A great number of openings are named after a leading player who popularized them, rather than the real inventor.True credit for many openings can't be found. Credit is, however, correctly given in the case of Evans ,Steinitz, and Cunningham gambits. Works on openings can roughly be divided into two periods, from 1490-1843 and from 1843 onward. In the first period most of the openings we know today were developed by a long list of chess scholars...such as Lucena, Ruy Lopez, Greco, and Philidor to name a few. The second period has a list of maybe not so well known authors. These scholars refined studies made by the previous studies. Eventually all these studies were combined and the first good complete book on openings, the "MCO" {Modern Chess Openings} was published. I have MCO 11th edition in my library. Fischer assimilated this entire book in his opening studies. :]
How did I cheat?
I do as so many, if I don't know the answer, and that is to take look at weki. Beside, my writing skills in English, is not very good, I need google, to help me translate most of my words. If that is cheating, then ok fair enough.
REMEMBER: He asked WHY are they named - NOT what are the names. However, I am Li'l Puppet - and have the Li'l Puppet Sacrifice where White sacrifices the Bishop or Knight on f7. To quote Stan Lee, "Nuff said."
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