Old guy here. Notice how highlighters dont have a pointed tip, but rather a slanted rectange. Black markers used to be like that. If you wanted a smaller line you had to angle it and use one of the corners.
Then sharpies came along with the pointed tip and everbody bought those instead. I cant remember seeing the old type any time recently, but I expect the crafts section would still have them.
I suppose their name could also be meant to imply that they’re meant for sharp people, to write down ideas with.
However, in all my time in meetings I would say they’re rather meant to write ideas on flipcharts with that’ll lead to a sharp decline in business value. 😑
Just because you wouldn’t use a Sharpie in those instances doesn’t mean it’s not a pen. It has other uses. Writing a sign for a shop window, creating a poster by hand, or creating a protest sign. It’s used basically anywhere where the text needs to be large, clear, and visible from a distance.