# Famous people with constant name-lengths **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 5, 2021, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251 "2021-02-05T08:13:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/1 "2021-02-05T08:13:35Z")
That’s an awful subject line but I can’t think of a better one. What I’m looking for is famous people whose three names are all the same length. I’m fairly sure that years ago, I started a thread along these lines, although that one was limited to people with 6-6-6 names. Unfortunately, searches don’t find it. The most famous person with a 6-6-6 name is **Ronald Wilson Reagan**. Back when he was President, it was common to joke about him being the Antichrist because of that. Personally, I’m also a 6-6-6 person, but I don’t feel especially Antichristish. Recently, I noted a famous 5-5-5 person: **Henry Louis Aaron**. Yes, it was because of his obit. He was a childhood hero of mine since I was a Milwaukee Braves fan back then. It was a tragedy to see him go. So any others? Anyone here have constant-length names? They don’t have to be 6-6-6 or 5-5-5; they could be 4-4-4 or 7-7-7 or any other number. Also, anyone have a better idea on what to call this phenomenon? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/2 "2021-02-05T14:04:16Z")
Yo Yo Ma ---
**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 5, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/3 "2021-02-05T14:36:52Z")
Joyce Carol Oates ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/4 "2021-02-05T15:02:29Z")
Found another 5-5-5 when reading Yo-Yo Ma’s wikipage: Henry Louis Gates. BTW, the constant-length name phenomenon can be found in other things besides people’s names. For example, there’s **The Old Man and the Sea** which has 6 words of length 3 and **All’s Well that Ends Well** has 5 words of length 4. ---
**Author:** ![FastDan1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fastdan1/32/427_2.png) [@FastDan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FastDan1)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/5 "2021-02-05T15:02:33Z")
Susan Saint James Does she count? Stage name, I think. Also, Helena Bonham Carter ---
**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 5, 2021, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/6 "2021-02-05T15:04:12Z")
[**Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Each_Life_Some_Rain_Must_Fall) ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/7 "2021-02-05T15:37:20Z")
Henry Louis Gates. I’ve often wondered why so many Henry Louises what with these two, Gehrig and Mencken. I can’t find any famous examples from history. Do they just go together well (tres bien ensemble)? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/8 "2021-02-05T15:51:31Z")
> [@AppallingGael](#): > > I’ve often wondered why so many Henry Louises what with these two, Gehrig and Mencken. There was a recent thread along these lines. Perhaps you could post the question there. > [@Why do many Williams have the middle name Henry?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-williams-have-the-middle-name-henry/928722): > > I’ve noticed that many Williams have, or have had, the middle name Henry. Examples: -William Henry Harrison, President of the United States (1773-1841) -William Henry Smith, British bookseller (1792–1865) -William Henry Vanderbilt, American businessman (1821-1885) -William Henry Gates III, American software developer and magnate (1955-) I could give a lot more examples. Is there any known reason why people would combine these two names, or is it perhaps just a coincidence or confirmation bi… ---
**Author:** ![Eric\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Eric\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric_C)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/9 "2021-02-05T16:50:58Z")
Barry Lamar Bonds (although he is not commonly known by his full name). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/10 "2021-02-05T17:25:07Z")
This one is kind of obscure but “Ronald Wilson Reagan” reminded me of it. There was an artist named **Donald Roller Wilson** who did a few of the late-career Frank Zappa album covers. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/11 "2021-02-05T17:28:19Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > There was an artist named **Donald Roller Wilson** who did a few of the late-career Frank Zappa album covers. And, that name reminded me of someone, whom I looked up to get his middle name, and he fits. **[Donald Jerome Driver](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DrivDo00.htm)**, retired wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, and Dancing With the Stars champion. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/12 "2021-02-07T04:17:26Z")
Prince, the singer. His real full name was Prince Rogers Nelson, 6-6-6. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/13 "2021-02-07T04:39:02Z")
Miles Davis, middle name Dewey. David Lynch, middle name Keith. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/14 "2021-02-07T04:58:54Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Yo Yo Ma It occurs quite easily with Chinese names, because most names are three characters, and each character is a single syllable transliterated with a few letters. Sun Yat Sen Deng Xiao Ping ---
**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:** [February 7, 2021, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/15 "2021-02-07T05:00:24Z")
Seamus Justin Heaney 6-6-6 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/16 "2021-02-07T05:02:01Z")
Charlie/Charles Spencer Chaplin I think he at least equals Reagan for fame? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/17 "2021-02-07T05:11:41Z")
For 8-8-8 Jenny McCarthy is apparently Jennifer McCarthy Wahlberg But she took her husband’s Wahlberg to make a double-barrelled surname, it doesn’t seem quite right since her middle name is Ann. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/18 "2021-02-07T17:29:01Z")
David Wayne Spade 5-5-5 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/19 "2021-02-18T04:23:06Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Deng Xiao Ping I’ll note that two of the names are often run together (as on Wikipedia): Deng Xiaoping. That’s a problem when names have to be transliterated, so I think I’ll just not count transliterated names. Yo Yo Ma, since he’s lived his entire life in the US, is not a transliterated name. > [@Riemann](#): > > Jenny McCarthy is apparently Jennifer McCarthy Wahlberg > > But she took her husband’s Wahlberg to make a double-barrelled surname, it doesn’t seem quite right since her middle name is Ann. A similar case is Sacha Baron Cohen (a 5-5-5). Baron Cohen is a double-barreled last name and his middle name is Noam. I’ll probably not count them. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251/20 "2021-02-18T05:10:16Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I’ll note that two of the names are often run together (as on Wikipedia): Deng Xiaoping. That’s a problem when names have to be transliterated, so I think I’ll just not count transliterated names. Yo Yo Ma, since he’s lived his entire life in the US, is not a transliterated name. Excluding transliterations of Chinese three character names seems fine, since as I said it is much less remarkable that they have the properties you are looking for. But it’s a bit of a stretch to give Yo-yo Ma a pass just because he has never lived in China. His parents gave him a name that consisted of three Chinese characters, writing his name in arabic letters is obviously a transliteration of that; and just as Xiaoping is often run together, he himself writes his name hyphenated as Yo-yo. [https://www.yo-yoma.com/](https://www.yo-yoma.com/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-constant-name-lengths/932251.md?page=2)