'Jeep' comes from slurring the letters GP. In WWII the Ford built jeeps were built in two versions. the Ford prototype design called GP. (very rare only 3200 built, about 350 survive around the world). It (the GP) lost the army's contest to Willys (MA, version 'A'). The army asked Ford to build copies of the improved jeep Willys (MB, version 'B') had designed. Using Willys blueprints. This copy was called the GPW. (350,000 or so built). GP Never stood for 'General Purpose' !!! THIS IS THE MIS-INFO. It is Ford Factory Terminology. All vehicles Ford built for the government started with a 'G' for Government. Following was a letter which stood for the wheelbase. GA, GB, GC, GD, GE, etc, getting longer each time. When they got to 80 inches (jeep size) they were at 'P'. When they were forced/asked to build jeeps using Willys design - they added a 'W' to it. The army never even called it a jeep, officially it was 'Truck, 1/4 ton'.

 

Wow look at that I actually learned something in a Saturday! Thanks man!! Good info!

 

Sweet always nice to know a little history about our rigs

 

And all this time I thought it was an acronym for Just Empty Every Pocket

 

X2

 

And here I thought it meant a vehicle that can Jump Every Existing Pothole

 

I have also heard "just enough essential parts".

 

The origin of the term jeep as it applied to the vehicle is obscured in history. There are multiple theories, each one as possible as another. The story related in this thread is one of those possibilities.

 

Also: Just Everybody Else's Parts

 

I'm not so sure it was a mispronouncing of GP. You see Eugene the Jeep is a character in the Popeye comic strip. A mysterious animal with magical abilities, the Jeep first appeared in the March 16, 1936, appearance of Thimble Theatre strip (now simply Popeye). He was also present in animated versions of Popeye's adventures, including three appearances in the Fleischer Studios shorts of the late 1930s/early 1940s, with more extensive appearances in later Popeye cartoons produced for TV.
The cartoon "Jeep" could go anywhere and do anything. So the GI's called it like they seen it. Jeeps can go anywhere and do anything!