Whose line is it, anyway?

No, Churchill never said that: 10 wrongly attributed quotes

Image: Crisoforo Gaspar Hernandez

We’ve all seen those inspirational quotes floating around with famous names attached, like Gandhi, Einstein, or Churchill, to name a few, but how many of them are genuine? As it turns out, a lot of the most well-known quotes were never actually said by the people they're credited to. Here are 10 of the most famously misattributed quotes. Did you know about any of these?

Image: Kaleb Duperre

This infamous line was never said by Marie Antoinette. Actually, it appeared in Rousseau’s writing when the Queen was just a child.

It became a symbol of elite ignorance during the French Revolution, but blaming her directly is unfair historical myth-making.

Image: Ishant Mishra

Gandhi said and did many inspirational things, but he never said it like that. The quote is more of a paraphrase of his broader teachings on self-responsibility.

While it fits his vibe, this line, ubiquitous on Instagram, isn’t something he wrote or said.

Image: Nicolas Michot

This quote was written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall, summarizing Voltaire’s attitude, but not quoting him directly.

Still, it sounds very much like something Voltaire would say, which is probably why it has been associated with his name over the years.

Image: Kenny Eliason

Just as it happened with the fake quotes attributed to Gandhi and Voltaire, Burke never said this, but it is one of those lines that captures his general views, albeit not in the exact wording.

Despite that, it’s often slapped onto memes and motivational pictures with his name under it. Classic case of too good to fact-check.

Image: Clément Falize

This might come as a shock, but Sherlock Holmes never actually said this in the books. The phrase was invented by screenwriters later on.

It stuck because it's catchy, but Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes was a bit more verbose and formal in style.

Image: Taton Moïse

This phrase has been widely attributed to Albert Einstein, but, despite what every motivational poster wants you to believe, the brilliant man didn’t say it.

It supposedly came from a Narcotics Anonymous text or a novel by Rita Mae Brown in the 1980s.

Image: Preston A Larimer

Although Mark Twain was as witty as they come, he didn’t say this. Instead, Blaise Pascal did, way back in 1657. The idea is that concise writing takes time.

Others like Churchill and Cicero expressed similar ideas, but Pascal was the first to put it so clearly.

Image: Toby Dagenhart

And while we are on the subject of Churchill, we can mention this line. He said "blood, toil, tears, and sweat," which is slightly clunkier but still powerful.

The simpler version predates him and was used by others, including Theodore Roosevelt and Garibaldi.

Image: Jon Sailer

Believe it or not, the cherry tree story is fiction. It was made up by Mason Locke Weems to give Washington a moral glow.

There’s no real evidence that the first U.S. president ever said it, but it’s still in textbooks and kids’ stories.

Image: Jarvik Joshi

This famous line wasn’t said by Marilyn Monroe or Eleanor Roosevelt. It was written by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.

The reputed historian meant it as an observation, not a call to rebellion, but the internet memes gave it a whole new meaning.

Which name is better?

These 10 famous American streets had different names

Few things are more beloved by politicians than naming things—even when those things already have names. Streets, in particular, often become prime candidates for renaming. The following 10 examples showcase streets that have undergone such changes. Have you ever been to any of them?

Pershing Avenue in Indianapolis was formerly known as Bismarck Avenue. The name was changed during World War I because Bismarck was closely associated with Imperial Germany, which drew unwanted attention to the street. The new name honored the most renowned U.S. general of the war, General John J. Pershing.

There was no marker or other indication of Pershing Avenue’s former name until the 1990s, when two city councilors pushed for recognition of the original name.

In 1984, 125th Street in New York City was co-named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to honor the civil rights leader. 125th Street is one of the most famous streets in Harlem, known for its deep ties to political activism and cultural life, featuring landmarks such as the Apollo Theater.

Until the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Grant Avenue was known as Du Pont Street. After the city was rebuilt, the street was widened and renamed in honor of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States. Grant Avenue is now one of the most iconic streets in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Today, the intersection of Grant Avenue and Bush Street marks the southern entrance to Chinatown. Grant Avenue is still written and said in Chinese as "Du Pon Gai" (Du Pont Street).

The second San Francisco entry on our list dates back to 1988, when city officials chose to honor the writer Dashiell Hammett on a street where he had actually lived. The former Monroe Street is a short, one-block road that begins at Pine Street and slopes steeply downhill to Bush Street. Today, the street signs read "Dashiell Hammett Place."

Atlanta’s former Boulevard was renamed Monroe Drive in honor of the Monroe Landscaping Company, which enhanced the area with extensive plantings that contributed to its beauty. Apparently, if you do a good job, you might just get a street named after you.

Another New York street on our list is the famous Broadway Avenue, which was originally called Heeren Wegh by the Dutch until the early 1700s. It was renamed Broadway due to its great width compared to other streets in early New York.

New York City has a habit of renaming its streets. In Harlem, Lenox Avenue—originally named after philanthropist James Lenox—was co-named Malcolm X Boulevard in 1987 to honor the prominent civil rights activist.

Philadelphia’s Market Street was originally called High Street but was renamed in 1754 because of the many shops and markets located there. This is one example of a common reason for street name changes.

Brooklyn Avenue was a major street in East Los Angeles, historically home to Jewish, Japanese, and later Mexican American communities. Over time, the area became a center for Latino culture and activism.

In 1994, the street was renamed Cesar E. Chavez Avenue to honor the civil rights leader and farmworker advocate. The change reflected Chavez’s deep connection to the Latino community in East L.A.

In New Orleans, St. Charles Avenue wasn’t always known by that name. In the early 1800s, parts of it were called Nyades Street, a name that reflected the city’s blend of French and Spanish influences.

As the city expanded and urban planning took shape, Nyades was renamed St. Charles Avenue, honoring Charles Borromeo, a Catholic saint.