What is the Origin of toy maker mattel's name?

Answer 1

According to the Mattel Web site, the company was founded in Southern California as a garage-based picture framing (soon to be doll furniture and, ultimately, toy) business in 1945. The founding business partners were husband and wife Ruth and Elliott Handler and Harold "Matt" Matson. When the Handlers shifted from making picture frames to building doll furniture, Matson sold his share of the business to the Handlers. However, it would be reasonable to assume that the name Mattel hearkens back to the time when the three founders were still partners, as the name would appear to be an amalgam of Matson's nickname "Matt" and the first two letters of Mr. Handler's name, Elliott--Matt + El--thus forming Mattel.