There is a common
misconception that
Duck Tape is an incorrect name for
Duct Tape, as most people believe that it was made for work on
ducts and the
duck name was made up. This is not true. Duck tape was originally developed during
World War II by
Johnson and Johnson for use by the
military as a
waterproof tape to use in sealing
ammunition boxes. Because it was waterproof, it was called Duck Tape since it
repelled water (like water off a
ducks back). After the war, Johnson and Johnson discovered the tape had a lot of good uses, especially in sealing up heating and cooling ducts, so they made it
silver to match
ductwork (instead of the original
army green) and marketed it under the name
Duct Tape.
So there you have it, against popular belief, the original name was in fact Duck Tape.