# 1. Bufford Pusser: 2. Chesty Puller **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2020, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546 "2020-01-17T03:55:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/21 "2020-01-17T18:56:06Z")
There’s a reason that nobody ever called Humphrey Bogart by his first name. “Bogie” just sounds much tougher. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/22 "2020-01-17T19:16:33Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I feel like British people are also cheating somewhat. “You know what’s insane? That the _actor_ is named Wesley Snipes! If you were shown a picture of him and a picture of me, and were asked “who should be named Wessssley Sniiiipes”, you’d pick the pale Englishman _every time!_ Every time, Liz!” - a Brit who looks nothing like the action star, on **30 Rock** ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/23 "2020-01-17T19:32:26Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Actors used to routinely change their names. Something short and easy to remember. A masculine sounding name was a bonus. > > Rock Hudson, Cary Grant,Tab Hunter, John Wayne,Gary Cooper etc. [Bolt Vanderhuge](https://mst3k.fandom.com/wiki/Dave_Ryder) ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/24 "2020-01-17T19:37:22Z")
Went to school with a guy named Harry Butts. Both his father and grandfather had the same name. He was well liked in school and never really got any flack about his name. He had brothers that were twins named Donnie and Ronnie. By the time they reached high school both were known by nicknames, Cig (short for cigarette) and Roach. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/25 "2020-01-17T19:46:14Z")
Don’t know about badass, but Gaylord Perry was a pretty good pitcher, and great at messing with batter’s heads as to whether or not he was cheating with a spitball. ---
**Author:** ![atimnie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atimnie/32/11_2.png) [@atimnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atimnie)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/26 "2020-01-17T21:03:03Z")
_John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison_ Marion Mitchell Morrison? Marion Michael Morrison? Will the real John Wayne, please stand up? ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/27 "2020-01-17T21:37:41Z")
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard couldn’t be anything other than a General. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/28 "2020-01-17T22:13:22Z")
Audie Murphy was certainly a bad-ass. Don’t know about that first name, however. > **[Audie Murphy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy)** > > Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from the United States Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor that he demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off a company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France ... Wiki says, _“Not to be confused with Eddie Murphy”_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/29 "2020-01-17T22:58:56Z")
[Isambard Kingdom Brunel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel) was one of the greatest engineers of the Victorian era. He didn’t care what people thought and did things his way. And revolutionized transportation. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/30 "2020-01-18T01:48:27Z")
Jean Lafitte. Pirates are badasses by definition. Hiram Bearss. Congressional Medal of Honor winners are badasses by definition. Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Ingemar Johansson, _et al_. You gotta problem wit dere names, doya? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/31 "2020-01-18T02:13:03Z")
I served with a guy named Maynard Lipp. He swore that he changed his name from Richard because he was tired of being called “Dick Lipp”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/32 "2020-01-18T02:18:30Z")
> [@atimnie](#): > > _John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison_ > Marion Mitchell Morrison? > Marion Michael Morrison? > > Will the real John Wayne, please stand up? [John Wayne] “Ya know, Atimnie…? That just might be one Hell of a trick…” [/John Wayne] ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/33 "2020-01-18T03:44:34Z")
I don’t know what’s manlier than to be named [Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelsus) and then being called Paracelsus, as a semi-legendary figure between alchemy/magic and pharmacy/science. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/34 "2020-01-18T07:32:53Z")
Gaius Popillius Laenas had the biggest balls in the history of mankind, armed with nothing with a stick he ordered a whole army to leave… and they did. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/35 "2020-01-18T10:33:59Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Actors used to routinely change their names. **Something short and easy to remember**. A masculine sounding name was a bonus. > > Rock Hudson, Cary Grant,Tab Hunter, John Wayne,Gary Cooper etc. And, for the exception that proves the rule, we had [Englebert Humperdinck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)). OMG, that Wiki page tells me there was _another_ prior [Englebert Humperdinck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(composer)). ETA: So the later singer adopted the name from the earlier composer. But it looks like the earlier composer was really named that. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/36 "2020-01-18T10:46:55Z")
Where baseball meets politics (both such Manly professions :dubious:) we have the dynasty of Cornelius McGillicuddy [I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack), [II](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Connie_Mack_Jr.), [III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_III), and [IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_IV). Gail Collins, NYT columnist, used to poke fun endlessly at CM IV because of his name. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/37 "2020-01-18T11:03:34Z")
Always remember and never forget, there really was [a boy named Sue](https://kellykazek.com/2018/03/21/the-true-story-of-a-boy-named-sue/). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/38 "2020-01-18T12:33:45Z")
Charles Canham is a bit of a silly name. Can ham? Doesn’t sound like a badass. In his picture later in life as a Major General he looks like a book worm. Maybe a nerdy librarian. COL Charles Canham was the commander of the 116th infantry regiment. The first unit on Omaha beach. The one that’s in the beginning of Saving Private Ryan. The unit that took the heaviest casualties during D-Day. He was shot through the wrist but refused to be evacuated. He moved his men off the beach mostly through force of will. Yelling and prodding his men to move forward while he was exposed to enemy fire the whole time. His men later said they were more scared of him than the Germans so they got off the beach. Getting them out of the kill zone probably saved many lives and kept the invasion from being pushed back into the sea. He was promoted Brigadier General and became the assistant division commander of the 8th Infantry Division. After the battle for the port of Brest he went with a group of soldiers to accept the surrender of the German unit. The higher ranking German general demanded to see his credentials. BG Canham pointed to the dirty and battle weary soldiers and said “These are my credentials.” When the division was deactivated in the 90s (when I was there) that was still the motto. The nerdy guy with the silly name received every award for valor accept the Medal of Honor. > **[Charles D. W. Canham](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_D._W._Canham)** > > Major General Charles Draper William Canham (January 26, 1901 – August 21, 1963) was the commander of the 29th Infantry Division's 116th Infantry Regiment, which landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. > Charles D. W. Canham was born in Kola, Mississippi on January 26, 1901. He joined the Army on May 23, 1919. In 1921, as a sergeant, Canham took a course in the Army's first preparatory school to allow soldiers from the ranks to attend the United States Military Academy... ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/39 "2020-01-18T14:55:21Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > And, for the exception that proves the rule, we had [Englebert Humperdinck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)). Also known as “the old switcheroo.” That was the joke, that someone with an ordinary name deliberately changed it to an odd one. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546/40 "2020-01-18T16:09:48Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > And, for the exception that proves the rule, we had [Englebert Humperdinck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)). > > OMG, that Wiki page tells me there was _another_ prior [Englebert Humperdinck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(composer)). > > ETA: So the later singer adopted the name from the earlier composer. But it looks like the earlier composer was really named that. :eek: Here’s a [completely true account](https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=10152720172564198&_rdr) of how Gerry Dorsey became Englebert Humperdinck. And I can’t believe I’m the first one in this thread to point out that it’s Buford, not Bufford, Pusser. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-bufford-pusser-2-chesty-puller/846546.md?page=3)