# Eric Van Lustbader: Mr. Lustbader or Mr. Van Lustbader?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 28, 2007, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202 "2007-08-28T10:50:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/1 "2007-08-28T10:50:40Z")
I just read a book by Eric Van Lustbader and I got to wondering: If I meet him do I address him as Mr. Lustbader or Mr. Van Lustbader? (I would have guessed the latter.)
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/2 "2007-08-28T11:43:46Z")
The “Van” is almost always part of the surname, so you address him as “Mr. Van Lustbader.” (Or, “Hey you,” depending on your mood.)
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/3 "2007-08-28T12:37:39Z")
I’ve seen books by him that were listed as being by Eric Lustbader. I mean, there can’t be two guys with such similar names writing books about such similar subjects, right?
So my guess is that he’s fine with Mr. Lustbader, but prefers the Mr. Van Lustbader.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/4 "2007-08-28T12:50:56Z")
[QUOTE=Nava]
I’ve seen books by him that were listed as being by Eric Lustbader. I mean, there can’t be two guys with such similar names writing books about such similar subjects, right?
So my guess is that he’s fine with Mr. Lustbader, but prefers the Mr. Van Lustbader.
[/QUOTE]
Agreed. I am sure it is the same guy.
My apologies though. I guess I’m using a specific example to ask about a general rule. Mr. Van Helsing? Mr Helsing?
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/5 "2007-08-28T14:11:35Z")
Guys named “Von” always threw me for a loop. “Von Hayes (80’s baseball player) hit his first major league home run today.” Yeah, so what’s his first name-something like “Vladimir von Hayes?”
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/6 "2007-08-28T14:23:45Z")
(BTW, are “van” and “von” the same word spelled different ways? Two different words in the same language? Two different words from two different languages? Er wut?
-FrL)
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/7 "2007-08-28T14:44:16Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock]
(BTW, are “van” and “von” the same word spelled different ways? Two different words in the same language? Two different words from two different languages? Er wut?
-FrL)
[/QUOTE]
Van is Dutch and Von is German, both meaning “from”. Same as “de” in Spanish or French, “di” in Italian, etc.
Someone more knowledgeable about dialects might be able to say if Van is also Low German (which I suspect it is).
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/8 "2007-08-28T16:44:50Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Guys named “Von” always threw me for a loop. “Von Hayes (80’s baseball player) hit his first major league home run today.” Yeah, so what’s his first name-something like “Vladimir von Hayes?”
Von is his first name. His full name is Von Francis Hayes.
And Van Johnson’s first name is Charles. But Van is his middle name not part of his surname. His parents’ name was Johnson with no Van.
(Edited to reflect that Mr Johnson is not yet to be spoken of in the past tense. Sorry about that, Van.)
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### Author:  [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/9 "2007-08-28T17:08:03Z")
Then there is always Van Morrison!
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### Author:  [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/10 "2007-08-28T17:12:04Z")
[QUOTE=Myglaren]
Then there is always Van Morrison!
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, what’s with people whose middle names just have “van” in them going by “Van”? See also Van Cliburn.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/11 "2007-08-28T17:14:44Z")
Would’nt it be
Eric van Lustbader not Eric Van Lustbader?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/12 "2007-08-28T17:20:53Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra]
Would’nt it be
Eric van Lustbader not Eric Van Lustbader?
[/QUOTE]
Yes, it is written that way in the original Dutch, but these things often change when the name holder moves to the US (or some other non-Dutch speaking country). In fact, we often see the “van” merged into the the part of the name following it-- Vendenberg was almost certainly van den Berg (of the mountain) at one point.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/13 "2007-08-28T17:38:05Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra]
Would’nt it be
Eric van Lustbader not Eric Van Lustbader?
[/QUOTE]
Maybe. ::shrug:: I went with what was online via Amazon.
[http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb\_ss\_b/102-4509460-2209754?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=van+lustbader&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/102-4509460-2209754?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=van+lustbader&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go)
If I were an expert on such things I wouldn’t have had to come and ask questions.
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### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/14 "2007-08-28T17:40:42Z")
[QUOTE=Myglaren]
Then there is always Van Morrison!
[/QUOTE]
And Hertz Van Rental.
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### Author:  [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/15 "2007-08-28T17:49:51Z")
_Eric Van Lustbader ( **he dropped his middle name, Van for several years due to a confusion about his last name** ) was born and raised in Greenwich Village._
There you go. He’s not one of those Dutch Van Lustbader’s, but rather a plain old Lustbader who happens to have the confusing middle name Van.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/16 "2007-08-28T17:52:47Z")
[QUOTE=Tamerlane]
_Eric Van Lustbader ( **he dropped his middle name, Van for several years due to a confusion about his last name** ) was born and raised in Greenwich Village._
There you go. He’s not one of those Dutch Van Lustbader’s, but rather a plain old Lustbader who happens to have the confusing middle name Van.
[/QUOTE]
Come to think of it, “Lustbader” doesn’t look Dutch. German, maybe, but not Dutch.
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### Author:  [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/17 "2007-08-28T17:58:45Z")
[QUOTE=Tamerlane]
_Eric Van Lustbader ( **he dropped his middle name, Van for several years due to a confusion about his last name** ) was born and raised in Greenwich Village._
There you go. He’s not one of those Dutch Van Lustbader’s, but rather a plain old Lustbader who happens to have the confusing middle name Van.
[/QUOTE]
Okay - so Mr. Lustbader is a bad example.
However, as stated above the rule is:
Linus van Pelt is Mr. van Pelt, my next door neighbor when I was little was Mr. Van Vleet, and my Father in law is Mr. Di Sorbo. (However, his first cousin in Naples is Mr. di Sorbo.)
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/18 "2007-08-28T18:48:57Z")
[QUOTE=Maus Magill]
Okay - so Mr. Lustbader is a bad example.
However, as stated above the rule is:
Linus van Pelt is Mr. van Pelt, my next door neighbor when I was little was Mr. Van Vleet, and my Father in law is Mr. Di Sorbo. (However, his first cousin in Naples is Mr. di Sorbo.)
[/QUOTE]
Thank you for addressing the \*intent \*of the question.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/19 "2007-08-29T17:16:15Z")
And let’s not forget that noted entertainer, Penis Van Lesbian.
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### Author:  [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-van-lustbader-mr-lustbader-or-mr-van-lustbader/417202/20 "2007-08-29T17:20:24Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara]
And Hertz Van Rental.
[/QUOTE]
Oh, that was totally worth my $15. Thanks!!
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