'Real names' behind major high street shops like ASOS, H&M, B&Q and more

There are many major brands and businesses that people use daily and have no idea what they mean or stand for.

For example, the ECHO reported on the real story about how supermarket Tesco got its name. Stores like H&M and ASOS are generally associated with their acronyms rather than the words and phrases they represent. So what do they stand for - if anything?

We've had a look around and uncovered what a handful of these major brands were thinking when they decided on their names.

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H&M - Hennes & Mauritz:

H&M is Swedish and was founded in 1947, although back then it was just known as Hennes.

Originally the store sold only women’s clothing but when hunting apparel retailer Mauritz Widforss was acquired, menswear was also included. The first UK store opened in London in 1976 - the company's first outside Scandinavia.

B&Q - Block and Quayle:

Block & Quayle might sound like a deep house duo booked for a six-hour set in room 2 at The Warehouse Project, but the pair - Richard Block and David Quayle - are actually the founders of B&Q. Their joint business venture began after they purchased and fitted out a former furniture warehouse in a Southampton suburb in 1969.

The duo soon shortened the brand to B&Q as stock delivery notes and invoices were already unofficially abbreviating the name.

B&M - Billington and Mayman:

The actual name stands for Billington and Mayman after the founder of the chain Malcolm Billington and Mayman, a partner in the store. The store was initially founded in 1978 - but it never reached the level of success it enjoys today.

Cambridge law graduate Simon Arora bought them in 2004 and it’s now a huge chain worth billions. And - in a fun bit of trivia - it turns out that even he didn't know what the name stood for.

IKEA - Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd:

Set up in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad in Almhult, Sweden as a mostly mail-order sales business. It wasn’t until after the Second World War that it began to sell furniture. The first physical store opened in Almhult in 1958, before expanding to the UK in the 80s.

The Elmtaryd in IKEA is the farm where Kamprad grew up and the A stands for his hometown of Agunnaryd.

ASOS - As Seen on Screen:

The global fashion brand and online megastore started life in 1999 as a supplier of unbranded clothes to celebrities - the idea was people could find clothes and accessories they had seen people wearing on TV. Before long, people started referring to AsSeenOnScreen as ASOS and in late 2000, the domain name www.asos.com was bought.

HSBC - The Hing Kong and Shanghai Bank:

Houses, Shoes, Boats and Cars are just some of the things you can buy if you take out a giant loan at HSBC, but sadly that’s not what it stands for.

HSBC was founded by a Scotsman called Sir Thomas Sutherland in 1865 when the territory was still a British colony. It acquired a major foothold in Europe when it took full ownership of Midland Bank in 1992.

M&M's - Mars and Murrie's:

M&M's sadly doesn't stand for Mmmmm and Mmmm's - the noise you make when you eat them. The two M's refer to founders Forrest Mars, Sr - of Mars Bar fame - and Bruce Murrie.

LEGO - Leg Godt:

Lego is a Danish company which gets its name from the Danish saying ‘leg godt’ which translates to 'play well' in English. Carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen founded The Lego Group in his workshop in 1932.

In 1934 it became known simply as ‘Lego’. Lego toys were originally wooden but the production of plastic toys began in 1947. The modern Lego brick design was patented in January 1958.

BMW - Bayerische Motoren Werke:

Bavarian Motor Works - the worldwide manufacturer of cars and motorcycles who also produced aeroplanes until the end of the Second World War. Founded in Munich in 1916 the company has a rich history in motorsport, especially in touring cars, Formula 1, and the Isle of Man TT.

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