In a message dated 99-03-03 01:21:14 EST, MercutioV@aol.com writes:

Asuka takes it from her mother, Souryu Kyoko Zeppelin. And it's a perfectly
 legitimate german name; I believe that zeppelin's (the big airship-things, 
not
 Asuka and Kyoko) themselves were named after the engineer who came up with
 them. I'm not sure, though, so don't quote me.
 
 
 -Mercutio

That is correct, they were.  In fact, I belive that he was rewarded with
something like a barony or the equivalent (this being pre WW1 germany, and
still basicly a monarchy).