a Von Neumann machine is a machine that can reproduce, creating copies of itself that in turn create copies of their own

the name comes from German “neu” (New) and “Mann” (man) since the machine is similar to mankind, in its ability to make new instances of itself

The “von” (meaning “from”) indicates the continuing nature of this process: that further new instances can in turn arise “from” the “new man”

(disclaimer: that is all bullshit. The machine was named after a guy who just happened to have a very fitting name)