There are plenty of common words you didn’t realize were brand names, words that we use on a daily basis without even giving them a second thought. That’s mainly because we’ve become so accustomed to them that we use them even if, for instance, we’re not buying that specific brand.
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Not only have these proper nouns become common nouns, but they’ve also ended up in the dictionary. Well, OK, that’s applicable for some of them, not all, but it’s still an impressive feat. It is quite certain that not even the creator of these items dreamed that their brands would become so important in the years to come.
As you’ll be reading this list, you’re quite likely to have about ten light bulbs light above your head as you realize that those words you use on a daily basis are actually brand names. In fact, you might even feel as if you’re part of an exclusive secretive society that knows more about the world than regular people.
Here’s a list of some words that you commonly use that are actually brand names, ranked from some that you’re quite likely to know to some you surely didn’t.
10. Google
Sure, we’ll start off with the most obvious one. While Google might have changed its name to Alphabet nowadays, you’re still going to call it by the old name for quite some time. It’s a known fact that the company was never quite fond of the fact that its name turned into a verb (“let me Google that for you”) but that has never stopped anyone from using it.
In fact, you’re probably using the term even if you’re using Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo or any other search engine. That’s a statement to how well established Alphabet’s search engine has become over the years, as well as how efficient it is to bring back all those results you’re in need of.
9. Post It
Those small sticky notes that you fill your desk with at work, trying to remember everything you need to do in a given day, are usually referred to as “Post-its” or “Post-it notes.” Here’s the thing though, if you haven’t bought them from 3M, the company that owns the brand, you’re just using sticky notes.
The low-tack adhesive notes were invented back in the 70s and the company was quick to register Post-it as a trademark. The patent ran out nearly 20 years ago, but the yellow colored notes remain registered company trademark.
8. Kleenex
The next time you’re crying over a touching puppy video over on YouTube, asking your friend for a kleenex, try to remember that you’re most likely using a different brand of tissues. Kleenex, as you may know, is its own brand that sells various paper products, including facial tissues, paper towels, and even diapers. Over the years, however, the name has become a genericized trademark. We do have to admit that the words are most often replaced in the United States.
7. Tupperware
Another brand name that is used as a common word is Tupperware. The storage containers usually made for kitchen use have become so popular over the decades since their introduction back in the 40s that the brand name has turned into a name describing all similar products. Of course, there are now dozens of brands offering such storage containers, but they’re probably always going to be dubbed as “Tupperware”.
6. Band-aid
Cut your finger while cooking dinner? Get a band-aid. Scratched your knee while slipping on a banana peel? Get a band-aid. As you may be aware by now, these adhesive bandages come from a multitude of brands. Go to a pharmacy and you could probably stare at the display for a good 15 minutes before being able to pick the perfect one.
What you might not be fully aware of when doing this is the fact that Band-Aid is an actual brand name that belongs to Johnson & Johnson, the giant conglomerate based in the United States. The term has entered general use many years ago and it is no longer tied directly to the brand.
5. Chapstick
When your lips dry out, do you take out your lip balm or your chapstick? Chances are you have answered the latter, which means that you’re actually using a brand name to replace a generic product. In fact, the name ChapStick is a brand of lip balm produced by Pfizer, another giant company. It’s used in many countries around the world and comes in a large variety.
Alas, the term has become a generic trademark and is used quite often to refer to similar items from a number of brands.
4. Taser
When thinking about their own protection while walking down the streets many have considered getting a Taser to protect themselves. While the name is now being used for most electroshock weapons in the world, this isn’t actually correct. Taser is a trademark and you probably shouldn’t use it as a verb or to refer to products from other companies. Alas, this has become entirely too common for things to change.
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3. Velcro
Velcro is another commonly used word that is actually a brand name. As you may or may not know, the fastener consisting of a fabric strip with tiny hooks and another with smaller loops was invented back in the late 40s. The inventor dubbed it Velcro, a word that has since become a generic name, regardless of the company behind the product.
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2. Q-tips
Those cute white cotton swabs that you use to clean out your ears (probably sticking them way too deep in the process) are usually referred to as Q-tips. Of course, Q-Tips is actually a brand that belongs to Unilever, and as the company puts it, “is NOT a name for just any cotton swabs.” That won’t stop people from using the name for just about any brand they’ll buy from the store.
1. Jet Ski
When you think about your seaside holiday and those cool jet ski rides you’re going to take, try to remember that unless you’re going to use a Kawasaki watercraft, you’re not actually riding a Jet Ski. That’s because, believe it or not, it’s a brand name. After its first launch back in the 70’s, the registered trademark from Kawasaki slowly started to become a common noun referring to all similar watercrafts used for people’s enjoyment. However, it should be mentioned that the term has been used in the decades before Kawasaki made it its own, but they were the ones to trademark it, so there’s that. Either way, this is another common word you didn’t realize was a brand name.
