The name comes from the Italian pallamaglio, which literally means 'ball mallet', ultimately derived from Latin palla, meaning 'ball', and malleus meaning 'maul, hammer, or mallet'.

Where did the name Pall Mall come from?

The Pall Mall cigarette brand was named for a tony London street, Pall Mall, that has for centuries been home to a number of social clubs in which suited gentlemen sip scotch and speak the Queen's English. That street got its name from a 16th-century Italian alley game resembling croquet.

What does the term Pall Mall mean?

: a 17th century game in which each player attempts to drive a wooden ball with a mallet down an alley and through a raised ring in as few strokes as possible also : the alley in which it is played.