# Apocrophyal Strange Names **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 23, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664 "2004-09-23T13:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/21 "2004-09-23T19:12:02Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > We know a woman who is a nurse at a hospital who said that she had to talk a woman out of naming her daughter “Vagina”. My mom works in a pediatrician’s office and told me the same story a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/22 "2004-09-23T19:23:45Z")
[Missouri man legally changes his name to ‘They’](http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/other/features/1120/9-23-2004/20040923100029_62.html) It’s just They, no surname. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/23 "2004-09-23T19:24:16Z")
I was watching a PBS special the other day and they were interviewing a neurologist by the name of Dick Swaab. Poor bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/24 "2004-09-23T19:30:45Z")
> [@Roches](#): > > I seriously doubt that someone would be allowed to name a child after an illegal drug. Allowed? What would stop them? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/25 "2004-09-23T19:59:08Z")
Who can forget NASCAR sensation [Dick Trickle](http://www.dicktricklefanclub.com/)? Check his online store for tshirts proudly proclaiming membership in the “DICK TRICKLE FAN CLUB”. Someone beat me to Dick Pound. For the double names, there’s an NPR anchor named Bob Roberts. Dunno what the Bob is short for but its usually Robert. I’ve heard of a young Milwaukee girl named DaFiness (sp?). The joke goes that her sister is named DaNastess. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/26 "2004-09-23T20:06:41Z")
The OP was talking about _apocryphal_ strange names, the best example of which is probably Walter Matuschanskayasky, believed by many to be the real name of actor Walter Matthau. But, to jump on the general weird name bandwagon, no list would be complete without the immortal [Dick Pole](http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/poledi01.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/27 "2004-09-23T20:13:46Z")
Chief Kamanawanalea & His Royal Macadamia Nuts were not an actual 60’s rock band. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/28 "2004-09-23T20:45:25Z")
My grandfather claimed he used to know a man whose full name was “United States Peoples”. I’ve also heard of a man named Lear who named his daughter “Crystal Chanda”. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/29 "2004-09-23T20:50:24Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [Missouri man legally changes his name to ‘They’](http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/other/features/1120/9-23-2004/20040923100029_62.html) > It’s just They, no surname. Well, you know what They says… ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/30 "2004-09-23T20:54:00Z")
There was a Houston socialite and philanthropist named [Ima Hogg](http://www.famoustexans.com/imahogg.htm), daughter of Texas Governor James Stephen Hogg. But it is not true that she had a sister named Ura Hogg. ---
**Author:** ![TheBloodBorneIdentity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@TheBloodBorneIdentity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBloodBorneIdentity)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/31 "2004-09-23T20:59:02Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > My grandfather claimed he used to know a man whose full name was “United States Peoples”. I’ve also heard of a man named Lear who named his daughter “Crystal Chanda”. It was William Lear, the guy who started Learjet (now part of Bombardier). 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![SilentButDeftly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@SilentButDeftly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SilentButDeftly)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/32 "2004-09-23T21:01:49Z")
I went to school with a kid named Harry Weiner. No joke. Lived in my neighborhood. Endless suffering, that boy went through. Endless suffering. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/33 "2004-09-23T21:05:14Z")
I knew a Dick Bern. A good friend of mine had a boss with the best one of all, Dick Whithers. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/34 "2004-09-23T21:19:27Z")
I knew a teacher who swore that these kids were in her school disctrict, although they weren’t in her class. I know a Micheal Hunt. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/35 "2004-09-23T21:21:05Z")
In a fraternity rush party in 1967, I was introduced to a TKE named Richard Dick. His frat brothers called him Double. For several years, I worked with Beecher Jones. The joke was, if you can’t get a date, you just go home and Beecher Jones. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/36 "2004-09-23T21:21:49Z")
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned **Dick Rodgers** yet. (NB British slang: to rodger = to have sex. Is this widely used in America?) A friend of a friend … of a friend swears he knows someone named Clive Oscar Jones. He never thought there was anything strange about his name until he found himself explaining to the Spanish customs officials exactly why he had **COJONES** stencilled on his luggage. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/37 "2004-09-23T21:28:27Z")
Hey everybody — once again, the OP asked for _apocryphal_ strange names. That means strange names that are spurious, that are **not** real. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/38 "2004-09-23T21:56:37Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Chief Kamanawanalea & His Royal Macadamia Nuts were not an actual 60’s rock band. Neither was the [Atomic Enchilada](http://www.theturtles.com/battle/). The Crossfires were, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/39 "2004-09-23T22:03:32Z")
It is **apocryphal** , not apocrophyrparal. Can a mod please change the thread title? It makes my eyes bleed! ---
**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:** [September 23, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664/40 "2004-09-23T22:07:21Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Hey everybody — once again, the OP asked for _apocryphal_ strange names. That means strange names that are spurious, that are **not** real. Ah lighten up, ya buzzkill! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apocrophyal-strange-names/265664.md?page=3)