Churchillian Drift

Churchillian Drift is the term, coined by British writer Nigel Rees, which describes the widespread misattribution of quotes by obscure figures to more famous figures, usually of their time period. The term connotes the particular egregiousness of misattributions to British prime minister Winston Churchill.

Rees identified George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain as other writers who often receive incorrect attributions.