Leo Gerstenzang invented the q-tip.
Well... we're not supposed to say that. "Q-tip" is a brand name owned by the Unilever. The proper term is "cotton swab".
So, Leo Gerstenzang, a Polish-American Jew, invented the cotton swab. His wife was using cotton on top of toothpicks to clean in those hard-to-reach places. (You know how you're not supposed to stick a q-tip... err, cotton swab in your ear? Well, imagine a toothpick!) So Gerstenzang had a great idea, hence: cotton swabs!
So where does "q-tip" come from? Well, "q" stands for quality, and "q-tips" got attached to what Gerstenzang originally called his invention...
Leo Gerstenzang invented baby gays.
Yes, he called it "baby gays", which eventually became "q-tip baby gays", which...
Probably for the best.