# Figures who use initials as part of their names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 20, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648 "2012-11-20T21:53:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/1 "2012-11-20T21:53:13Z")
So [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672957) 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. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/2 "2012-11-20T21:57:25Z")
Well, there’s E.O. Wilson, the biologist and B.F. Skinner, the behaviorist. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/3 "2012-11-20T21:58:01Z")
Michael J Fox ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/4 "2012-11-20T21:58:53Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/5 "2012-11-20T22:00:01Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Michael J Fox Yup. But him be an actor. What about politicians, scientists, engineers? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/6 "2012-11-20T22:03:42Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Michael J Fox Actor, specifically NOT wanted by the OP. He wants non-arty names like: J. Paul Getty F.W. Woolworth F.W. de Klerk ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/7 "2012-11-20T22:04:10Z")
[A. R. Radcliffe-Brown](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._R._Radcliffe-Brown), anthropologist. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/8 "2012-11-20T22:05:30Z")
[T.E. Lawrence](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence) [J. Edgar Hoover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover) ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/9 "2012-11-20T22:06:42Z")
Ooh, thought of one myself… P W Botha. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/10 "2012-11-20T22:08:42Z")
Is architecture too arty for the OP? If not, [I.M. Pei](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.M._Pei). ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/11 "2012-11-20T22:11:17Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Is architecture too arty for the OP? If not, [I.M. Pei](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.M._Pei). I think architecture is probably as much science as art (I’m sure others will disagree), so I’ll take that thank you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/12 "2012-11-20T22:15:28Z")
[J. J. Watt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Watt), defensive end, Houston Texans [J. J. Thomson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Thomson), physicist and Nobel laureate [J. J. Evans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Evans), inventor of dynomite ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/13 "2012-11-20T22:19:30Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > [J. J. Watt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Watt), defensive end, Houston Texans > [J. J. Thomson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Thomson), physicist and Nobel laureate > [J. J. Evans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Evans), inventor of dynomite Hmm a surfeit of JJs. If only I could allow J J Abrams and J J Cale… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/14 "2012-11-20T22:20:26Z")
J. Edgar Hoover D.P. Gumby Jesus H. Christ ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/15 "2012-11-20T22:20:45Z")
John F. Kennedy John L. Sullivan (boxer) John L. Lewis (union leader) Edward R. Murrow ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/16 "2012-11-20T22:23:52Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Hmm a surfeit of JJs. If only I could allow J J Abrams and J J Cale… The last one is a joke, but you can sub in [J. J. Russell](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/team/bio_russell.html), rocket scientist. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/17 "2012-11-20T22:27:15Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > The only non-artistic name I could conjure was LBJ. If you are going to count that then you should count FDR as well. ETA: And JFK as well. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/18 "2012-11-20T22:27:49Z")
[Eugene V. Debs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs) [Warren G. Harding](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_G._Harding) (Nate Dogg and Warren G. Harding about to regulate!) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/19 "2012-11-20T22:29:50Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > J R R Tolkien And of course George R. R. Martin who is known by two names, but also by two initials. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/20 "2012-11-20T22:36:31Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > And of course George R. R. Martin who is known by two names, but also by two initials. I’ll see your “one man, two names, two initials” and raise you “two men, one name”… [Jedward](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedward) (I’m truly sorry for posting that link, I feel faintly soiled now) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648.md?page=2)