Figures who use initials as part of their names

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So this thread started me thinking of famous figures who use initials as part (or all) of their name. Off the top of my head I came up with:

e e cummings
A E Housman
J B Priestley
F Murray Abraham
M Night Shyamalamlamlamalamalam
W B Yeats
LL Cool J
R Kelly
J R R Tolkien

and I quickly realised that these were involved with the arts in some way or other. The only non-artistic name I could conjure was LBJ.

So where are the I Newtons, A Einsteins and W Churchills? Prove my burgeoning theory wrong that this is an affection used by (given to?) “arty” types.

2

Well, there’s E.O. Wilson, the biologist and B.F. Skinner, the behaviorist.

3

Michael J Fox

4

I used first-initial, middle name as a nom de plume for many years. I gave up the conceit, but it imbued me with a lifelong habit of noting individuals who use a first initial or drop their first names. Like President Thomas Wilson.

5

Yup. But him be an actor. What about politicians, scientists, engineers?

6

Actor, specifically NOT wanted by the OP. He wants non-arty names like:

J. Paul Getty
F.W. Woolworth
F.W. de Klerk

7

A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, anthropologist.

8

T.E. Lawrence

J. Edgar Hoover

9

Ooh, thought of one myself… P W Botha.

10

Is architecture too arty for the OP? If not, I.M. Pei.

11

I think architecture is probably as much science as art (I’m sure others will disagree), so I’ll take that thank you :slight_smile:

12

J. J. Watt, defensive end, Houston Texans
J. J. Thomson, physicist and Nobel laureate
J. J. Evans, inventor of dynomite

13

Hmm a surfeit of JJs. If only I could allow J J Abrams and J J Cale…

14

J. Edgar Hoover
D.P. Gumby
Jesus H. Christ

15

John F. Kennedy
John L. Sullivan (boxer)
John L. Lewis (union leader)
Edward R. Murrow

16

The last one is a joke, but you can sub in J. J. Russell, rocket scientist.

17

If you are going to count that then you should count FDR as well.

ETA: And JFK as well.

18

Eugene V. Debs
Warren G. Harding (Nate Dogg and Warren G. Harding about to regulate!)

19

And of course George R. R. Martin who is known by two names, but also by two initials.

20

I’ll see your “one man, two names, two initials” and raise you “two men, one name”…

Jedward

(I’m truly sorry for posting that link, I feel faintly soiled now)