Pre-War car celebrity model names

[Leif in Calif]

There's a  Studebaker Rockne over on the "Not Mine" forum. It's named for Notre Dame's football coach. In the same period, there was the Marmon Roosevelt, which had Teddy's picture on the front. Were there any other similarly named cars? Obviously Lincoln was named for the president (wasn't it?) and you could kind of count Rickenbacker, since even though he was involved, the only reason it was named that was his celebrity. 

[TerryB]

Louis Chevrolet, the race car driver gave his celebrity status to Durant to use.  He was not pleased to have a low dollar car named for him.

[1937hd45]

Moon produced the Diana.

[Leif in Calif]

4 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Moon produced the Diana.

Did Diana refer to a specific person? 

[1937hd45]

2 minutes ago, Leif in Calif said:

Did Diana refer to a specific person? 

Roman goddess I believe. 

Edited November 11, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

14 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Roman goddess I believe. 

Goddess of the hunt, associated with the moon.  Greek version is Artemis.

[bryankazmer]

How about Mercedes, after Jelinek's daughter?

[TerryB]

I would think Ford, Chrysler Durant, and others considered themselves enough of a celebrity to use their own name on their car.  Was the Grant car named for the general?

[1937hd45]

Washington, Grant, Cadillac, LaSalle

[Walt G]

Minerva  in Belgium Mr. Rolls, Mr. Royce, Mr. Bentley , like Ford and Chrysler here took their own name. Renault in France.

[1937hd45]

Bugatti named some models after race tracks and towns Brescia being one of them. 

[ron hausmann]

Kissel “Gold Bug” and Marmon  “Wasp”.  -   Competing insects

[Tom Boehm]

Good topic!    Lasalle, Cadillac, Desoto, Marquette, Lafayette, Pontiac, Lincoln, Tesla, Chrysler had a Frank Sinatra trim package in the 80's, Mercury is fictional. 

 

All named after people who were not the founder of the company.  Edsel fits this category.   Franklin was named after the founder 

Edited November 11, 2022 by Tom Boehm (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Are we accepting 1980's stuff? If so how can that great automobilist Eddie Bauer be overlooked?

[58L-Y8]

Webster's Dictionary:

"Mercury; Roman god who serves as herald and messenger of the other gods and preside over commerce, eloquence, cunning and theft."

[John_S_in_Penna]

Here's an obscure pre-war car owned

by one of our late region members:

a 1915 Pathfinder Daniel Boone.

It's a model surely not well known today.

 

[zepher]

5 hours ago, Leif in Calif said:

and you could kind of count Rickenbacker, since even though he was involved, the only reason it was named that was his celebrity. 

 

People today vastly underestimate the status of Capt Eddie as a celebrity.

 

After all, Rickenbacker Motor's tag line was "A Car Worthy of It's Name"

 

Edited November 11, 2022 by zepher (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Henry Leland chose the name Lincoln because he was an admirer of Abraham Lincoln, having voted for him in 1860, the first presidential election he voted in. Surprisingly, the name does not seem to have hurt sales in the south, at least I never heard of it doing so.

Edited November 11, 2022 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

If Germany counts, there was a small car called the Goggomobile in the fifties. Goggo was the nickname of the builder's nephew. No word yet on why he chose that name.

[Rusty_OToole]

Then there were the "Docker Daimlers" or "Docker Shockers" named after Lord and Lady Docker. A series of flashy over the top show cars built  when he was head of the Daimler company.

[Paul Dobbin]

In 1936. Studebaker had a model called a "Dictator" and had to drop the model name a few years later because of Germany's Dictator.   Anybidy know what they change that model into?

[1937hd45]

6 hours ago, Leif in Calif said:

 Obviously Lincoln was named for the president (wasn't it?) and you could kind of count Rickenbacker, since even though he was involved, the only reason it was named that was his celebrity. 

Odd that you picked Veterans Day to post your opinion of this World War One Ace. 

 

Bob 

[1937hd45]

11 minutes ago, Paul Dobbin said:

In 1936. Studebaker had a model called a "Dictator" and had to drop the model name a few years later because of Germany's Dictator.   Anybidy know what they change that model into?

 I'm sure the Chevrolet Confederate Coupes were slow sellers up North in the early 1930's. 

[TAKerry]

1 hour ago, Paul Dobbin said:

In 1936. Studebaker had a model called a "Dictator" and had to drop the model name a few years later because of Germany's Dictator.   Anybidy know what they change that model into?

Commander?

 

I dont think that Ford, Chevrolet, Mercedes etc. fit into the original intent of the op's question. I see it more as a known manufacturer naming a car after a contemporary celebrity. The Eddie Bauer model is close, but not really the same as a 'Rockne'. I would have assumed that the Rockne was named after a beloved person of the day as a tribute, whilst the Eddie Bauer (and to a lesser extent Cartier) may have been 'bought' naming rights.

[8E45E]

1 hour ago, Paul Dobbin said:

In 1936. Studebaker had a model called a "Dictator" and had to drop the model name a few years later because of Germany's Dictator.   Anybidy know what they change that model into?

It was called the 'Director' in most European markets:  1929 Studebaker Direktor sechs sales folder | eBay

 

Craig

[Leif in Calif]

2 hours ago, zepher said:

 

People today vastly underestimate the status of Capt Eddie as a celebrity.

 

After all, Rickenbacker Motor's tag line was "A Car Worthy of It's Name"

 

By far the most fascinating biography I very read was Rickenbacker! What a fantastic life that guy had!  

[zepher]

3 hours ago, Leif in Calif said:

By far the most fascinating biography I very read was Rickenbacker! What a fantastic life that guy had!  

He led an amazing life.

Capt Eddie had enough life experiences for 3 lifetimes.

 

I am fortunate enough to have a singed copy of Capt Eddie's autobiography.

[CHuDWah]

On 11/11/2022 at 12:39 PM, bryankazmer said:

Goddess of the hunt, associated with the moon.  Greek version is Artemis.

Yep, Romans tended to appropriate Greek gods.  As you say, she also was goddess of the moon, hence the connection to the car.  And she was goddess of fertility and childbirth, ironic since she was considered to be a virgin.

[Paul Dobbin]

19 hours ago, 8E45E said:

It was called the 'Director' in most European markets:  1929 Studebaker Direktor sechs sales folder | eBay

 

Craig

   I was introduced to the Studebaker Dictator on thw 1987 Great American Race when George Reitenour raced a beautiful red and silver one

   Disneylant to Disneyworld. Here is a link to Hemming's Motor News story about the Studebaker Dictator.,  Google them, there are many of

   them for sale now.  All 3 window coupes.

  https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsamBatBKF8_NcMPO1csw-1B9gFMHQ:1668282658868&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=

Edited November 12, 2022 by Paul Dobbin (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

2 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

   I was introduced to the Studebaker Dictator on thw 1987 Great American Race when George Reitenour raced a beautiful red and silver one

   Disneylant to Disneyworld. Here is a link to Hemming's Motor News story about the Studebaker Dictator.,  Google them, there are many of

   them for sale now.  All 3 window coupes.

  https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsamBatBKF8_NcMPO1csw-1B9gFMHQ:1668282658868&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=

Before the Fascist connotation, the original Roman office was very noble - a person given absolute power for a limited time to solve a crisis.  Cincinnatus and Fabius Maximus were Dictators.

[8E45E]

26 minutes ago, bryankazmer said:

Before the Fascist connotation, the original Roman office was very noble - a person given absolute power for a limited time to solve a crisis.  Cincinnatus and Fabius Maximus were Dictators.

That is correct.

 

Here is my 1935 Dictator radio.  (Manufactured by Electrohome, and sold under the 'Dictator' label by Hudson's Bay department store.)

Craig

[Paul Dobbin]

      I didn't mean to start a diacussion of Dictatoes and Tyrants, I tried to post a link to Hemming's Motor News, article on the Studebaker Dictator.

      https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1936-studebaker-dictator-business-coupe

      Any other link was a Computer mistake, I apologize.

[Tom Boehm]

I like this topic so here is all the names mentioned in this thread so far:     These are cars named after a celebrity who did not have anything to do with founding the company or designing the car. Most are pre WWII. A few like Mercedes and Goggomobile are not well known celebrities but relatives of the founder. I included Edsel. Edsel Ford was dead by the time the car came out and they named it in his honor. Was Louis Chevrolet involved in founding the company or did Durant just use his name?

 

Rockne,   Roosevelt,   Lincoln,   Rickenbacker,   Mercedes,   Washington,   Grant,   Lasalle,   Cadillac,   Marquette,   Lafayette,   Pontiac,   Tesla,   Sinatra Edition Chrysler,  Edsel,   Eddie Bauer Ford trucks,   Daniel Boone,   Daimler Docker,   Goggomobile.                Diana,   Mercury,   and  Minerva are Greek/Roman gods/goddesses. 

 

 

[Tom Boehm]

I find The Marquette name interesting. Like Lasalle, Cadillac, and Desoto, Marquette was a French explorer of North America. He was also a missionary. This is probably the only car named after a Catholic Priest ! 

 

Along those lines, There is also the Wills Sainte Claire and the Dodge St. Regis to include in the above list. 

[1937hd45]

PORTOLA! Just remembered that Pope Hartford honored him @1910 by naming a Roadster in his name. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Tom Boehm]

Good one. Had to look it up. Gaspar Portola, explorer and first governor of Spanish California. 

[8E45E]

6 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

      I didn't mean to start a diacussion of Dictatoes and Tyrants, I tried to post a link to Hemming's Motor News, article on the Studebaker Dictator.

      https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1936-studebaker-dictator-business-coupe

      Any other link was a Computer mistake, I apologize.

I was making a statement to emphasize the term 'Dictator' did NOT always have the bad connotations it received in the mid-1930's in Europe.

 

Same with the Swastika.  It was actually a stamp-of-approval for many cast iron fittings and used other consumer products until the 1920's.  A notable example:

 

 

 

[Tom Boehm]

St. Regis was also a Jesuit Catholic Priest like Marquette. St. Claire was a catholic nun in the middle ages. It is a possibility that these cars were not named after saints directly. The Dodge St. Regis was probably named after the hotel and the Wills Sainte Claire could have been named after the St. Clair River or Lake St. Clair in Michigan. 

[JD in KC]

Henry J

[Tom Boehm]

Henry J is named after Henry J. Kaiser, part owner of Kaiser- Frazer Corporation, manufacturer of the car. This is unusual in that his first name was used. Edsel and Mercedes were first names also.  

Edited November 13, 2022 by Tom Boehm (see edit history)