# Earliest use of the line "Danger is my middle name"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-use-of-the-line-danger-is-my-middle-name/285322>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 18, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-use-of-the-line-danger-is-my-middle-name/285322 "2005-01-18T06:05:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-use-of-the-line-danger-is-my-middle-name/285322/1 "2005-01-18T06:05:30Z")

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How long has the phrase “Danger is my middle name” been around? I know that similar constructions have been in use for a long time. The OED cites, for example, “Modesty is certainly not his middle name” [1926] and “'Money is his middle name’, ‘Art is her middle name’, meaning one’s forte.” [1932]

I knew that the “Danger” variant showed up in one of the Austin Powers movies. But recently I was surprised to find how much older it is than that. I just read (for the first time since the fourth grade) _The Trumpet of the Swan_ by E. B. White, published in 1970. The line is there on p. 227 of the copy I read

> [@](#):
>
> “So watch yourself! You’re on a dangerous mission.”
> 
> “Danger!” said the old cob. “Danger! I _welcome_ danger and adventure. Danger is my middle name.”

Was this line in use before 1970 or was White the first to use it?

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-use-of-the-line-danger-is-my-middle-name/285322/2 "2005-01-18T06:18:55Z")

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IIRC I think Daffy Duck said it sometime before 1970.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-use-of-the-line-danger-is-my-middle-name/285322/3 "2005-01-18T06:36:42Z")

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We should ask Billie Joe Armstrong of **Green Day** , his son is Jacob Danger Armstrong.