Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Factual Questions
1

A quickie … why is the name “Boutros” repeated twice in the name of the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations?

2

As far as I know, it’s because it’s his name. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, roughly analogous to Billy Dee Williams were he to use his full first name.

3

It seems analogous to Billy Billy Williams, but not Billy Dee Williams.

4

In Egypt, the standard format for a name is three-part:

  1. Your given name
  2. Your father’s given name
  3. Your paternal grandfather’s given name.

Family names are optional, and many Arabs get by just fine without any family names. Some families have them, some don’t, it isn’t a big deal.

It’s normal in several Arab countries to format one’s name in three generations like that, but I think in Egypt they have actually legislated that names are to be standardized that way for filling in official forms.

Boutros Boutros Ghali is an example of three first names in a row with no real last name. But if someone becomes famous, then his grandfather’s first name may become set as the family name thereafter.

Arab culture is what you call patrilineal, i.e. descent is traced through the father’s line.

5

Thanks!

6

My friend’s middle name is the same as his last name. I always joke that his parents liked it so much, they gave it to him twice. He’s African, by the way, from Nigeria. I have no idea if that has anything to do with why his middle name is the same as his last, though.

7

Shortened the title.

-xash
General Questions Moderator

8

I went to college with a guy who had an extra Boutros. He had a hard time getting dates.

9

The Secretary was a day dreamer as a child and his grade school teacher kept having to say, “Boutros! Boutros Ghali.”

10

Also by the way, “Boutros” is an Arabic variant of “Peter” / “Petros”.

11

Here was me hoping this would be a thread about The Fast Show’s Chanel 9.

12

Bueno estente. Ethethetheth etheth ethethetheth Chris Waddle.

13

Questa?

Sminki pinki bang bang!

14

Oooo! Scorchio!

El pumpi e pumpi delux

15

Uh-oh, problemo technologico!

16

Please tell me that “Ghali” means “pumpkin eater”.
Yes, I know I’m juvenile.

17

Peter-Peter Precious would be the literal translation. In Arabic, Ghali means ‘precious’ or ‘expensive’. He is a Coptic (Christian) from Egypt, IIRC.

Buena estente!

18

Does anyone else have this strange desire to go make a new Flash video?

19

[NewsRadio]

“James James: the man so nice they named him twice.”

[/NewsRadio]

20

Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros
Ghali Ghali
Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros
Ghali Ghali
Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros
Ghali Ghali
Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros
KOFI ANNAN! ANNAN! ANNAN! OH, IT’S KOFI ANNAN!