# Occupational Surnames **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695 "2023-07-27T18:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/1 "2023-07-27T18:47:53Z")
Cook, Taylor, Baxter and Baker, Smith, all occupational surnames. If surnames were just becoming a thing now, meaning say the last 30ish years, what would job related surnames look like? Bob Utube? Samantha Flier? Mr. And Mrs. Tech? Tell me your picks for surnames based on occupations more common today that may not have been even concieved of in decades past. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/2 "2023-07-27T19:10:20Z")
There are a lot more specialty nail shoppes now than 30 years ago, so how about “Naylor”?\* (BTW, you forgot “Cooper.”) \*(Actual name; a lady friend of mine married into it 20-some years ago.) ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/3 "2023-07-27T19:12:14Z")
Ry Coder Ima Dogwalker ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/4 "2023-07-27T19:16:05Z")
Beck Doper. Hmmm? I kinda like it. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/5 "2023-07-27T19:16:30Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Ry Coder ISWYDT! You drop an “o,” he stops being a musician. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/6 "2023-07-27T19:23:33Z")
Fred Ex ---
**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:** [July 27, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/7 "2023-07-27T19:26:03Z")
I’ve heard of a region in India where surnames are only just now coming into use, and which now has a Mr. Javacoder. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/8 "2023-07-27T19:38:01Z")
How about the more mundane: Vandriver Hashslinger Pilot Conductor Marketeer Coder Fireman Loads of them… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/9 "2023-07-27T19:45:55Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Vandriver - Uber. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/10 "2023-07-27T19:48:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve heard of a region in India where surnames are only just now coming into use, and which now has a Mr. Javacoder. The islands of Micronesia didn’t use last names until the concept was introduced by Westerners. A lot of folks from the island of Kosrae decided just to repeat their first names. There was once a photo in the government newsletter with the caption, “From left to right: Louey Louey, Asher Asher, and Jack J. Jack.” (We were afraid to ask what the J stood for.) Louey Louey was my neighbor and so I had a few stories in which he featured. ([The subduing of the coconut crab](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-kitchen-accidents/925829/33) being one). After a few years living in Micronesia the repeated names sounded totally normal to me. It was only when people started giving me weird looks because I was talking matter-of-factly about Louey Louey that I remembered how strange that was. ETA: The above is tangential, sorry. Modern occupational last names might include Programmer, Therapist, Controller, or Ciyeeo (CEO). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/11 "2023-07-27T19:51:52Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > It was only when people started giving me weird looks because I was talking matter-of-factly about Louey Louey that I remembered how strange that was. - Maybe they thought you were referring to [the song.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Louie) ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/12 "2023-07-27T19:59:40Z")
Zoomwright Emailor Influenzor ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/13 "2023-07-27T20:00:55Z")
Bob Dole - full-time welfare check casher ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/14 "2023-07-27T20:11:19Z")
That’s a old one. Now it would be ‘Robert EBT’ ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/15 "2023-07-27T20:15:20Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Maybe they thought you were referring to [the song.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Louie) Yep, I’m sure they did. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/16 "2023-07-27T23:39:32Z")
Pilot Airman Starman Bob Astronaut Ivan Cosmonaut Taikonaut Kai-shek Carman (for a family of auto mechanics) Would you get sued if you wanted to use Nascar as a surname? Assembler (for a factory worker) English classifies “bowyer” and “fletcher” as separate professions, and there are families named Bowman and Fletcher. Perhaps the construction industry would spawn families named Bulldozer, Steamroller, Dumptruck, and Backhoe. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/17 "2023-07-27T23:49:46Z")
Would Mr. Barrister approve of his daughter dating the Solicitor boy? Would the Deeyei family and the Peedee family approve of their children dating? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/18 "2023-07-28T00:36:59Z")
Pat Sidehustler Chris Lyfter ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/19 "2023-07-28T01:02:55Z")
Wally Webdev. Bettty Barista. Paul Panhandler. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupational-surnames/987695/20 "2023-07-28T01:05:14Z")
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