She was born on 16 September 1889 as third child of businessman Emil Jellinek. Borrowing her name, her father entered Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft cars in races under the pseudonym “Mercédès” – especially the Nice Week. Owing to an unparalleled series of successes, the name “Mercédès” soon became widely known. When Jellinek and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft signed an agreement on the sale of cars and engines in April 1900, Mercedes (without the accent and grave) was made the product designation for Daimler vehicles.