What's in a Name?

Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet:

What's in a name? /
That which we call a rose /
By any other name would smell as sweet.

Well, I hate to argue with the great bard, but a name can be very important.

Case in point. For my birthday, I asked for a spatula.



What I got was a spatula.



That got Brian and I thinking. So while cooking something like pancakes, you could use a spatula (to scoop the last little bit of batter out of the bowl) and a spatula (to flip those pancakes).

Why on earth would you name two cooking utensils the same thing??? Seems like something the jerky chef from Hell's Kitchen would do to his contestants. "I am going to confuse you and call two items the same thing and no matter what you bring me it will be the wrong one."

I wonder if there is a Web site that explains cooking history, because I really would like to know who thought this was a good idea.