Ramses Condoms: Named After History's Most Prolific Dad

In what might be history's greatest branding paradox, Ramses condoms were named after a man whose track record with birth control was, shall we say, less than stellar. Pharaoh Ramses II—also known as Ramses the Great—fathered somewhere between 100 and 120 children during his 66-year reign. Naming a contraceptive after him is like naming a diet plan after a competitive eater.

But the irony was entirely the point.

The Egyptomania Marketing Strategy

When British archaeologists discovered Ramses the Great's tomb in 1881, America went absolutely bonkers for all things Egyptian. This wasn't just academic interest—this was a full-blown cultural craze. Suddenly, everything from soap to cigars was being marketed with Egyptian imagery and pharaoh references.

Julius Schmid, Inc., the pioneering condom manufacturer based in New York, saw an opportunity. In 1926, they trademarked the name "Ramses" for their rubber prophylactics, receiving the official copyright in 1928. The choice of Ramses II—Egypt's most imperialist and virile pharaoh—was no accident.

Sex as Conquest

In the early 20th century, sex was often marketed to men as a conquest, a domain to be dominated. Ramses II fit this narrative perfectly. He wasn't just a military conqueror who expanded Egypt's empire to unprecedented heights—he was also a reproductive conqueror.

The pharaoh had over 200 wives and concubines, and managed to father approximately 100-120 children (some less reliable sources claim up to 162). He had between 48-50 sons and 40-53 daughters whose names were recorded on monuments throughout Egypt. The message was clear: use Ramses condoms, and you too can be as virile and conquering as the great pharaoh—just, you know, without the 100+ kids.

A Pharmaceutical Empire

The strategy worked spectacularly. Julius Schmid, a German immigrant who founded his company in the 1880s, built a contraceptive empire. By the 1930s, his company had become one of the leading manufacturers in the United States. During both World Wars, the US military chose Schmid as the official supplier of condoms to troops overseas.

Ramses condoms (along with their sister brand, Sheiks) remained on the market through the late 1990s, making them one of the longest-running contraceptive brands in American history.

The Family That Time Forgot

Here's the darker side of Ramses II's legendary fertility: he lived so long that he outlived most of his children. The pharaoh ruled for 66 years and lived into his 90s—an extraordinary lifespan for ancient times. He outlived his first 12 designated heirs, and when he finally died, his 13th son Merneptah took the throne... at 60 years old.

This succession crisis created by Ramses's prolific reproduction and longevity would contribute to the weakening of Egypt's 19th dynasty. Too many royal children competing for power and resources ultimately destabilized the kingdom his military conquests had built.

So the next time you see vintage Ramses packaging at a museum (the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History has several examples in their collection), appreciate the delicious irony: a birth control product named after a man whose lack of birth control literally helped bring down a dynasty.