Eponym Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: W.9-10.2

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

This is a tactic that authors use to name something in direct reference to a person or thing. This is often used in literature to add an essence of personification to an inanimate object. You will find that this is used often by founders or inventors to bring their vision to life for their audience. In literature this technique is often used to narrow down or subscribe to a specific time period. This relates a great to the concept of legacy or legend. The name that is used is pushed forward to gain trust and a level of brandedness for the purposes of gaining a level of significance towards the followers or readers. The worksheets will help student explore this concept and help them learn to use it in their own writing.

Eponym Worksheets To Print:

Who's That? - Identify who each of these things were named after.

The Concept - This is a reading activity that will help you better understand the use of this strategy.

Rapid Fire - Make sure your students are well immersed in the concept before you try this one with them.

True or False - See what you know about this technique.

Where is That From? - Draw a line of match each eponym to the item that has been named after it.

My Community - Reflect on your community, do see a connection?

Scavenger Hunt - You will be suprised how often we are surronded by this concept.

Circle Up - Circle the items that have eponyms.

Interesting - You might be able to make a deep generalization after you see how this sticks.

Words from Names - Identify the person whose name each word comes from.

Important - See if you can better understand the significance of this device.

Epithet - Do you see some crossover between these concepts?

Flashes - See if you can determine a word or phrase to satisfy what each question is looking for.

Small Groups - Work in small groups to try to create two original eponymous names for things you do or use every day.

Rename Your School - Imagine that you have been selected to choose a new name for your school.

What Is an Eponym?

An eponym is something that is named, or people believe it to be named after something. This could be a street, square, county, animal, material, etc. An eponym can refer to something ancient, mythical, or anything of relevance that can somehow establish a connection between name and object. For example, if a certain scientist discovers a type of plant or animal, it could be named after them or a derivative of their name.


Using an eponym can sometimes be a challenge for people so if the exact word is not used, a portion of it is used instead. Both forms are acceptable and exist in the English language. Sometimes, certain eponyms are from an entirely different language but are still used in the English language because that allows for a better understanding of it.

There are quite a few examples of eponyms out there. Here is a list of them for you to understand exactly what this technique entails.


Common Phrases


- Caesar's Salad: The eponym for Caesar's salad comes from the restaurateur Caesar Cardini who was responsible for creating the dish.


- Boycott: The boycott is credited to an Irish land agent Captain Charles C. Boycott whose last name is used.


- Cardigan: The cardigan is named after the 7th Earl of Cardigan who had instructed his troops to wear a cardigan into battle.


- Nicotine: Nicotine can trace its roots back to one Jean Nicot. He was responsible for sending powdered tobacco leaves and seeds from Portugal to France when he was serving as ambassador.


- Diesel: Diesel, the fuel used in large machinery and trucks is credited to Rudolph Diesel.


In Literature


- Gulliver's Travels. In the story, the term Lilliputian is used to describe different things in the fictional world. It also originates from a fictional island nation located in the South Pacific. In reality, the term lilliputian is used to describe things that are miniature. At times, it might even be used in a derogatory sense when trying to make someone feel small.


- Pickwick Papers. The term Pickwickian which is commonly used nowadays traces its roots back to this story. As it goes, Mr. Samuel Pickwick and his associates have set out to explore different parts of England and try to understand different parts of life. Along the way, he helps to reunite a married couple in crisis, and hence the term was coined.


- Life in London. In this story, Victorian-era writer Pierce Egan mentioned the characters, Tom and Jerry, back in 1821. Many decades later, this famous story inspired Joseph Barbara and William Hannah to create the iconic cat and mouse cartoon, Tom and Jerry.