockwell Semiconductor – Willard Rockwell
• Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works – Thomas Rogers
• Rolls-Royce plc/Rolls-Royce Motor Cars – Charles Rolls and Henry Royce
• RSA Security – from the first letters of the last names of founders Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir and Len Adleman.
• Ryanair – Tony Ryan

S

• S. C. Johnson & Son - Samuel Curtis Johnson, Sr.
• Sainsbury's – John James Sainsbury
• Sears – Richard Sears
  • Formerly Sears, Roebuck – Sears and Alvah Roebuck
• Sherwin-Williams Company - Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams
• Siemens AG – Werner von Siemens
• Singer Corporation – Issac Merritt Singer, inventor, improvements in the design of the sewing machine
• Stanley Works - Frederick Trent Stanley
• Stewart-Warner – John K. Stewart and Arthur P. Warner
• Suzuki – Michio Suzuki

T

• Tata – Jamsetji Tata
• Tesco – amalgamation of TES (from T. E. Stockwell) and CO (from Jack Cohen)
• Thomas Cook Travel, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomas Cook
• Various named after Elihu Thomson
  • Alstom
  • Thomson SA
  • Thomson-CSF (now Thales Group)
  • Thomson-Houston Electric Company (now General Electric)
• 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
• Toyota – Sakichi Toyoda
• Trump Air Shuttle, airline, named after owner Donald Trump
• TVR – from the first name of the company founder TreVoR Wilkinson
• Tommy Hilfiger Corporation - Thomas Jacob Hilfiger

U

V

W

• W. R. Grace and Company - William Russell Grace
• W. W. Norton - William Warder Norton
• Waitrose – named after founders: Wallace Waite and Arthur Rose
• The Walt Disney Company – Walt Disney
• Wal-Mart – Sam Walton
• Warner Bros – the brothers Jack Warner, Sam Warner, Harold Warner and Albert Warner
• Wendy's – founder Dave Thomas' daughter Melinda "Wendy" Thomas
• Westinghouse Electric - George Westinghouse
• WHSmith – William Henry Smith
• Wright Company, Wright Aeronautical (to Wright-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

See also

• List of companies
• List of company name etymologies
• Lists of etymologies

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