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At least in my generation (born in 80s), I think the name is so synonymous because of Henry Hoover : https://www.viking-direct.co.uk/en/p/155384 https://www.vik

by ben_ev 7y ago

At least in my generation (born in 80s), I think the name is so synonymous because of Henry Hoover : https://www.viking-direct.co.uk/en/p/155384 https://www.viking-direct.co.uk/en/p/155384 (shopping link -- I couldn't find a non-shopping link). Although it only says Henry on it, everyone knows it's Henry Hoover. This is THE absolute classic vacuum that most people have owned or used at least once in their lives. Not sure if it's much of a thing outside the UK.

jonatron 7y ago
Non shopping link: https://www.numatic.co.uk/products.aspx?r=4&sr=1 https://www.numatic.co.uk/products.aspx?r=4&sr=1
pm215 7y ago
FWIW I own a Henry, and I had no idea the name was a play on Henry Hoover's name -- it's not manufactured by Hoover, after all, and it postdates the word becoming a generic term by a long way. I think the article's take on it is more likely -- machines branded Hoover were so ubiquitous in the first half of the 20th century that the term became a common word (the OED has cites for 'hoover' the verb with no capitalization or quote-marks starting in the 1940s), and once something is a common word it gets passed on to later generations regardless of whether the actual device in use is one from the company or not. (Though I remember in the early 1980s the hoover my parents had was indeed a genuine Hoover...)
SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
But Henry is made by Numatic, not Hoover. FWIW, Numatic is a British company, and not in the "Claims to be British but actually based in the Far East and doesn't pay any tax in the UK" way like Dyson.
benj111 7y ago
People call it a Henry Hoover in the same way they they call any sticky tape, sellotape. Hoover is a brand name that has become genericised, a Henry is no more or less a Hoover than a Dyson is. Here's a list of some others, Hoover is on the list https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_genericized_trademarks https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_generici...

by ben_ev 7y ago

jonatron 7y ago

Non shopping link: https://www.numatic.co.uk/products.aspx?r=4&sr=1 https://www.numatic.co.uk/products.aspx?r=4&sr=1

pm215 7y ago

FWIW I own a Henry, and I had no idea the name was a play on Henry Hoover's name -- it's not manufactured by Hoover, after all, and it postdates the word becoming a generic term by a long way. I think the article's take on it is more likely -- machines branded Hoover were so ubiquitous in the first half of the 20th century that the term became a common word (the OED has cites for 'hoover' the verb with no capitalization or quote-marks starting in the 1940s), and once something is a common word it gets passed on to later generations regardless of whether the actual device in use is one from the company or not. (Though I remember in the early 1980s the hoover my parents had was indeed a genuine Hoover...)

SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago

But Henry is made by Numatic, not Hoover. FWIW, Numatic is a British company, and not in the "Claims to be British but actually based in the Far East and doesn't pay any tax in the UK" way like Dyson.

benj111 7y ago

People call it a Henry Hoover in the same way they they call any sticky tape, sellotape. Hoover is a brand name that has become genericised, a Henry is no more or less a Hoover than a Dyson is. Here's a list of some others, Hoover is on the list https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_genericized_trademarks https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_generici...