# Figures who use initials as part of their names

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648>\
**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:** 7\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Courk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Courk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Courk)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/81 "2012-11-23T05:02:33Z")

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Susan B. Anthony.

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**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/82 "2012-11-23T07:14:38Z")

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As to the women, I have a recollection at there was an idea born out of feminism that promoted the use of initials by women (and perhaps everyone) so that names were de-gendered. Thus (possibly) KD Lang, or the relatively obscure VS Brodie.

Does anyone else recall this? Seems to have gone out of fashion.

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/83 "2012-11-23T10:46:10Z")

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Plenty of historical Jewish sages are known by their initials. For instance, [Maimonides](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonides), the great medieval philosopher, scholar and physician, is largely referred to in Hebrew as “the Rambam”, from the initials of his full name and title, **R** abbi **M** oshe **B** en **M** aimon.

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/84 "2012-11-23T10:47:43Z")

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> [@Noel\_Prosequi](#):
>
> As to the women, I have a recollection at there was an idea born out of feminism that promoted the use of initials by women (and perhaps everyone) so that names were de-gendered. Thus (possibly) KD Lang, or the relatively obscure VS Brodie.
> 
> Does anyone else recall this? Seems to have gone out of fashion.

You still see it with writers - which is why I automatically assume that any contemporary writer who uses their initials is a woman.

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**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/85 "2012-11-23T11:28:41Z")

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> [@Cugel](#):
>
> That’s just for the scorecards though, APE Knott isn’t rendered in speech in the same way that say, VVS Laxman, is.

A sportsperson who I assumed for years used initials but actually doesn’t:

[V J Amritraj](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijay_Amritraj)

:smack:

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**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/86 "2012-11-23T11:31:21Z")

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Surprised nobody’s mentioned W.H. Auden yet.

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**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/figures-who-use-initials-as-part-of-their-names/641648/87 "2012-11-23T11:33:10Z")

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I think that is because in the OP I was initially asking for examples of figures _outside_ of the arts?

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