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 a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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• 20th Century Fox – William Fox

Anant Barhate India pvt ltd Manufacturer of Industrial Vacuum cleaners

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
• Ayala Corporation - Zobel de Ayala family

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
• Banta COrporation - George Banta, Sr.
• Barnes & Noble – William Barnes and G. Clifford Noble
• Bashas' - Eddie Basha, Sr.
• Bass & Co - William Bass founder in 1777
• 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
• Bloomberg L.P. - Michael Bloomberg
• 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
• BMB Softech from Brij Mohan Bansal

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
• Christie's - James Christie
• 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
• Dolce & Gabbana - Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana
• 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
• Fisher-Price - Herman Fisher and Irving Price
• 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
• Garmin - named after founders Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao
• 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 GmbH – 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
• Hearst Corporation - William Randolph Hearst
• The Hershey Company – Milton Hershey
• Hewitt Associates – Ted Hewitt
• Hewlett-Packard – William Hewlett and David Packard
• Hill Audio - Malcolm Hill
• 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
• The Jim Henson Company - Jim Henson
• J.J. Newberry - John Josiah Newberry
• Johnson & Johnson - Robert Wood Johnson I, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson
• Johnson Publishing - John H. Johnson

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

• Macy's - Rowland Hussey Macy
• Marriott Corporation (later split into Host Marriott and Marriott International) – founder J. Willard Marriott
• Mars, Incorporated – Frank C. Mars
• Marsh & McLennan Companies - Henry W. Marsh and Donald R. McLennan
• 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
• Mercedes – Mércédès Jellinek
• 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

• Nero AG - Nero
• Nestlé – Henri Nestlé who created the milk-based food in 1867
• Nordstrom - John W. Nordstrom
• Northrop – Jack Northrop

O

• Oldsmobile - Ransom E. Olds
• Olin Corporation – Franklin W. Olin
• Oztas – Habib Öztaş, who founded the company in 1958

P

• Pathé – Charles and Émile Pathé, who founded the Société Pathé Frères in 1896
• Peavey Electronics – Hartley Peavey
• Penske Corporation - Roger Penske
• 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
• Pinto Potts - David Pinto & David Potts
• Pontiac - Chief Pontiac, leader of Pontiac's Rebellion
• Porsche – Ferdinand Porsche
• Procter & Gamble – William Procter and James Gamble
• PRS Guitars – Paul Reed Smith

R

• Renault – Louis Renault
• REO Motor Car Company - Ransom E. Olds
• Reuters - Paul Reuter
• Rickenbacker – Adolph Rickenbacher
• R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) - R. J. Reynolds
• Robert Bosch GmbH – Robert Bosch
• 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

• Sam's Club - Sam Walton (same owner of Wal-Mart)
• 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
• Sotheby's - John Sotheby
• Stanley Works - Frederick Trent Stanley
• Stewart-Warner – John K. Stewart and Arthur P. Warner
• Stihl - Andreas Stihl
• 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 Motor – Kiichiro Toyoda
• Toyota Industries - 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

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
• Walgreens - Charles Rudolph Walgreen
• Wang Laboratories - An Wang
• Warner Bros. – the brothers Jack Warner, Sam Warner, Harold Warner and Albert Warner
• Wells Fargo – founders Henry Wells and William Fargo
• 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.

Y

• Yamaha Corporation – Torakusu Yamaha

Z

• Zend Technologies – Co-Founders Zeev Suraski & Andi Gutmans

See also

• List of company name etymologies
• Lists of etymologies