Every word that we use in our life has a story behind its origination. While most words are taken from other languages and translated in a better way, there are words which come into existence due to the popularity of a product or brand. We have collected 10 such words which are actually names of brands.
1. Jacuzzi
Product name: Hot tubs
What Americans refer to a hot tub, people in other parts of the world call it as Jacuzzi. It is the name of the brand that sells hot tubs.
2. Band-Aid
Product name: Hansaplast
Whenever there is a small injury, it is common if you hear about applying Band-Aid on it. Well, it is a brand name which was started by Johnson & Johnson. In many parts of the world, it is called as plaster or hansaplast as it provides dressing on injuries.
3. Sellotape
Product name: Transparent Adhesive tape
The item which we recognize as Sellotape is actually a brand name of clear sticky tape. Sellotape is very popular all over the world and other brands are confused with this name.
4. Xerox
Product name: Photocopy
Xerox is a generic term we use for photocopying a paper but according to the definition of the Xerox machine maker, “you cannot xerox a document, but you can copy it on a Xerox brand copying machine”.
5. Photoshop
Product name: Image editing
This one is for the computer using generation which likes to play with graphics using software. Photoshop has become a part of internet life and people use it as a generic term in place of airbrushing and image editing.
6. Flip Phone
Product name: Clamshell
Flip Phone is the name of a handset series launched by Motorola and the trademark rights of this have now expired. The right word for such phones is clamshell.
7. Trampoline
Product name: Rebound tumbler
A trampoline was only a brand name before it won the hearts of people worldwide. The first modern-day trampoline was made in 1936 and it is actually a rebound tumbler. The trademark has now been removed because of the generic use of this term.
8. Jiffy Bag
Product name: Padded mailers
Things which we call as jiffy bags are actually padded mailers. These were firstly launched by the Jiffy Packaging company in 1964.
9. Thermos
Product name: Vacuum flask
Vacuum flask word has been replaced by the brand Thermos. Thermos was launched in 1923 and since then most people have forgotten that it was a trademark registered brand for which the company had to fight and lost out in 1962 after the US court took the decision in the favour of the public as the term became generic.
10. Jet Ski
Product name: Personal Watercraft
Jet Ski is actually the name of a brand which is owned by a Japanese company named Kawasaki. It was trademarked back in 1972. The correct word for Jet Ski is a personal watercraft.
