Naming Origins

The antibiotic vancomycin is named for the person who....

Just kidding.  It's named after no one.  It comes from the word "vanquish."  So naturally, from here on out, I will only be spelling it vanquomycin to be more correct.


It was actually originally called Mississippi Mud because (I kid you not) the preparation was brown and full of impurities.  I guess if I had to choose, I'd rather my antibiotics be named after a word meaning to conquer than after murky river dirt.

But I mean... yumm: Mississippi Mud Cake.

..I'm not lying! Source