# Character names that become distracting in reruns **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271 "2021-02-05T16:22:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/41 "2021-02-09T03:05:19Z")
On a related note, the 1975 film _The Day of the Locust_ (based on a 1939 novel of the same name) stars Donald Sutherland as a character named Homer Simpson. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/42 "2021-02-09T03:23:38Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > In The Philadelphia Story there was Tracy Lord (and C.K. Dexter Haven). This is similar to Traci Lords. I always assumed the underage porn actress named herself after the movie character, but it seems she just liked the name Traci and the actor Jack Lord. I guess it would have been unlikely that a 15 year old would know a movie from 1940. ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/43 "2021-02-09T05:05:06Z")
One of the criminals in “Goldfinger” is named Napoleon Solo which later became the name for Robert Vaughn’s character in “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” tv series (Ian Fleming allowed them to use the name if it wasn’t in the title). But I saw the tv series several times when it was first broadcast and didn’t see “Goldfinger” until the 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/44 "2021-02-09T05:16:04Z")
My contribution is a comic strip talking about a character in a book that one of the strip characters is writing: [![](https://i.ibb.co/0q76PKj/PBS-2-October-2011-bean-dip.png) ](https://i.ibb.co/0q76PKj/PBS-2-October-2011-bean-dip.png) ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/45 "2021-02-09T05:23:15Z")
That book made a big impression on me as a kid. I think it is responsible for my terror of firecrackers that persists to this day. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/46 "2021-02-09T05:27:45Z")
David Vincent is a friend of mine. He’s not actually an architect – he’s a mild-mannered civil servant with a business degree and some court experience. [The Invaders Opening Clip - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEUdsXmCE7g) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/47 "2021-02-09T12:43:48Z")
> [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](#): > > ne of the criminals in “Goldfinger” is named Napoleon Solo which later became the name for Robert Vaughn’s character in “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” tv series (Ian Fleming allowed them to use the name if it wasn’t in the title). But I saw the tv series several times when it was first broadcast and didn’t see “Goldfinger” until the 1970s. It was just “Mr. Solo” – they never gave a first name. When they came up with “THe Man from U.N.C.L.E.” they admittedly used the name on purpose, but they added the “Napoleon”. > **[Mr. Solo (Martin Benson)](https://jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/Mr._Solo_(Martin_Benson))** > > Forgive me, Mr. Bond, but, uh... I must arrange to separate my gold from the late Mr. Solo.""As you said, he had a pressing engagement.Auric Goldfinger and James Bond on Mr. Solo's death. Mr. Solo was a fictional American gangster and mafia boss... William Boyd’s 2013 James Bond novel was entitled **Solo** , but has no connection, aside from the name. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/48 "2021-02-09T14:30:24Z")
In **Lolita** , one of the title character’s classmates is named Lull Wayne. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/49 "2021-02-09T15:20:07Z")
I knew that movie when I was 13. It’s how I knew the words to “Lydia the Tattooed Lady” when my cousin Lydia was born when I was 16. 'Course, not a porn actress… ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/50 "2021-02-09T19:12:13Z")
I once read a romance novel where the guy’s name was Stryker and the woman’s name was Jade. Seriously, it’s like the author was too lazy to come up with realistic sounding names. It occurred to me a few years back that the name of the main character in _Married With Children_, Al Bundy could easily be confused with Ted Bundy. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/51 "2021-02-09T22:39:41Z")
This isn’t distracting but it is noticeable if you’re familiar with LA or have even just read a map of the city. A lot of characters in old cartoons, sitcoms, and movies are named after streets around Hollywood. For example, the name “Willoughby” comes up surprisingly often as does “Melrose” (even before _Melrose Place_ aired). ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/52 "2021-02-09T23:05:49Z")
In the 1967 _Dragnet_ series, Joe Friday would sometimes use the name Joe Frasier on undercover operations. This was apparently before the boxer had became a household name ---
**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:** [February 10, 2021, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/53 "2021-02-10T03:34:41Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > I knew a guy in high school (in the early 80s) who has the same name as a Simpsons’ character (well, exactly the same last name, and the nickname the guy used all through school is the same as the real first name of the Simpsons’ character). Speaking of which, I know a real life Frank Grimes. He has accepted the fact that people will call him “Grimy” for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/54 "2021-02-10T11:28:57Z")
From the Archie comics, Archie’s friend Betty’s last name is Cooper. Betty’s mom’s name is Alice. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/55 "2021-02-10T11:31:47Z")
I knew a real live Stephen Peacock. I only called him “Captain” once, right after I heard him make a pop culture connection with someone else’s name. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/56 "2021-02-10T13:07:13Z")
On _Mad_ _Men_, Bert Cooper’s sister is named Alice, but I assume that’s intentional. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/57 "2021-02-10T14:59:58Z")
I was listening to a news report this morning which had a short interview with the mayor of Pinedale, WY, Matt Murdock. > **[Facing A Reckoning, Wyoming Wrestles With A Transition From Fossil Fuels](https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/02/10/facing-reckoning-wyoming-wrestles-transition-fossil-fuels)** > > The Biden administration is expected to be sued over its ban on new oil and gas leasing on federal land. In top fossil fuel states like Wyoming, cuts to services and mass layoffs were already looming. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/58 "2021-02-10T19:23:54Z")
The Secretary of Labor of Florida was named Charles Bronson. Since the Dept. Of Labor is in charge of licensing his name used to be on every gas pump in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/59 "2021-02-11T08:46:11Z")
Australian Buffy fans enjoyed the end-game of the series with the demonic mayor Richard Wilkins. Another less demonic, but probably scarier and certainly insufferable Richard Wilkins was a celebrity gossip columnist / pop culture droid on local TV. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271/60 "2021-02-12T00:39:56Z")
The animated spy comedy _Archer_ used to have all the characters working for a spy agency named “ISIS.” Had to change that pretty suddenly mid-series in 2014. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-that-become-distracting-in-reruns/932271.md?page=4)