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From: wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: Re: Esso/exxon joke (explanation, not a joke)
Message-ID: <727@bonnie.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Mar-86 18:49:13 EST
Article-I.D.: bonnie.727
Posted: Mon Mar 10 18:49:13 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Mar-86 04:25:49 EST
References: <766@cylixd.UUCP> <4294@ut-sally.UUCP> <122@factron.uucp>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany NJ
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>I vaguely remember that Esso changed is name to Exxon because the name
>was a derogatory term in some language.  That's why the double X was
>chosen: it was assumed no language would have that construct.  Anybody
>else remember this or can supply more details?


Unfortunately, the real answer is not very funny.  ESSO is pronounced the
same as the letters SO, which is short for Standard Oil.  The original
Standard Oil Compnay was broken up under the anti-trust laws quite a few
years ago (1920s?), and the companies that came out of the break up included
Standard Oil of New Jersey (now EXXON), SO of Illinois (AMOCO), SO of
California (Chevrom), SO of Ohio (SOHIO), Mobil, and a few more.  The name
ESSO could not be used in some areas where competitors still used the name
Standard Oil of..., so ESSO used different names (but otherwise identical
logos) in different parts of the US: ENCO in the mid-west, ENJAY for the
chemical subsidiary, etc.  The switch to EXXON was made so that the name
could be standardized throughout the US.  ESSO is still used in many (if not
most) foreighn countries.