# Oldest real human with a name **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815 "2006-02-03T12:03:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/1 "2006-02-03T12:03:23Z")
What is the earliest evidenced example of a real _homo sapiens_ being called by name during his or her lifetime, and what was it? (For example, Gilgamesh was presumably a real king, and everyone called him Gilgamesh to his face.) ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/2 "2006-02-03T13:05:50Z")
Enmebaragesi was a Sumerian King from around 2700 BC, and is the earliest Sumerian king that archaeological evidence confirms. Many lists of Sumerian kings go back further, but as with any list like that you have to wonder at what point the list starts to contain mythological characters. Enmebaragesi was the predecessor of Agga, who was the predecessor of the famous Gilgamesh. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/3 "2006-02-03T14:40:50Z")
There are 3 candidates among ancient Pharoahs in Egypt: King Serket, aka “The Scorpion King” Menes Narmer (The one with the most historical evidence.) Believed to have lived 3000-3100 BCE. Not at all clear as to even if they are all distinct, etc. Links: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King\_Scorpion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Scorpion) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menes) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer) ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/4 "2006-02-03T14:51:08Z")
Naahhh…it was this Guy named “Mel”. He lived over there…in Cave 7… He made good Barbecue… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/5 "2006-02-03T15:09:28Z")
Well, there was Gorbo. He was around a really long time ago. But he wasn’t a real homo sapiens. He was a _wooden_ homo sapiens. Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/6 "2006-02-03T16:04:56Z")
Well, there was this one guy called Adam… ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/7 "2006-02-03T21:38:22Z")
Lucy. Her full name was Lucy Van Pelt. Her brother was Linus. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/8 "2006-02-03T21:56:32Z")
Gorack. Or Steve. There was some confusion over the name. ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/9 "2006-02-03T22:16:57Z")
Bob. Bob Pithecus. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/10 "2006-02-04T02:36:27Z")
> [@Rodd Hill](#): > > Bob. > > Bob Pithecus. Actually Pithecus was his middle name. Bob P. Erectus. It’s the earliest known name to evoke snickering and bad puns. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/11 "2006-02-04T02:45:27Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > Lucy. Her full name was Lucy Van Pelt. Her brother was Linus. van Pelt was her maiden name. After she got married to Ricky, there were two older australopithicines living on a slightly higher cave. Fred and Ethel. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/12 "2006-02-04T13:55:39Z")
Og Smash. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/13 "2006-02-04T15:53:44Z")
**SentientMeat** , all these answers have been about \*recorded \*names. There must be some evidence, however, about when human societies first invented such concepts. Right? No? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/14 "2006-02-04T15:54:25Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Gorack. Or Steve. There was some confusion over the name. I you sure it was Steve and not Scott? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/15 "2006-02-06T10:15:42Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > **SentientMeat** , all these answers have been about \*recorded \*names. There must be some evidence, however, about when human societies first invented such concepts. > > Right? No? No. It was likely not very long after starting to string more than one word together, and very long before inventing writing. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/16 "2006-02-06T17:21:32Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > **SentientMeat** , all these answers have been about \*recorded \*names. There must be some evidence, however, about when human societies first invented such concepts. > > Right? No? I asked for _evidenced_ use of a name which the person was actually called in their lifetime. We have no evidence that the cavemen names were the ones they were actually called to their face ("hey, Lucy!). We have no evidence that the mythical names were real people ("Eve, dear, where the hell did is this caveman skeleton come from?). I’d be interested in these lists of ancient kings. If the earliest names coincided with those of their Gods, that might suggest they were wholly mythical, but if not then there’s no reason why they couldn’t have been real people. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-real-human-with-a-name/342815/17 "2006-02-06T20:32:07Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > There are 3 candidates among ancient Pharoahs in Egypt: > > King Serket, aka “The Scorpion King” > Menes > Narmer (The one with the most historical evidence.) > > Believed to have lived 3000-3100 BCE. Not at all clear as to even if they are all distinct, etc. > > Links: > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King\_Scorpion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Scorpion) > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menes) > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer) The earliest recorded name of someone who _wasn’t_ a king is probably [Imhotep](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imhotep), who lived in the 27th century B.C. He was known as an architect, physician, and government official. As the linked article says, the name means He Who Comes In Peace and probably demonstrates how most early names came to be. They described some mannerism or physical quality of the person and were likely assigned to you by your peers. Perhaps the custom of naming newborns arose when parents decided to give names that expressed qualities they hoped their children would exhibit as they grew up. It’s interesting to note that even today some rites of passage may include the taking of an additional name. It’s my understanding that as part of the Catholic confirmation ritual, comfirmants will take an additional name, usually of a saint.