Here's What 32 Car Names Actually Mean

Did you know Volkswagen means 'people's car' in German? How about the story behind the Aston Martin?

In a video from Mental Floss, host John Green explains the origin of some of the most popular car names and brands.

A lot of them were surprising, but here are some of the most interesting:

The Corvette is named after a type of warship.

The first reference to a corvette warship was with the French Navy in the 1670s, which may be where the term originated.

The most widely held theory about the Jeep is that the military designation GP (for Government Purposes or General Purpose) was slurred into Jeep.

This is similar to the HMMWV (High-Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle) becoming known as the Humvee.

Pontiac used to make wagons before it made cars.

The Pontiac Buggy Co. originated in Pontiac, Michigan, and took its name from the city.

Volvo means "I roll" in Latin.

Subaru is Japanese for the Pleiades star cluster found in its logo.

You can watch the full video from Mental Floss below to learn more:

[h/t Laughing Squid]