From names to fame

Nachos were named after their inventor, and so were these 9 other items

Image: tarheelgarden

No, Jacuzzis weren’t invented in a northern Italian town named Iacuzzi. Some everyday words like "Pilates" or "leotard" might sound like far-off places in European countries, but these labels don’t have geographical origins. Some creations and concepts were taken up so quickly, that society ignored the monickers their inventors had assigned to them, and named them after the person instead. So, who were Nacho, Theremin, and Mausolus? Let’s dive into these 10 stories to find out.

Image: Ahmet Kurt

Have you noticed that the word "Pilates" is often capitalized? It should be, because it’s a proper noun: the famous exercise was developed by the German physical trainer Joseph Pilates.

The son of a gymnast and a naturopath, Pilates spent four years at the Knockaloe internment camp on the Isle of Man during World War I. There, he developed a series of exercises to train the mind as well as the body, which he practiced and taught to his fellow internees.

The workout –which, its creator made clear, is not a therapy– focuses on breathwork and training flexibility and strength, not unlike modern yoga. In his time, Joseph Pilates named it Contrology, because he referred to it as "the art of controlled movement."

Image: Jonathan Borba

The Jacuzzis were an immigrant Italian family of inventors before the name became the trademarked label for hot tubs. The company was founded in America in 1915 and named after the surname of the seven brothers who ran it. Back in northern Italy, their official name was Iacuzzi, but it was misspelled in immigration.

Originally, Jacuzzi developed aviation products, mainly cabins for transporting mail in planes. They decided to abandon the industry, however, after one of the brothers was tragically killed in a plane crash. They diversified into water pumps, which became the most famous of their inventions: a hot tub for hydrotherapy. Candido Jacuzzi developed it as a therapeutic aid to treat his son’s rheumatic arthritis and patented it in 1952.

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Have you ever met someone called "Nacho"? It’s the short nickname for "Ignacio," a very popular name in Spanish-speaking countries. That’s what’s at the core of the story behind the famous snack.

In 1943, the Mexican maître d’ Ignacio Anaya worked at a restaurant on the border between Piedras Negras, Mexico, and Eagle Pass, Texas. Legend has it that, one day, unable to find the cook, he improvised a dish with fried corn tortilla pieces, shredded cheese, and jalapeño pepper, which he served to American diners.

The dish was a success and, when asked what it was called, Anaya joked that they could call it "Nacho’s Special" after himself. In a few years, he had opened a restaurant and the popularity of the simple dish had spread throughout Texas and the southern US.

Image: Pawel Czerwinski

You may not know what a Theremin looks like, but you certainly have heard of it. This electronic musical instrument has a synthesized whistling sound that we now all associate with eerie scenes in science fiction and horror movies.

Léon Theremin was a Russian physicist who stumbled upon this invention while trying to craft a proximity sensor for the Soviet government in 1920. He eventually discovered that the movement of his hands could manipulate sound waves, and so the strange instrument was born. Another name given to it was "etherphone."

Famous musicians, from Dmitri Shostakovich to Frank Zappa and even the Rolling Stones, have used this instrument, which lends itself to an interesting stage performance and other-worldly sound.

Image: Roney John

Yes, mausolea are an ancient concept. But that doesn’t mean we have forgotten the man who commissioned the first one.

Mausolus was a Persian governor of the region of Caria around 350 B.C. While he still lived, he began the construction of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, a monumental above-ground chamber where he and his wife Artemisia would be buried. Greek architects and sculptors of the time were summoned to work on the project. The resulting structure was so impressive that the term "mausoleum" came to name similar fastous burial monuments.

Nothing but ruins remain of Mausolus’ original resting place, but the type of tomb stuck with humanity. One of the most famous and emblematic mausoleums in the world is the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Image: Andrea Piacquadio

The one-piece thighs were invented by the French acrobat Jules Léotard in the 19th century. He notably used to wear a close-fitting outfit from his upper legs to his shoulders while performing daring trapeze acts. This suit he had designed, stretchy and snug, allowed for flexibility and movement. Jules called them maillots as was custom back then in France, but the look had become so iconic that, following his death in 1870, people started referring to them as "leotards."

Many sporting activities use a variation of leotards, like gymnastics, ballet, yoga, or figure skating. In fact, the one-piece swimsuits we know today, which were introduced in the 1920s, derive from this piece of clothing.

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The gruesome device that became associated with the French Revolution was not designed, as you might think, by Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin. In fact, Guillotin was a French physician who was opposed to the death penalty and so, in 1789, proposed introducing a more humane way of execution than the ones carried out in the late 18th century.

There are records of the device going as far back as 1210, but for some reason, Guillotin’s name remained unfortunately linked to it. The descendants of Dr. Joseph-Ignace petitioned to have the name of the artifact officially changed, but this proved difficult and the label persists.

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Adolphe Sax was a Belgian musician and instrument maker trying to come up with a family of instruments that would bridge the gap between the woodwind and brass sections. He first started fiddling with a bass clarinet, experimenting with its acoustics and keys, and eventually, in the 1840s, introduced a new instrument which would be known as "saxophone."

Its first incorporation was in French and British military bands, and the rich, powerful tone of the instrument caught people’s attention. Slowly, the instrument was introduced in conservatories and incorporated experimentally in orchestral compositions, eventually reaching the United States, where its popularity never waned.

Image: Nejc Soklič

An ax on one side, an adze on the other. Both tools had been used by humans for millennia, but no one had combined them in one until 1911.

Edward "Ed" Pulaski was a U.S. Forest Service ranger in the early 20th century. In 1910, leading a crew of firefighters, he was trapped in the Great Fire of Idaho which he barely escaped by leading the men to an abandoned mine. After this heroic but harrowing experience, Pulaski set himself to develop a device that would help confront wildfires.

Today we know that Pulaskis can cut wood and roots and dig soil, which means we can easily carve a firebreak with one. Despite this life-saving invention, Pulaski never profited from it and lived modestly. The mine where he saved the firefighting crew is now remembered as a historic site, the Pulaski Tunnel Trail.

Image: Andreas Weilguny

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was responsible for designing this type of rigid airship. The engineer had spent years toward the end of the 19th century laying out and perfecting the model, which was launched in the year 1900.

The airships were seen as futuristic and luxurious, though they quickly became used for ​​civilian travel and military operations. Owing to the success of this design, many rigid airships came to be known as "zeppelins" by extension.

Hospital secrets

What is a "Code Gray" and what you should know if you hear it at the E.R.

A trip to the emergency room can be stressful enough without hearing doctors and nurses speak a language that sounds like a secret code. One minute, someone is asking for medication "STAT," the next there’s a "Code Gray," and another patient is suddenly "NPO." What do those words really mean? Some are official medical terms, others are insider slang, but they all help hospital staff communicate quickly when every second counts. Here are 10 of those codes explained.

The E.R. can be hectic and unpredictable. Most patients are frightened or uncomfortable, but now and then someone becomes aggressive because of pain, confusion, mental illness, or the effects of alcohol or other substances. That’s when you can hear "Code Gray" announced over the speakers.

The code is used to summon security officers to help manage a violent or combative situation. While color codes vary from one hospital to another, Code Gray commonly signals that staff needs extra assistance to protect patients, visitors, and healthcare workers. Even if you know it now, most people in the waiting room never know what happened, and that’s exactly the point.

You have a scheduled surgery, you’re in your bed waiting to be taken to the surgery room, and you ask for a cup of coffee to make the wait lighter. The nurse will probably tell you you’re an NPO. You may think it’s serious, but it’s simply a procedure.

"NPO" is an abbreviation that comes from the Latin phrase Nil Per Os, which means "nothing by mouth." It tells patients they cannot eat, drink, or sometimes even take medication until doctors say it’s safe. The rule is most common before surgery or certain medical tests, when food or liquids could increase the risk of complications or alter the results. It may be frustrating, but it’s an important part of keeping patients safe.

You’ve probably been through the experience of visiting an emergency room, either to get checked or to visit a loved one. In that part of the hospital where everyone is rushing to save lives, you’ve probably heard a doctor asking for the R.C.P. cart or medication "STAT!" It sounds urgent, and that's because it is.

The expression comes from the Latin statim, which means "immediately" or "without delay." Hospitals have used Latin medical terms for centuries, but STAT is one of the few that remains part of everyday conversation. When a doctor says it, the request jumps to the top of the priority list. It doesn’t always refer to a life-or-death situation, but it does mean the medical team needs something done as quickly as possible.

Newborns are always a reason to celebrate at the hospital. Parents usually rest happily next to their child as they receive congratulations from close relatives. However, the hospital is always prepared to handle extremely rare emergencies under "code pink."

If you hear a "Code Pink," it usually means a baby or young child is suspected of being abducted from the hospital. Within seconds, security officers respond, exits may be monitored or blocked, and staff begins following carefully rehearsed procedures. Although different hospitals sometimes use different color codes, Code Pink has become widely recognized across North America as one of the most serious alerts a hospital can issue.

If you’ve ever spent a few days in the hospital, you’ve probably noticed that some patients are walking up and down the halls, while others need help just getting out of bed. When a nurse refers to someone as a "walkie-talkie," it’s actually good news.

This informal expression refers to patients who can walk on their own, use the bathroom without assistance, and handle most basic tasks independently. It’s not an official medical term, of course, but it’s commonly used among healthcare workers because it quickly tells the next shift that the patient requires less hands-on care than many others.

As nurses change shifts, you’ll often hear them give a quick report about each patient. One person may only need medication, while another is described as a "total."

The term is short for a patient who requires total care. They may need help eating, bathing, getting dressed, turning in bed, or moving from one place to another. Although the expression sounds impersonal, it’s simply a practical way for caregivers to communicate how much assistance someone needs.

Most people hear "frequent flyer" and think of an airline reward program. And that’s correct, but in an emergency room, the phrase has a very different meaning.

A frequent flyer is an informal nickname for patients who repeatedly return to the hospital, often due to chronic illness, recurring medical conditions, or other ongoing health issues. Behind the light-hearted nickname is often a difficult reality. Many of these patients are simply dealing with medical problems that require regular emergency care, and the expression is just a way to make the experience a bit lighter among the familiar faces of doctors and nurses.

Not all codes are for patients. The next time you’re in a hospital, look closely at what the nurse is pushing from room to room. It may look like a small rolling desk with a computer on top. Staff often call it a "WOW," short for "workstation on wheels."

As hospitals switched from paper charts to electronic medical records, these mobile computers became essential. Nurses use them to review test results, scan medications, update patient charts, and check doctors’ orders without leaving the bedside. The name sounds funny, but the technology helps caregivers spend more time with patients instead of walking back and forth to a nursing station.

After getting a shot or having blood drawn, most patients never think about where the used needle ends up. It certainly doesn't go into an ordinary trash can.

Hospitals place needles, scalpels, and other sharp medical instruments into special containers designed to prevent accidental injuries. These sturdy, puncture-resistant boxes are sealed when full and safely disposed of in accordance with strict health regulations. This not only protects nurses, but it also protects cleaning crews, waste handlers, and even the public from dangerous needle sticks. It’s one of the most important safety measures in every hospital, even though most patients never notice it.

If you’ve ever watched a medical drama, you've probably seen a patient become so agitated that several staff members rush into the room. In situations like that, a doctor or nurse may ask for a "B-52." But the name has nothing to do with numbers themselves; it actually comes from a medicine.

B-52 is hospital slang for a fast-acting injection used to calm down patients who are severely combative or at risk of harming themselves or others. The nickname comes from a commonly used combination of medications that usually include diphenhydramine, haloperidol, and lorazepam. It’s strictly reserved for when other methods of calming the patient haven’t worked.