Amper's *and*

[MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu]

I am enjoying this discussion of the ampersand, & giggling as the thought 
that this is the kind of microscopic observing that gets us pfolks tagged as
 a little loony by the type of people who don't read books that are too
 heavy to sit on their chests comfortably (or aren't tell-all memoirs
 or *true stories of true love*). 

 When I was a kid, I remember thinking that the symbol must 
have been designed by somebody named *Ampers*--thus the character
 would be known as *Amper's 'and.'*  This seemed so logical that I was
 crushed when it turned out to be completely wrong.  But still--if you 
think of it that way, it's pretty funny.

 I don't have a dictionary with me so I am wondering if anyone
 knows the etymology of the word? Or did I miss it in an earlier post?

john m