In an earlier post, I explored the meaning of some names. I'm not exactly sure why, but stuff like that fascinates me. So, expect to see me go back to that well from time to time, including today.
Without using Google, what do you know about Exxon? That's such a weird word, there HAS to be an explanation for it.
Well, it's funny you should ask.
Almost every American recognizes the name Rockefeller. That name evokes visions of vast wealth and luxury but do you know why? Well, at the end of the Civil War, as the post-war economic recovery started to get in gear, the world was beginning its transition away from whale oil as a means of creating artificial lighting.
John D. Rockefeller positioned himself to capitalize on the new market of refining oil to produce kerosene, among other products. His drive to grow his business led him to form a partnership in 1870 which became the company, Standard Oil.
Within a decade of its founding, Standard Oil was refining almost all of the oil in America. It became so big that in 1911, an anti-trust case that had been brought against them was decided by the Supreme Court and it was ruled that Standard Oil was a monopoly and needed to be broken up on a regional basis.
However, many of the new companies retained the word "Standard" in their names. By then, it had become ubiquitous. In the American lexicon, it often took on the form, "S.O." By the time WWII rolled around, Standard Oil of New Jersey was officially marketing itself as Esso.
Finally, in the 1970's, as a result of a series of mergers and acquisitions, Esso became Exxon. So, while the name Exxon doesn't actually mean anything, it does have a "rich" history.
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