"ornamental round tuft" (originally on a hat, etc.), 1897, an alteration of pompon "ornamental tuft; tuft-like flower head" (1748, pong-pong), from French pompon (1725), a word of unknown origin; perhaps related to Old French pompe "pomp."
pompadour
pompano
Pompeii
pompier
pom-pom
pompom
pomposity
pompous
pon
ponce
poncho