Why Did Eponyms Emerge in Anatomy? A Hypothesis

The emergence and development of anatomical eponyms have deep historical roots, dating back to ancient Greece. Despite their formal exclusion from anatomical terminology more than eight decades ago, eponyms remain widely used and continue to create challenges for scientific communication and for the teaching and learning of anatomical structure and function. Their persistence among health science professionals perpetuates a practice that has endured for more than 130 years, particularly when eponymous terminology continues to be disseminated through scientific journals in the morphological sciences, counteracting longstanding efforts by anatomists to establish and refine a logical, consistent, precise, and internationally standardized terminological system. It may be hypothesized that the behaviors underlying the origin and persistence of many eponyms are associated with factors such as arrogance, vanity, pride, self-interest, collaborationism, tribute, fraternity, regionalism, intellectual inertia, or limited critical engagement with standardized terminology. In this context, eponyms may reflect historical influence, authority, and recognition rather than the actual authorship or priority of anatomical discoveries. Moreover, in numerous instances, their use has contributed to distorted historical narratives, misattribution of scientific contributions, and the perpetuation of historical injustices.