Q&A: Why is it called ‘tupperware’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we're talking about household names…

Q: Hi AWC, can I talk to you about “tupperware”?

A: Look, we told you that we’re really not interested.

Q: Noooo, I was wondering about the name itself. Why is it called that?

A: It really is the most obvious answer of all. It’s named after the person who invented it!

Q: Really? You mean someone actually has the last name “Tupperware”?

A: Well, no. The “ware” part of the name is like what you’d see on “hardware” or “cookware”. In this context, “ware” simply means “manufactured goods or goods for sale”. And it came from Old English “waru” meaning “article of merchandise”.

Q: So the person’s name was Tupper?

A: It certainly was. Earn Tupper founded the company in 1942 and sold his first container to the public in 1946.

Q: I guess he spent four years planning how to run the parties…

A: Well yes – throughout the 1950s they became famous for their parties, as housewives earned an income without leaving their living rooms. 

Q: Yes, how else would they be able to have enough time to make the dinner and their face up before their darling husband got home from work!

A: Yes indeed, what a fun time to be alive.

Q: I’d heard that the Tupperware company in the USA filed for bankruptcy last year. Which is odd, as you’d think their finances would be airtight! 

A: Indeed.

Q: Do you think there’s a place where all the tupperware lids go to hide?

A: Haha, yes, along with odd socks and ball point pens.

Q: And it’s funny that even other brands of the stuff get lumped together with the catch-all name “tupperware”!

A: Yes, that phenomenon happens a lot, where trademarks like Band-Aid, Velcro, Kleenex, Thermos and Speedo become generic. We chatted about it here.

Q: Okay, so what are some other companies named after people? Besides the obvious ones that look like names, like “Harvey Norman”.

A: Well if we stick with Aussie icons, people might not think that “Bunnings” is named after someone. 

Q: Let me guess. Walter Bunning – sausage sandwich magnate.

A: Not quite. Two brothers, Arthur and Robert Bunning established “Bunning Bros Pty Ltd” in Perth in 1886. And the iconic giant warehouses we know today arrived in the 1990s.

Q: Some others?

A: Well, we’ve spoken about the sportswear brand “Adidas” before – named after founder Adolf “Adi” Dassler. 

Q: Yeah, I agree that “Adolfdas” wouldn’t have been quite as good.

A: And sticking with Germany and another set of brothers, we have Karl and Theo Albrecht. The first two letters of their surname and the first two of “Diskont” (for discount) formed the name “ALDI”.

Q: Interesting! And very European.

A: But perhaps not as European as Ingvar Kamprad who started his mail-order business in 1943 from his farm, Elmtaryd near the village of Agunnaryd. 

Q: I feel like you’re about to sell me some magic beans…

A: Not quite. The first “IKEA” store opened in 1958 and we’ve been flatpacking ever since. The letters are from his initials and those of the farm and village where he grew up!

Q: Speaking of IKEA, which Billy is more famous – Billy Joel or Billy Bookcase?

A: Haha, that’s a tough one. Billy Joel’s music is better. Although I hear his clothes are always wet.

Q: Really? Why?

A: Because he didn’t start the dryer…

Q: Heeeeey I do the jokes round here!

A: Fair enough. Shall we leave it there for today?

Q: Yep. Maybe we can look at even more company names another time?

A: Of course! Wait until you tell you about how Steve Jobs’ original name was Steve McApple…

Q: Seriously?

A: No.

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