# People who named themselves after a famous person - and then became more famous than the person they named themselves after **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 6, 2024, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207 "2024-05-06T22:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [May 8, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/41 "2024-05-08T01:18:19Z")
Spike Jones the madcap bandleader is a tad less popular nowadays than Spike Jonze the quirky director. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/42 "2024-05-08T01:19:54Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > [@hogarth](#): > > > > Whether Nas is more famous than Lil Nas X probably depends on how old you are. > > Likewise Gilbert O’Sullivan vs. Gilbert and Sullivan. I suppose that might be the case in some demographics with the comedy-folk duo Garfunkel & Oates, versus the earlier music duos Simon & Garfunkel and Hall & Oates. But it would probably be a pretty niche group. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/43 "2024-05-08T01:41:12Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Buffalo Springfield named the band after the Buffalo-Springfield Roller Company, who manufactured road equipment. REO Speedwagon (the band) is certainly more well known than the truck. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/44 "2024-05-08T02:02:02Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Anne Hathaway > Tom Hardy > Jane Seymour Anne Hathaway was apparently named Anne because of Shakespeare’s wife but that is her real name. Tom Hardy goes by his real middle name so I don’t think that counts. He is Edward Thomas Hardy. If he went by Ed Hardy he would be forced to wear ugly shirts. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/45 "2024-05-08T02:02:12Z")
And then there’s [Lynyrd Skynyrd](https://www.lynyrdskynyrd.com/history). ---
**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:** [May 8, 2024, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/46 "2024-05-08T02:19:17Z")
[Kings of Leon](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Leon) are better known than any of the [kings of León](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Leonese_monarchs). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/47 "2024-05-08T02:50:40Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > [Kings of Leon](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Leon) are better known than any of the [kings of León](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Leonese_monarchs). Fountains of Wayne was more famous than the lawn ornament store in Wayne New Jersey. Neither currently exist. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/48 "2024-05-08T04:20:48Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I suppose that might be the case in some demographics with the comedy-folk duo Garfunkel & Oates, versus the earlier music duos Simon & Garfunkel and Hall & Oates. But it would probably be a pretty niche group. ⁢ While I’ve heard of all three groups, I can actually picture Garfunkel & Oates while I can’t the others. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/49 "2024-05-08T11:19:52Z")
Arthur Flegenheimer preferred Dutch Schultz. I’m not sure how famous the original boxer was. Gangster Joe Doto was probably more well known as “Adonis”, at least in New York, than the myth guy. He was slightly vain. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/50 "2024-05-08T12:55:05Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I think Bob Dylan is better known than Dylan Thomas these days. _He’s so unhip that when you say Dylan,_ _he thinks you’re talkin’ about Dylan Thomas_ _Whoever he is._ _The man ain’t got no culture_ Simon & Garfunkel, “A Simple Desultory Philippic” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/51 "2024-05-08T12:57:21Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Fountains of Wayne was more famous than the lawn ornament store in Wayne New Jersey. Neither currently exist. But does Stacy’s mom still got it going on? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/52 "2024-05-08T13:01:12Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Likewise Gilbert O’Sullivan vs. Gilbert and Sullivan. Even in the summer of 1972, with “Alone Again, Naturally” all over the airwaves, I’d have said Gilbert and Sullivan was better known, and pretty much everyone knew that Gilbert O’s stage name was a play on G&S. ETA: > [@griffin1977](#): > > Jethro Tull has at some point been more famous than their namesake inventor I’d say they still are. The band is pretty much the only reason I still remember that there was once an inventor with that name. (It’s a shame the original Jethro Tull didn’t invent the aqualung.) Seriously, how many people outside of England have even heard of Jethro Tull the inventor? More ETA: > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Franz Ferdinand? I’d heard a million times of the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand setting off WWI (yeah, I know - it was a war waiting for an excuse to happen), but I’ll say this for the band: that’s how I learned that Ferdinand wasn’t the archduke’s first name. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2024, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/53 "2024-05-08T14:22:03Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Then there is also a story that Martin and Luther were names of the elder’s uncles. Sister Suzy, brother John Martin, Luther, Phil & Don Uncle Ernie, Auntie Jin Open the door, let 'em in oh yeah ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/54 "2024-05-08T18:20:26Z")
> [@digs](#): > > But you could make a case that he’s more famous (for some people) than Martin Luther. > > (I’m assuming that he and his dad are named after ML non-K…) Apparently Martin Luther King, Sr. was originally named Michael King, and changed his own name in honor of Martin Luther. What I find odd is that both Martin Luther King , Sr. and Jr., are named after the founder of the Lutheran church, yet both were Baptist ministers. The elder King admired Luther for the power of his protests (according to his Wikipedia page), and his son (also born Michael King) took the name from his father, but it still seems a little strange to me. Kind of like a Catholic changing his name to John Calvin Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/55 "2024-05-08T18:21:35Z")
As I pointed out in another thread, F. Scott Fitzgerald was actually Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. But I suspect Francis Scott Key and F. Scott Fitzgerald are about even in the “famous” department. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2024, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/56 "2024-05-08T18:31:55Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > What I find odd is that both Martin Luther King , Sr. and Jr., are named after the founder of the Lutheran church, yet both were Baptist ministers. Martin Luther was the founder of the entire Protestant Reformation, not just the Lutheran church. > **[The Protestant Reformation](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/protestant-reformation/)** > > The Protestant Reformation that began with Martin Luther in 1517 played a key role in the development of the North American colonies and the eventual United States. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207/57 "2024-05-08T18:40:09Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > What I find odd is that both Martin Luther King , Sr. and Jr., are named after the founder of the Lutheran church, yet both were Baptist ministers All protestant denominations AFAIK recognize Luther as the one who started the reformation, and recognize his theses as the basic reasons they aren’t Catholic even if they don’t consider themselves big L Lutheran [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-named-themselves-after-a-famous-person-and-then-became-more-famous-than-the-person-they-named-themselves-after/1001207.md?page=2)