George G. Blaisdell founded Zippo Manufacturing Company in 1932 and produced the first Zippo lighter in early 1933, being inspired by an Austrian cigarette lighter of similar design. It got its name because Blaisdell liked the sound of the word “zipper,” and “zippo” sounded more modern. On March 3, 1936, a patent was granted for the Zippo lighter. (Wikipedia)
Please refer to The Vision of Zippo’s Founder and Its Legacy