Why The Name "Wrangler?"

TJRick

TJRick

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 2, 2019
Messages
414
Location
South Carolina
What do you all think of the name "Wrangler" for our Jeeps?

I never understood why that name was chosen. "Wrangler" means a person in charge of horses, cattle, or other livestock on a ranch. How does that relate to a military-style vehicle that can trace it's history back to WWII? I think "Renegade" - a name AMC already owned - would have been a much more obvious choice, as it means someone who rejects lawful or conventional behavior; an outlaw. Wouldn't that have been a more suitable name for a vehicle like this?

Is there an official a story for the reason why AMC Jeep chose "Wrangler" as the new name for the legendary and beloved CJ?
 
Not sure the time frame but maybe with Ford introducing the bronco maybe Jeep thought they would “wrangler” the competition
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
jjvw said:
The post war Jeep was a farm and ranch implement. Personally I find that part of the history to be quite interesting and unfairly overlooked.
Click to expand...


That's fair. I never thought about that.

If you look at it from that angle, I suppose the name "Wrangler" would fit the vehicle nicely,
 
Hard to say if the US President had an influence on the name choice but Ronald Regan was a huge Jeep fan and a rancher/wrangler. I don't doubt his popularity might have influenced the Wrangler name choice. Jeep had many other "tough" sounding names over the years. Honcho, Gladiator, Commando, Renegade. Wrangler seems a pretty natural fit for an all new model in 1987.
 
Looking at the top grossing movies in the years leading up to the release of the Wrangler you get the sense that maybe they were worried that the close association with the CJ and the military in general wasn't an asset at the time. Movies like War Games, Rambo and E.T. didn't exactly paint the military or the government in the best light. I don't think there was a good war flick that was in the top ten grossing films in any of the five years leading up to the Wrangler release. This was what the American consumer was paying money to see and you have to figure Jeep marketing people considered this. This and the end of MASH, maybe they felt the CJ card had been played out for the people looking to buy a Jeep.
 
  • Like
Reactions: billiebob and Chris
Pretty soon China buys the FCA and they will make a new version - WangLee Edition by Fung Choi Ah

Edit: Prototype

2012-terradyne-gurkha_100620395_h.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: mushdogs, TJ Starting, RHP61 and 5 others
Levi's are a mediocre garment. Unrecognizable from the garments of their past. Cheap loose weave so called 'denim', not enough belt loops, not enough rivets and not flat either, unusable ''watch pocket', double seam on the inside leg (if you're a horseman you'll know how irritating this can be), the list is long.
Wranglers are a superior garment . . . . period.
Jeep should have a 'Speedo' model . . . .
 
  • Like
  • Haha
  • Wow
Reactions: mushdogs, taylormade73, Tomcat and 4 others
Seems to me all the Jeep brand names tie into each other. Think about it: Wrangler, Cherokee, Comanche, Honcho, Scrambler, even now we have Commander, Renegade, Liberty, Compass, Patriot, Gladiator. How do they tie in you ask? They're all pretty bad ass names! ;)
 
Top Bottom
Back