 A common theory is that it is named for Port Mahon, (Maó in Menorquín) itself named after its founder Mago Barca, in Menorca, in honor of the 3rd Duke of Richelieu's victory over the British in 1756, and in fact the name "mahonnaise" is used by some authors.But the name is only attested long after that event.One version of this theory says that it was originally known as "salsa mahonesa" in Spanish, but that spelling is only attested later.