The Michelin Man’s name is Bibendum, the mascot of the Michelin tyre company.
Bibendum first appeared in Michelin advertising in 1898. The name comes from the Latin phrase “Nunc est bibendum,” meaning “Now is the time to drink,” from the Roman poet Horace. In the original advertisement, the character raised a glass filled with nails and broken glass to suggest that Michelin tyres could “drink” or overcome road hazards.
The character was developed by Michelin brothers André and Édouard Michelin, with the French poster artist O’Galop bringing their idea to life. The brothers had been inspired by a pile of tyres that resembled a human figure at an exhibition in Lyon in 1894.
Many people know him only as the Michelin Man, but Bibendum is his official name; “Bib” is a common nickname. His appearance has changed considerably over the decades, from a cigar-smoking, bespectacled figure to the friendlier white mascot familiar today.