# Entertainers who took their name from/share one with historical or literary figures **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858 "2009-02-08T00:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/41 "2009-02-09T16:47:17Z")
What about Snoop Doggy Dog? ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/42 "2009-02-09T17:55:02Z")
Since groups have been included, I’ll add [Molly Hatchet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Hatchet). > [@](#): > > The band, founded by Dave Hlubek and Steve Holland, took its name from a prostitute who allegedly mutilated and decapitated her clients.[1] ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/43 "2009-02-09T19:42:42Z")
Duran Duran is also a character in a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/44 "2009-02-10T00:49:52Z")
Erich Weiss was took his stage name from his mentor, Robert Houdin, and became famous as Harry Houdini. ---
**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, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/45 "2009-02-10T01:37:12Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > John Wayne took his last name from Revolutionary War General [“Mad Anthony” Wayne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Wayne). It actually was supposed to be Anthony Wayne, but the studio rejected it. > > Winston S. Churchill, author and British Prime Minister, shared a name with the forgotten American author [Winston Churchill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill_(novelist)). Actually there’s a story (probably a UL) that claims that Prime Minister Winston wrote to the other Winston asking him to change his name to avoid confusion. The other Winston wrote back saying that he was older so the prime minister should change his name. It’s a little known fact that Groucho Marx got his nickname from an obscure 1920’s style comic strip called “Sherlocko The Monk” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/46 "2009-02-10T01:49:17Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > Duran Duran is also a character in a movie. Really? I thought it was a sound effect from the Barbarella comic strip. ---
**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, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/47 "2009-02-10T19:34:32Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Actually there’s a story (probably a UL) that claims that Prime Minister Winston wrote to the other Winston asking him to change his name to avoid confusion. The other Winston wrote back saying that he was older so the prime minister should change his name. > > It’s a little known fact that Groucho Marx got his nickname from an obscure 1920’s style comic strip called “Sherlocko The Monk” I’m sorry, I remembered the correct story. I think that the actual story was that some interviewer once asked the writer Winston if he’d ever considered changing his name to avoid people confusing him with the Prime Minister. The writer replied that since he was older the Prime Minister should change his name [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858.md?page=2)