Game Changers: Names That Live On

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​​Food & Drink

• Amos, Wally – Founded Famous Amos Cookies in 1975; his brand helped popularize gourmet chocolate chip cookies across the U.S.

• Anaya, Ignacio "Nacho" – Credited with inventing nachos in 1943 in Mexico; the dish became a Tex-Mex staple in the U.S.

• Baird, Ninnie L. (Mrs. Baird) – Began baking bread in her Fort Worth home in the early 1900s; Mrs. Baird’s grew into one of the largest independent bakeries in the nation.

• Baskin, Burt & Robbins, Irv – Opened their first ice cream shop in 1945; Baskin-Robbins became famous for “31 flavors” and is now the world’s largest ice cream chain.

• Borden, Gail – Invented condensed milk in 1853; his Borden Company revolutionized food preservation and supply.

• Boyardee, Hector – Italian immigrant chef who began selling canned pasta in the 1920s; Chef Boyardee became a household name.

• Boysen, Rudolph – Horticulturist who developed the boysenberry in California; the fruit was later popularized by Knott’s Berry Farm.

• Cadbury, John – Opened a chocolate shop in Birmingham in 1824; Cadbury became one of the world’s leading candy companies.

• Campbell, Joseph A. – Founded Campbell Soup Company in 1869; the brand became known worldwide for canned soups.

• Gerber, Daniel Frank – Began selling strained baby food in 1927 after his wife suggested the idea; Gerber Products became one of the most trusted baby food brands in the world and still carries his name.

• Graham, Sylvester – Minister and health reformer; created the Graham cracker in the 1830s as part of his whole-grain diet.

• Heinz, Henry J. – Launched H.J. Heinz Company in 1869; best known for ketchup and other condiments that became staples in American kitchens.

• Hershey, Milton – Founded Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894; built both the company and the tow

• Lay, Herman - Started selling potato chips from the trunk of his car in the 1930s; built the H.W. Lay Company, which later merged with Frito to form Frito-Lay.

• Mars, Franklin Clarence – Founded Mars, Inc. in 1911; introduced Milky Way, Snickers, and other popular candies.

• Mayer, Oscar F. – Founded Oscar Mayer & Co. in 1883; the brand became famous for hot dogs and lunch meats.

• Redenbacher, Orville Clarence – Agricultural scientist who created a superior popcorn hybrid; marketed it nationally under his own name in the 1970s.

• Reese, Harry Burnett – Invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928; combined chocolate and peanut butter into one of America’s favorite candies.

• Welch, Thomas Bramwell – Methodist minister who developed pasteurized grape juice in 1869; his company, Welch’s, still produces juices and jellies.

• Wrigley, William – Began selling chewing gum in 1891; Wrigley’s became one of the most successful gum companies in the world.

Clothing & Fashion

• Strauss, Levi – Bavarian immigrant who founded Levi Strauss & Co. in 1853; his riveted denim pants became the world’s first blue jeans.

• Cartier, Louis-François – Opened a small Paris jewelry shop in 1847; Cartier grew into one of the most famous luxury watch and jewelry houses.

• Chanel, Coco (Gabrielle) – Founded the Chanel fashion house in 1910; she revolutionized women’s clothing with simpler, elegant designs and the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume.

• Dior, Christian – Launched the House of Dior in 1946; his “New Look” defined post-war fashion and reestablished Paris as the style capital of the world.

• Gucci, Guccio – Started making leather goods in Florence in 1921; Gucci grew into one of the most recognized luxury fashion brands worldwide.

• Hilfiger, Tommy – Founded Tommy Hilfiger in 1985; his red, white, and blue brand became a symbol of American casual fashion in the 1990s.

• Jordache (Joe, Ralph, and Avi Nakash) – Opened Jordache in 1969; their jeans brand, named from their family, became a global name in designer denim during the 1980s.

• Versace, Gianni – Founded Versace in 1978; his bold, colorful designs and celebrity connections made it one of the most iconic Italian fashion houses.

Science & Measurement

• Ampère, André-Marie – French physicist who studied electromagnetism in the early 1800s; the unit of electric current, the ampere, was named after him.

• Braille, Louis – Blinded as a child, he invented the Braille writing system in the 1820s, giving the blind worldwide a practical way to read and write.

• Celsius, Anders – Swedish astronomer who proposed the Celsius temperature scale in 1742, later adopted and refined as a global standard.

• Curie, Marie – Pioneering scientist in radioactivity; discovered radium and polonium, the curie unit of radioactivity honors her work.

• Fahrenheit, Gabriel – Polish-German physicist who created accurate mercury thermometers and introduced the Fahrenheit temperature scale in 1724.

• Kelvin, Lord (William Thomson) – British physicist who developed thermodynamics and absolute temperature; the kelvin unit of temperature is named for him.

• Newton, Isaac – English scientist whose laws of motion and gravity shaped physics; the newton is the unit of force.

• Ohm, Georg – German physicist who discovered Ohm’s Law, defining the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance; the ohm is the unit of resistance.

• Shrapnel, Henry – British officer who invented the exploding shell; the term “shrapnel” still describes flying fragments.

• Volta, Alessandro – Italian scientist who invented the first electric battery in 1800; the volt is the unit of electric potential.

• Watt, James – Scottish engineer who improved the steam engine, fueling the Industrial Revolution; the watt is the unit of power.

Inventions & Everyday Items

• Bell, Alexander Graham – Invented the telephone in 1876 and founded the Bell Telephone Company, which grew into AT&T.

• Brinkmann, Jack B. – Founded Brinkmann Corporation in Dallas, known for outdoor grills, flashlights, and spotlights.

• Diesel, Rudolf – Invented the diesel engine in 1897; his name lives on in diesel fuel and engines worldwide.

• Edison, Thomas – Founded Edison General Electric Company in 1878, which became General Electric (GE); his inventions include the phonograph and the light bulb.

• Goodyear, Charles – Discovered vulcanized rubber in 1839; his name was later used for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

• Macintosh, Charles – Scottish chemist who patented waterproof fabric in 1823; his invention led to the raincoat still called a “mackintosh” today.

• Morse, Samuel – Invented the telegraph system and Morse Code in the 1830s, his name still tied to coded communication.

• Otis, Elisha – Invented the elevator safety brake in 1853; the Otis Elevator Company still bears his name today.

• Parker, George S., Charles, & Edward – Founded Parker Brothers, the game company that produced Monopoly, Clue, and Risk.

• Phillips, Henry Frank – Created the Phillips screwdriver, designed to prevent slippage during use.

• Singer, Isaac Merritt – Improved the sewing machine in the 1850s and founded the Singer Sewing Machine Company.

• Tupper, Earl – Invented airtight plastic food containers in 1946 and founded Tupperware, a brand that revolutionized home storage.

• Zamboni, Frank – Invented the Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine in 1949, which became essential for ice rinks around the world.

• Zeppelin, Count Ferdinand von – Invented the rigid airship, or zeppelin, in the late 1800s.

Companies & Industry

• Black, S. Duncan & Decker, Alonzo G. – Created Black & Decker in 1910, inventors of the portable electric drill and leaders in power tools.

• Boeing, William E. – Founded Boeing in 1916, beginning with wooden seaplanes; the company grew into the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer.

• Colgate, William – Started a soap and candle business in 1806; Colgate became a worldwide brand in oral care and household products.

• du Pont, Éleuthère Irénée – Founded DuPont in 1802, first making gunpowder; the company later developed nylon, Kevlar, and Teflon.

• Ducati, Antonio Cavalieri – Established Ducati in 1926 in Italy, known today for high-performance motorcycles.

• Eckerd, J. Russell – Opened Eckerd Pharmacy in 1898, which grew into one of the largest U.S. drugstore chains.

• Foley, Pat & James – Opened Foley’s in Houston in 1900; the department store became a Texas retail landmark.

• Goodrich, Benjamin Franklin – Founded B.F. Goodrich in 1870, America’s first rubber company, known for automobile tires.

• Harper, James & John – Established Harper & Brothers in 1817; the publisher grew into HarperCollins, a leading global book company.

• Harley, William S. & Davidson, Arthur – Founded Harley-Davidson in 1903, building motorcycles that became American icons.

• Hewlett, Bill & Packard, David – Launched Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 1939, a garage start-up that became a leader in electronics and computers.

• Houghton, Henry Oscar & Mifflin, George Harrison – Founded Houghton Mifflin, a major publisher of textbooks and literature.

• Johnson, Robert, James & Edward – Established Johnson & Johnson in 1886, famous for medical supplies and health care products.

• Kroger, Bernard – Opened his first grocery store in 1883; pioneered the idea of supermarkets by combining produce, meat, and dry goods under one roof.

• Kohl, Maxwell – Polish immigrant who opened a grocery store in 1946 and founded Kohl’s department stores.

• Lever, William & James – Founded Lever Brothers in 1885, makers of Sunlight Soap; their company later merged into Unilever.

• Macy, Rowland Hussey – Founded R.H. Macy & Co. in New York City in 1858; his store grew into Macy’s, one of America’s best-known department store chains.

• Mattel, Harold Matson & Elliot Handler – Founded Mattel in 1945; Ruth Handler later created the Barbie doll, one of the world’s best-selling toys.

• McGraw, James H. & Hill, John A. – Merged their publishing houses in 1917 to form McGraw-Hill, a leader in educational publishing.

• Morgan, John Pierpont (J.P.) – Founded J.P. Morgan & Co., which financed railroads, steel, and electricity, shaping modern American industry.

• Penney, James Cash – Opened the first J.C. Penney store in 1902, building one of America’s largest department store chains.

• Pillsbury, Charles Alfred – Founded Pillsbury in 1872, a flour milling business that became a household food brand.

• Procter, William & Gamble, James – Established Procter & Gamble in 1837, makers of soap and candles that grew into a global consumer goods giant.

• Sears, Richard & Roebuck, Alvah – Founded Sears, Roebuck & Co. in the 1890s, famous for mail-order catalogs and department stores.

• Simon, Richard L. & Schuster, M. Lincoln – Founded Simon & Schuster in 1924, starting with crossword puzzle books and expanding into major publishing.

• Spalding, Albert G. – Standardized baseball equipment and founded Spalding sporting goods.

• Stanley, Frederick Trent – Founded Stanley Works in 1843, a tool and hardware company still bearing his name.

• Walgreen, Charles Rudolph – Founded Walgreens in 1901; it grew into one of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains.

• Warner, Harry, Albert, Sam & Jack – Founded Warner Brothers Studios in 1923, pioneers in film and sound pictures.

• Webster, Noah & Merriam, George & Charles – Noah Webster created the first American dictionary; the Merriam brothers continued the work as Merriam-Webster.

• Wells, Henry & Fargo, William G. – Founded Wells Fargo in 1852, a banking and delivery service that expanded across the West.

• Woolworth, Frank Winfield – Opened the first Woolworth’s five-and-dime store in 1879, introducing fixed-price retail.

• Yamaha, Torakusu – Founded Yamaha in 1887, beginning with reed organs and expanding into pianos, motorcycles, and electronics.

• Suzuki, Michio – Founded Suzuki Loom Works in 1909; the company expanded into motorcycles and automobiles.

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Alternate List: Companies That Changed After the Founder

Some companies no longer reflect what their founders originally built. In these cases, the founders started the business, but the brand was later sold, transformed, or taken in a new direction. Students researching these names should use the Alternate Outline (with Transition & Legacy instead of Death & Legacy) to explain how the company evolved beyond the founder’s lifetime.

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• Abercrombie, David T. & Fitch, Ezra* – Founded Abercrombie & Fitch in 1892 as an outdoor outfitter, later becoming a global clothing retailer.

• Nestlé, Henri* – Swiss entrepreneur who founded a company in the 1860s making infant formula. After selling both his company and his name, later owners expanded Nestlé into chocolate, coffee, and packaged foods, creating a global food empire.

• McDonald, Richard & Maurice (the McDonald brothers)* – Opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in 1940 in San Bernardino, California, introducing the “Speedee Service System” that modernized fast food. In 1954, Ray Kroc partnered with them and later bought the company, transforming McDonald’s into a worldwide chain.

• Stanley, William Jr. – Invented the all-steel vacuum bottle in 1913, launching the Stanley brand of insulated containers.

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Curiosity List: Names by Association, Not Invention (Outline)

The people in this list did not actually invent or create the things that bear their names. Instead, their names became attached through habit, fashion, or even jokes — a style of clothing they wore, a food they ate, or a public event that made them famous. Unlike the main Game Changers list, where founders and inventors directly shaped history through their work, these are examples of how language and culture sometimes carry a person’s name forward in unexpected ways.

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• Bloomer, Amelia – Women’s rights advocate in the 1800s who popularized a style of loose trousers for women; the garment was nicknamed “bloomers” after her, though she didn’t invent them.

• Cardigan, James Brudenell, 7th Earl of – British Army officer during the Crimean War; the knitted sweater soldiers wore was nicknamed the “cardigan” after him.

• Derby, Edward Stanley, 12th Earl of – English nobleman; his name was attached to the famous horse race “the Derby,” which later gave its name to derby hats.

• Guillotin, Joseph-Ignace – French physician who proposed a more humane execution device during the French Revolution; he did not invent it, but his name became attached to the guillotine.

• Leotard, Jules – French acrobat who popularized the flying trapeze; the tight-fitting costume he wore on stage became known as a “leotard.”

• Sandwich, John Montagu, 4th Earl of – English nobleman who often ate meat between bread while gambling; others began calling the snack a “sandwich” after him.

• Silhouette, Étienne de – French finance minister known for austerity; people mocked cheap shadow portraits by calling them “silhouettes” after him.

• Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of – British general who defeated Napoleon; the boots he favored became known as “Wellington boots” or “Wellies.”

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