Then came the breakthrough. The fortieth attempt worked.
That success is preserved directly in the product’s name. “WD” stands for Water Displacement. “40” marks the 40th formula. No branding agency. No clever marketing trick. Just an honest label born from persistence, technical trial, and a refusal to quit. It’s one of the rare consumer products whose name is a literal summary of its invention process.
Despite being one of the most recognized maintenance products in the world, this backstory still surprises people. Over the years, countless guesses have circulated. Some thought WD-40 meant “Workshop Degreaser.” Others joked it stood for “Weird Device.” In 2015, when journalist David Muir posed the question publicly, social media filled with confident guesses and wild theories. Only a small percentage got it right without looking it up.
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