The "Altima"
name is actually a bastardization of the Latin words: "altus" -
meaning: high; and "timidus, timida, timidum" - meaning: fearful or
timid. Thus, the marriage of the words translates to: high fear.
Now, some may see this as a sign, but Nissan was able to palm this name off as its own bastardization of the word "ultima" or "ultimate" (which the car is not). Clearly, many people fell for this ploy, as the Altima is one of Nissan's highest selling vehicles.
The name "Nissan" has its own interesting derivations... in the Spring of 1887, Chicago was plagued by rampant constipation with the creation and subsequent mass production of the Paulsan Bran Muffin (a large, sweet muffin comprised predominantly by a newly fibrous bran grown only in the plains of Kansas). As the muffins were sold two for a penny by the Paulsan Confection and Baking Company, many people could not resist the tasty treat, two at a time. However, only a week after the muffins began to sell, Paulsan found its sales were quickly falling off, and customers were disappearing from the various restaurants where the treats were being sold. Had the muffin lost its popularity as fast as it gained it? Were the muffins going bad? Upon investigation, the then fledgling Public Health Office found that thousands of people who had consumed the bran muffins, were not getting sufficient amounts of liquids in their diets. It was a cold Spring that year in Chicago, and during cooler months, people tend to drink less. Thus, the Paulsan muffin eaters became impacted by what was called, "the blockage". Old man, Paulsan, and his good friend and tinkerer, Walter Nisbit, not to be bested by the bran blockade, developed a horse-drawn wheeled carriage by which steamed milk and thistle (a natural stool softener) could be easily brought to "high impact" areas and administered to those who felt "the push" but not the relief. Paulson and Nisbit, ever the inventive philanthropists, dubbed their new medicinal wagon: "The Nisbit and Paulsan 'Push-Cart' for Petticoat and Pantaloon Perseverance". Though fun to say, when the thistle hit the system, brevity won the day and the name was shortened to incorporate the inventors who saved the bowls of Chicago... and like the bran muffins that started it all... the name stuck. The "Nissan" was born.
Now, some may see this as a sign, but Nissan was able to palm this name off as its own bastardization of the word "ultima" or "ultimate" (which the car is not). Clearly, many people fell for this ploy, as the Altima is one of Nissan's highest selling vehicles.
The name "Nissan" has its own interesting derivations... in the Spring of 1887, Chicago was plagued by rampant constipation with the creation and subsequent mass production of the Paulsan Bran Muffin (a large, sweet muffin comprised predominantly by a newly fibrous bran grown only in the plains of Kansas). As the muffins were sold two for a penny by the Paulsan Confection and Baking Company, many people could not resist the tasty treat, two at a time. However, only a week after the muffins began to sell, Paulsan found its sales were quickly falling off, and customers were disappearing from the various restaurants where the treats were being sold. Had the muffin lost its popularity as fast as it gained it? Were the muffins going bad? Upon investigation, the then fledgling Public Health Office found that thousands of people who had consumed the bran muffins, were not getting sufficient amounts of liquids in their diets. It was a cold Spring that year in Chicago, and during cooler months, people tend to drink less. Thus, the Paulsan muffin eaters became impacted by what was called, "the blockage". Old man, Paulsan, and his good friend and tinkerer, Walter Nisbit, not to be bested by the bran blockade, developed a horse-drawn wheeled carriage by which steamed milk and thistle (a natural stool softener) could be easily brought to "high impact" areas and administered to those who felt "the push" but not the relief. Paulson and Nisbit, ever the inventive philanthropists, dubbed their new medicinal wagon: "The Nisbit and Paulsan 'Push-Cart' for Petticoat and Pantaloon Perseverance". Though fun to say, when the thistle hit the system, brevity won the day and the name was shortened to incorporate the inventors who saved the bowls of Chicago... and like the bran muffins that started it all... the name stuck. The "Nissan" was born.
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