Photo courtesy of John Mark Kuznietsov of Unsplash

Did you know that Dale Carnegie (1888-1955), author of the bestselling How to Win Friends and Influence People, had an original last name of Carnagey?

It’s true; around 1913 he changed the spelling of his last name so that the general public would associate him with the family (and status) of Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). Andrew Carnegie was an exceedingly wealthy steel tycoon and philanthropist.

Both men had been born into poor families and both made their own ways to financial success. And although they did share a passion for books and learning, they were not related.

In 1900 Andrew made a point of telling his family (and anyone who asked) why he was donating the bulk of his fortune (the $350 million would be worth nearly five billion in today’s dollars) by writing a small book called The Gospel of Wealth.

Andrew felt that too much money ruined a person. He encouraged all wealthy people to be socially responsible and use their money to help others.

Part of the money Andrew Carnegie left endowed over 200 libraries.

A man after my own heart.

It’s been thought that Andrew Carnegie and his wife held one of the first prenuptial agreements. Apparently he wanted to leave his wife and daughter enough money to be comfortable, but not so much that they might end up lazy.

In an interview with one of his great granddaughters (Linda Thorell Hills), she said her family has been appreciative and supportive of Andrew’s legacy; they try to live as he did.

Here’s a fantastic quote from a Forbes article from Ms. Thorell Hills:

“Making one’s own way in life is a healthy way to be. Our family has been very much raised with the philosophy that our own individual lives are what we make of them.”

While Andrew Carnegie literally gave away most of his wealth, I cannot find that Dale Carnegie did the same.  In fact, if you do a specific Google search (putting the phrase in quotation marks) for “Dale Carnegie Philanthropist,” you get ZERO hits.  About 0 results (0.69 seconds)

Can you tell me the last time you Googled something and got zero hits?

A biographical website for Dale Carnagey/Carnegie, says that the name spelling change was “a brilliant, if somewhat disingenuous, business tactic.”

Well, I guess he really did know how to influence people.