# How did Hitler spell his first name?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-hitler-spell-his-first-name/38023
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 23, 2000, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-hitler-spell-his-first-name/38023 "2000-10-23T21:28:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![Commander\_Fortune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Commander\_Fortune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Fortune)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2000, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-hitler-spell-his-first-name/38023/21 "2000-10-25T07:41:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by RickJay \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by adam yax \*  
> > \*\*Did everyone who had the last name Hitler change it after WWII? \*\*
> 
> I looked it up and yes, some people do use the name. It loses a lot of its impact, at least to me, if it isn’t paired with “Adolf.” \*\*

How 'bout when it’s paired with “Balasubramani”?\*\* It’s quite the mouthful then. I kinda like it though.

\*\*coutesy of [whowhere](http://phone.whowhere.lycos.com/telephone.psrch?f-name=&name=hitler) link posted above.

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### Author: ![Bubba\_Ray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bubba\_Ray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bubba_Ray)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2000, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-hitler-spell-his-first-name/38023/22 "2000-10-26T00:25:38Z")

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The official spelling is Adolf (no ph), it ist to mention that the german languae didn’t make a strikt difference between f and ph in some words (eg. Telefon, Telephon, Delfin, Delphin).

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### Author: ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2000, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-hitler-spell-his-first-name/38023/23 "2000-10-27T05:54:47Z")

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I read somewhere that his real name wasn’t Hitler, but Heidler or something like that. It got changed because of some kind of immigration mistake. I think there is some truth to that because Hitler doesn’t sound Austrian or German.

Back to the OP, Adolf, Adolphe, Adolfus, etc. are all variations of the same name, like Maggie, Peggy, Margaret, etc.

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