| It has been widely debated as to where | | | | comic character's name to it. The first |
| the word 'jeep' came from, and it is no | | | | use of the word 'jeep' appears to have |
| easy task to locate the truth. The | | | | been during the First World War. |
| general consensus is that the | | | | Soldiers would assign it to vehicles and |
| assignation 'GP', standing for 'General | | | | recruits who were new to the army. In |
| Purpose', is its origin; with the | | | | the U.S Army magazine the 'Quartermaster |
| phonetic conjoining of the consonants | | | | Review', Maj. E. P. Hogan told that |
| with ease of effort adding a couple of | | | | these assignations were even in use |
| vowels and changing the first letter, | | | | during the Second World War. 'Jeep' |
| ending up with 'jeep'. In contradiction | | | | became a common name for tractors and |
| to this theory, R. Lee Ermey contends | | | | planes. It was adopted by the company |
| that the jeep was intended to be used | | | | 'Modine' for their tractor. The unnamed |
| towards more particular ends. He | | | | vehicle was sent to Camp Holabird for |
| believes that the jeep was not intended | | | | testing and the name 'jeep' was assigned |
| for general purpose, but rather that its | | | | to it by officers there. The confusion |
| modern name originated from Ford; the | | | | over its origin perhaps came about as |
| 'G' indicating government use, and the | | | | engineers were unaware of the military |
| 'P' the vehicles eighty inch wheel base. | | | | slang 'jeep', and so assumed that the |
| He claims that it is from these | | | | nickname came from the Popeye comic |
| assignations that the 'nickname' jeep | | | | strip. In 1941 the vehicle was driven up |
| has been derived. The confusion was | | | | the steps of the United States capital |
| thickened when a locomotive | | | | by Irving 'Red' Haussman to show its |
| manufacturer, in 1949; the | | | | versatility on terrain. The newspapers |
| Electro-Motive Division of General | | | | quoted him as naming it a 'jeep'. He had |
| Motors, jumped on the moving train of | | | | spent time at Fort Holabird and this is |
| popular terminology by coining its | | | | probably where he had picked up the |
| 'General Purpose' line by the | | | | term. The entire nation had this |
| phonetically, but not grammatically, | | | | terminology placed in front of them with |
| identical 'Geep'. To try and identify | | | | their morning coffee, and from then on |
| the etymology of the word jeep, Ermy | | | | in it has been the only name for the 4x4 |
| hypothesised that the word had derived | | | | all terrain vehicles. So, when you jump |
| from 'Eugene the Jeep' - a versatile | | | | in your Jeep and start it up, remember |
| character from the Popeye comics who | | | | that you now know a little bit more |
| could climb up trees, fly in the air, | | | | about your loyal vehicle than a lot of |
| walk up walls and through ceilings, and | | | | other people who have loved them for |
| transcend any terrain it wanted. The | | | | years. Maybe you can make your friends |
| theory forwards the idea that military | | | | more aware with this little bit of |
| officers, in admiration of the vehicle's | | | | knowledge or maybe you can just use it |
| commendable maneuverability, gave the | | | | to impress them! |