10. I’m Hooked

There are plenty of nouns in the English language that come from people’s last names. Words like “heimlich,” “maverick,” and even “jacuzzi” were sourced from the people who were in the right place at the right time. The word “hooker” is another unfortunate example of a person’s name that has since become a noun.  

The story goes that the Union General Joseph Hooker led a unit during the Civil War that was known for its murky morals. The men in Hooker’s unit would often employ women who were around so much that people started referring to them as “Hooker’s” women. The word eventually stuck and spread throughout the English language.