Here's why:
* The Eau de Cologne: In the 18th century, Italian perfumer Giovanni Maria Farina created a citrus-based fragrance he named "Eau de Cologne" (meaning "Water of Cologne"). He chose this name to honor his adopted city, Cologne, where he had established his business.
* Popularity and Usage: This fragrance quickly became incredibly popular, and the term "cologne" came to be used generically to describe any scented water.
* Modern Usage: While technically, "cologne" refers specifically to Farina's original fragrance, the word has evolved to broadly encompass a type of men's fragrance with a lighter concentration of essential oils than perfume or eau de parfum.
So, while "cologne" is now a common term for a type of fragrance, it's a direct nod to the city where it was originally created and made famous.