Where did Big Ben get its (his?) name?

Search: big ben

Why: On reddit, You won't find the answers at the bottom of a wine glass:

That's Prague, but that clock there is reminding me of that other clock.

Answer: No one is sure, not even Parliament! But there are two theories:

• It was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, First Commissioner for Works, whose name was [allegedly] inscribed on the first bell.
• It was named after Ben Caunt, a champion heavyweight boxer of the 1850s.

Big Ben is the bell, by the way - not the clock (which is the Great Clock) nor the tower (which is the Clock Tower). Officially, Big Ben is called the Great Bell. It first tolled July 11th, 1859.

Source: Parliament.uk

The More You Know: Some facts compiled by Diamond Geezer:

• The Clock Tower is 11 storeys high. There are 334 steps up to the belfry. There is no lift.
• Each clock face is made up of 312 pieces of opal glass.
• Each dial is just over 7m in diameter, and is cleaned once every five years by abseiling technicians.
• The tip of the minute hand travels approximately 190km each year.