Where does the name Mercedes come from?

The name Mercedes originates from the Spanish phrase "María de las Mercedes", which means "Mary of the Graces". The name is commonly used as a female given name and can also be used as a surname. In the context of the automobile brand Mercedes-Benz, the name Mercedes was chosen in honor of Mercedes Jellinek, the daughter of Emil Jellinek, who was a prominent businessman and early customer of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG). Jellinek was so impressed with the performance and reliability of the DMG vehicles that he suggested using his daughter's name for the company's racing cars. The name Mercedes was officially adopted by DMG in 1902, and it became the brand name for all of the company's vehicles in 1926, following the merger of DMG and Benz & Cie.