Pile of fun-sized candy bars

How A Family Horse Gave

The Bestselling Chocolate Bar In The World Its Name

NEWS

BY SONORA SLATER

Photo of horse named Snickers
Snickers candy gets its name from a beloved pet. As the story goes, Frank and Ethel Mars named the bar after their favorite horse, a frequent winner in the races he was bred for.
Horse sticking out his tongue
In the United Kingdom, though, manufacturers thought Snickers sounded too close to "knickers," so the candy bar became a "Marathon" bar in the British market.
Snickers bar on white
After the candy's debut, it quickly became popular due to the notoriety of the Mars family's candy business, and a series of award-winning ad campaigns boosted it further.