Originally the term “Lutheran” was used by Roman Catholic theologians as a slur against anyone who followed Luther in particular, or opposed the Roman church in general. Luther’s followers began to wear the slur as a badge of honor. Dr. Luther opposed this, preferring that Lutherans call themselves Evangelicals (Lutheran churches in Germany to this day are called “Evangelische”), or simply Christians. Martin Luther even said, “I pray you leave my name alone and not to call yourselves Lutherans, but Christians. Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine: I have not been crucified for any one…How does it then benefit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes, to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to these party names and distinctions; away with all of them; and let us call ourselves only Christians, after Him from whom our doctrine comes.” (Life of Luther, by Michelet, p. 262). In spite of Luther’s protests, those who agree with his understanding of the Bible continue to call themselves Lutheran today.
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My Observations on Faith, Life and this crazy little thing called Church 
Thanks Russ. I look forward to checking out “Desiring God.” Blessings!
Sadly many are quick to dismiss this evangelical sentiment, e.g. here:
“Re: Luther on Lutheran
Posted: Dec 23, 2013 6:31 PM in response to: trainboy400
Your quote is early Luther 1522, and the only one anyone ever cites. The research is clear that post 1522 Luther fully embraced the title Lutheran and his pro-“Lutherisch” quotes are legion, e.g.:
“Finally, this is what I want you to consider: If the mass carries and gives so little temporal honor, riches, and power as the precious gospel and truth give, how many ardent celebrants of the mass, do you think, one would find today? In truth, for the past six hundred years (I do not want to calculate backward too far) we would have seen neither pope, cardinal, bishop, nor other servants of the mass, but they all would have become evangelical or Lutheran, and we would at the present time truly wonder what these names, pope, cardinal, bishop, mass, clerics, etc., meant, and what kind of creature they would have been, whether elf, dwarf, water nymphs, or malicious demons.” (1534)”
https://service.thrivent.com/mboards/members/message.jspa?messageID=183544
This sadly shows how later Luther is not always better than early Luther, e.g. his early desire to evangelize the Jews vs his later hateful attitude calling for their destruction regrettably leading to an example Hitler would follow in pursuit of the Holocaust. But Paul’s apostolic 1 Corinthians injunction Luther first followed still stands, regardless of Luther and his claimants later tragic erring:
1Cor 1:10-31
Soli Deo gloria!
PS I say this as a confessing “LCMS member” with vastly more in common with Luther & God’s Word than those merely claiming to follow either. It’s like those who say they “believe in God.” What good is that when the demons believe and tremble? Only holding to Him as my sole treasure, see http://www.desiringGod.org and the wonderfully Christocentric book “Desiring God” free online there. Soli Deo gloria!