# Full Legal Name Required to Take the Presidential Oath of Office? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312 "2008-10-24T05:06:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/1 "2008-10-24T05:06:17Z")
Really not worried about it, and keeping fingers crossed that it will be a reality, but I was just wondering: Do you think President Obama will avoid speaking his middle name during the oath of office? Would it be too jarring for Americans to hear “I, Barack _Hussein_ Obama, do solemnly swear…”? Does he _have_ to say it? If not, do you think he’ll skip it? Just curious. Truly. I’m a big Obama supporter. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/2 "2008-10-24T05:08:26Z")
This probably should be in GQ, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/3 "2008-10-24T05:37:42Z")
Mods, could you please move this for me? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/4 "2008-10-24T05:42:52Z")
What’s wrong with the name Hussein? Just because he shares it with the late [King of Jordan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussein_of_Jordan)? I always liked the guy myself. He was not without some major flaws, but at heart seemed like a good man, and his American wife ([Queen Noor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Noor_al_Hussein)) is uber-beautiful and also a good person. From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussein): _Hussein is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hasan, meaning “good” or “handsome” or “beautiful”. It is commonly given as a male given name among Muslims, after Husayn ibn Ali, although **the name is so common it is also given to persons of secular backgrounds**._ Hint: just because a dictator shared the name too, doesn’t mean the name should be taboo. Hell, my favorite singer is Kate Bush. She’s no relation, but I don’t think any less of her because she shares the name with a horrible president. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/5 "2008-10-24T05:45:37Z")
Name not required. The oath is: > [@](#): > > I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." US Constitution Art.II Section 1 He could refer to himself as “Skippy” if he wants to. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/6 "2008-10-24T05:55:53Z")
**Equipoise** , in case I didn’t make it clear in my OP, I personally have no problem with the name. A rose by any other name, etc… But it’s my understanding that there are many less enlightened folks in this country who are a little freaked out by it. **askeptic** , thanks for recognizing the crux of my question, and answering it. Now, any guesses on whether or not he uses it? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/7 "2008-10-24T11:11:43Z")
> [@Girl\_Next\_Door](#): > > **Equipoise** , in case I didn’t make it clear in my OP, I personally have no problem with the name. A rose by any other name, etc… I believed you. I was just having some fun. > [@Girl\_Next\_Door](#): > > But it’s my understanding that there are many less enlightened folks in this country who are a little freaked out by it. To get serious, these “less enlightened folks” are a pox on our country. They need to be enlightened, and if they can’t or won’t be enlightened, they need to be laughed at/scorned/ignored/shunned (any will do) because their opinion means squat, and their stupidity shouldn’t be catered to or taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/8 "2008-10-24T13:20:36Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > To get serious, these “less enlightened folks” are a pox on our country. They need to be enlightened, and if they can’t or won’t be enlightened, they need to be laughed at/scorned/ignored/shunned (any will do) because their opinion means squat, and their stupidity shouldn’t be catered to or taken seriously. Amen to that. ---
**Author:** ![Moment\_Slayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Moment\_Slayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moment_Slayer)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/9 "2008-10-24T13:52:46Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I believed you. I was just having some fun. > > To get serious, these “less enlightened folks” are a pox on our country. They need to be enlightened, and if they can’t or won’t be enlightened, they need to be laughed at/scorned/ignored/shunned (any will do) because their opinion means squat, and their stupidity shouldn’t be catered to or taken seriously. Agreed. This election has brought to the surface many issues lets get names to the surface as well. Just because Obama’s father was a muslim… SO WHAT!!! One of the things that has driven us crazy in the Slayer household is why we haven’t heard an uproar over McCains comments to the Arab comment by one of those supportors. Mccain said something to the effect “Lets set the record straight Obama is not an Arab but a good American…” The implication in this statement is that Arabs are not good as a group good Americans. While I appreciate that Mccain was doing the “right” thing - the wording underscores the prejudice. What if Mccain had said “oh he is not an Irishman he’s a good American…” Growing up in the south in the 60s and 70s there were many little saying that were prejudice against blacks, jews, italians, polish etc… and people would say “oh its just a saying”…well its a prejudicial saying. We like to say … boy was I gypped…which has the origins from Gypsys and the fear of these strangers. Perhap it should be changed to “boy was I Canadaded” Words have power and I hope President Obama is sworn in with his full name. ---
**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:** [October 24, 2008, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/10 "2008-10-24T13:56:19Z")
Jimmy Carter identified himself as such while taking the oath, rather than the full James Earl. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/11 "2008-10-24T14:00:51Z")
It’s probably been answered, but I’ll send this to GQ. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/12 "2008-10-24T14:03:33Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Jimmy Carter identified himself as such while taking the oath, rather than the full James Earl. Thank you. I am constantly amazed that [del]1976[/del] 1977 is apparently ancient history now. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/13 "2008-10-24T14:06:09Z")
To be really technical, the President-elect’s full name in this instance would be Barack Hussein Obama Jr. I expect he’d leave off the Jr., too. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/14 "2008-10-24T14:06:41Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Thank you. I am constantly amazed that [del]1976[/del] 1977 is apparently ancient history now. I was 10, and “Did Jimmy Carter use his full, legal name upon being sworn in?” wasn’t a question that occurred to me. That kind of advanced, awesome cogitatin’ didn’t kick in for another 31 years. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/15 "2008-10-24T14:30:32Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Name not required. > > The oath is: > US Constitution Art.II Section 1 > > He could refer to himself as “Skippy” if he wants to. I say we petition him to do so. That would be über-cool. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/16 "2008-10-24T14:53:57Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > He could refer to himself as “Skippy” if he wants to. “President Skippy.” It has a nice ring to it. We used to hassle the librarian at our high school, and one technique was this: “I can’t find any books about Einstein.” “Did you look under ‘Albert Einstein’ as subject words?” “No!” [Eyesroll] “Not Albert Einstein. _Snooky_ Einstein! Jeez!” ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/17 "2008-10-24T15:22:15Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > To be really technical, the President-elect’s full name in this instance would be Barack Hussein Obama Jr. I expect he’d leave off the Jr., too. I believe it’s Barack Hussein Obama II. Not Junior. As to the OP – are there any troglodytes out there who don’t already know Obama’s middle name? I think certain elements in the Republican Party have tried very hard to publicize it. Anyway, who watches the inaguration? (Other than me?) –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/18 "2008-10-24T16:40:37Z")
> [@](#): > > What if Mccain had said “oh he is not an Irishman he’s a good American…” [Well that would just be wrong](http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0315/obamab.html). He’s apparently got a lot of folks in the county his ancestors came from very excited-- They view him as a “native son”, of sorts. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/19 "2008-10-24T16:44:55Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > I believe it’s Barack Hussein Obama II. Not Junior. Right you are. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312/20 "2008-10-24T17:02:55Z")
> [@Girl\_Next\_Door](#): > > I was 10 FWIW, I was 8 when Carter took the oath. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/full-legal-name-required-to-take-the-presidential-oath-of-office/469312.md?page=2)