why is a toilet called a John???

Question

anyone know???

you guys/girls are the best! THAT WAS QUICK!!!!!!!!!! Chris

Answer 1

JOHN harrington invented the toilet..

thomas crapper popularaized and improved on john's invention..

john and crapper are 2 different people..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Crapper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet

Answer 2

John Toilet

Answer 3

Sorry, not invented by John Crapper. Actually the legend is Thomas Crapper. He did not invent the flush toilet either. He did own a company that made toilets. This is how it got to be called the crapper though. American soldiers in WWI in England saw the name on the toilets and began calling it that. I think the company is still in business.
You can check this out on Snopes. Don't know how it got to be a John but now I have to look.

Answer 4

Ok a bit slow on the uptake but this is why a john is called a john.

King John of England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_England) reigned from the 11th century. He was regarded as a terrible king and he lost the crown jewels in 'The Wash' a bay in England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wash).

Since then John became slang for toilets. And there has never been a royal called John since.

Answer 5

It came down to a vote between John and Bruce...and John won.

Third place was Frank.

Answer 6

john
"toilet," 1932, probably from jack, jakes, used for "toilet" since 16c.
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As early as "1596, Sir John Harrington of England invented a toilet (which he called a water closet) for his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I. So many people made fun of his ridiculous-looking contraption that he never built another one." Close to two hundred years would pass before the idea was to again gain popularity.
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John - Toilet
Although it now refers to any toilet, John once referred to a public toilet for men, with Jane being the women's equivalent. It is distinctly slang, and sometimes considered a bit uncouth. The word also means a prostitute's client, and so is probably best avoided.

Answer 7

It makes sense though. A toilet being named after the most popular MALE name. A toilet and a man have much in common. Both of them are usually full of crap!

Answer 8

Because "Johns" were for boys and "Janes" were for girls.
The man who invented the toilet was named Thomas Crapper NOT John Crapper.
John is considered american slang Crapper is British.

Answer 9

good question. And while we're at it, why is a male soliciting prostitutes called a John?

Answer 10

Modern toilets were invented by a man named John Crapper, seriously!