# Instances where unnamed characters were named after all **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 7, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254 "2023-10-07T21:10:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/1 "2023-10-07T21:10:01Z")
Like in _Kill Bill_, where Bill calls “The Bride” “Kiddo” and it turns out her name really is Kiddo. Or when Ted Lasso says to Coach (no first name) Beard “What chu talkin bout, Willis” and it turns out his name is actually Willis. Other examples? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/2 "2023-10-07T21:26:29Z")
Kramer did have a first name. Cosmo. MacGyver did, too. Angus. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/3 "2023-10-07T21:31:43Z")
The only two examples might be the ones in the OP; the latter inspired by the former. I always thought it would be clever if (in _Airplane!_) Dr. Rumack’s first name was actually “Shirley” and his objection was that people were being overly familiar calling a doctor by his first name. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/4 "2023-10-07T21:33:14Z")
We didn’t find out until well into It’s Always Sunny that Mac’s full name is Ronald McDonald. ---
**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:** [October 7, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/5 "2023-10-07T21:35:11Z")
“The man with no name” actually had one. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qFgPUJU4EXs/hqdefault.jpg "For a few dollars more (1965). Manco (Clint Eastwood) arrives at White Rocks") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFgPUJU4EXs) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/6 "2023-10-07T21:35:56Z")
Seems I need to clarify. I mean instances where someone has called the character by their name early on, but we do not know that it is really their name until much later. Cases where the name just isn’t mentioned at all until much later do not count for this. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/7 "2023-10-07T21:37:00Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I always thought it would be clever if (in _Airplane!_) Dr. Rumack’s first name was actually “Shirley” and his objection was that people were being overly familiar calling a doctor by his first name. That would have been great. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/8 "2023-10-07T21:46:25Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I always thought it would be clever if (in _Airplane!_) Dr. Rumack’s first name was actually “Shirley” and his objection was that people were being overly familiar calling a doctor by his first name. Not quite what the original post is asking for, but _Airplane II_ had the courtroom scene with Andy, Buddy and Howie (“and he”, “but he” and “how he”). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JswFF2dKiLM/hqdefault.jpg "Airplane II: The Sequel - "Over Macho Grande"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JswFF2dKiLM) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/9 "2023-10-07T21:49:24Z")
From _The Cheap Detective_ (paraphrased from memory): JASPER: One gin sling! LOU: Actually, I’ll just have brandy. JASPER: No, that’s the waiter’s name - Wun Jin Sling. The waiter then shows up with…one gin sling. Turns out his name is actually Brandy. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/10 "2023-10-07T21:55:13Z")
And a similar scene from _Police Squad_: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/r7Phxg-X0SU/maxresdefault.jpg "Police Squad! - Twice Shot Once") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Phxg-X0SU) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/11 "2023-10-07T22:03:20Z")
How about _The Importance of Being Earnest_? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/12 "2023-10-07T22:34:37Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Like in _Kill Bill_, where Bill calls “The Bride” “Kiddo” and it turns out her name really is Kiddo. Or when Ted Lasso says to Coach (no first name) Beard “What chu talkin bout, Willis” and it turns out his name is actually Willis. Other examples? For starters, there are some in [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-their-name-but-dont-realize-it/847202) thread: > [@You know their name, but don't realize it.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-their-name-but-dont-realize-it/847202/1): > > Saw a movie recently where someone was called “kiddo” and it reminded me of Kill Bill. In part one, we know Uma Thurman’s character only as “The Bride.” Except in flashbacks, Bill calls her “kiddo”, which turns out to not be a term of endearment but her actual name. So can you think of other instances where the chacater’s name is hidden in plain view? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/13 "2023-10-07T23:17:40Z")
IIRC, and I might not, The Handmaid’s Tale (novel) has an early list of names. The protagonist is one of them, but isn’t directly named in the novel. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/14 "2023-10-07T23:36:59Z")
It’s _almost_ what you’re asking for: In The Closer, Lt. Provenza’s first name is pointed never mentioned for 6 seasons. One time he was directly asked, and he said his name was “Lieutenant”. In season 7 his first name was revealed to actually be “Louis” (pronounced “Louey”), perhaps a diminutive of “Lieutenant”? ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/15 "2023-10-07T23:52:58Z")
In CHINATOWN, the police lieutenant’s given name is"Lou," isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/16 "2023-10-08T00:51:23Z")
No one knew what the J in Homer J Simpson stood for until the tenth season where we learned it stood for Jay. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/17 "2023-10-08T00:58:29Z")
BJ Hunnicutt on MASH never for sure revealed what “BJ” stood for, though he claimed it was just BJ, names after his mother Bea and his father Jay. Hawkeye didn’t buy it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/18 "2023-10-08T00:58:58Z")
In the cartoon Hey Arnold the protagonist just goes by Arnold. Since he’s a short dude, his grandfather calls him “Shortman”. Eventually after the series ended the creator said his name was Arnold Shortman, that wasn’t just a nickname. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/19 "2023-10-08T01:00:17Z")
The Looney Tunes character now known as [Gossamer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Gossamer_restored.jpg) originally had no name in his shorts in (checks Wikipedia) 1946 and 1952, till a 1980 short gave him the name. As far as I’m concerned, the Warner Bros. cartoon canon ended long before 1980, Chuck Jones or no Chuck Jones, and I refuse to call him that. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254/20 "2023-10-08T01:37:18Z")
In Chaplin’s _Modern Times,_ Paulette Godard is billed as “A Gamin” in the credits. However, in one shot there is a document which shows her name as “Ellen Peterson.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instances-where-unnamed-characters-were-named-after-all/991254.md?page=2)