popular etymology 
noun
Another term for folk etymology.Perchta's gastrotomic proclivities have been unconsciously adapted in various ways, fittingly or otherwise, by a process akin to the linguistic one of popular etymology....
- In short, ever since his involuntary expatriation from Eden, Adam - whose name popular etymology associates with the Hebrew word for the ground - has been ungrounded.
- The first element became obsolete much as did that of berhtnaht, and popular etymology again brought about a personification, reinterpreting Fron - as Frau.