* Gerry: Referencing Elbridge Gerry, the Governor of Massachusetts in 1812.
* Salamander: A mythical amphibian-like creature.
The term was coined in 1812 during a political controversy in Massachusetts. A political cartoon depicted a new voting district drawn to benefit Gerry's party, resembling a salamander in shape. This shape was considered bizarre and unfair, and the term "gerrymander" was born to describe the manipulation of electoral district boundaries for partisan advantage.