# People with notable names- how do you approach them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715 "2010-01-20T17:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/21 "2010-01-20T19:06:20Z")
Whenever I happen to meet someone with a famous name I just look at it as an easy way to remember that person. In my line of work I am introduced to at least one or two new people almost every day so it is easy to forget names. In once case, I met a woman in the course of my job who has the name of a character in a Shel Silverstein poem. I knew it would be easy to recognize her the next time I see her. Then two weeks ago her name came up in the local news for being drunk and trying to steal liquor from a grocery store at 5 AM and pulling a knife on the store employees. So in that case, it kinda backfired against her. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/22 "2010-01-20T19:14:43Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Not exactly the same thing but my name is the title of a fairly famous song that, not only is it old , but frankly, a grown man should feel a bit ridiculous singing. Yet it happens all the time and it never ceases to amuse me. > > As to how I approach people with notable names - luckily I have learned from this board that people are very sensitive about these things and so I keep my unoriginal, unappreciated humor to myself šŸ™‚ Mandy? Delilah? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/23 "2010-01-20T19:17:37Z")
Lucy? Layla? Charlotte [the Harlot]? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/24 "2010-01-20T19:19:03Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Mandy? > Delilah? Iā€™ll play tooā€¦ Matilda? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/25 "2010-01-20T19:43:50Z")
My standard line is ā€œBoy. You must have heard all the jokes.ā€ It makes them laugh. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/26 "2010-01-20T19:52:44Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Iā€™ve asked them if they get comments, but I leave it at that unless the person engages. And have any of them ever answered, in ernest, ā€œNo, I never get comments.ā€? 'Cus really, this isnā€™t much better than cracking a joke. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/27 "2010-01-20T19:56:57Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Mandy? > Delilah? Well, a grown man ought to feel foolish singing these, but no. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Lucy? > Layla? > Charlotte [the Harlot]? Oh, har de har har (lot) No, I regularly get lame (but fun) attempts at ā€œSherryā€ complete with falsetto. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/28 "2010-01-20T20:02:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Lucy? > Layla? > Charlotte [the Harlot]? > [@HelloNinja](#): > > Iā€™ll play tooā€¦ > > Matilda? Youā€™re all wrong. His name is ā€œI Am the Walrus.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/29 "2010-01-20T20:28:29Z")
I have the same last name as a famous singer/songwriter. I had an uncle (now deceased) who shared his first name as well. So whenever somebody says ā€œany relation to _so-and-so_?ā€ I can truthfully proclaim, ā€œYeah, heā€™s my uncle!ā€ And if they donā€™t press for details thereā€™s no reason to clarify whether or not my uncle is the famous one. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/30 "2010-01-20T20:38:45Z")
My name is the same as a famous person who even has a few songs about him. I have heard all of those songs before, more than once, even the off color variations. Whatever joke, quip, diddy or reference you are compelled to make Iā€™ve heard so many times I canā€™t even get interested anymore. These days my response is to ignore any comment about my name. So, if you really want to make a bad first impression and you want a dead stare as your reward, then go ahead and tell me all about how my name is famous. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/31 "2010-01-20T20:51:14Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > My name is the same as a famous person who even has a few songs about him. I have heard all of those songs before, more than once, even the off color variations. Whatever joke, quip, diddy or reference you are compelled to make Iā€™ve heard so many times I canā€™t even get interested anymore. These days my response is to ignore any comment about my name. So, if you really want to make a bad first impression and you want a dead stare as your reward, then go ahead and tell me all about how my name is famous. Is that you, LeRoy Brown? \ ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/32 "2010-01-20T20:52:10Z")
I have a co-worker named Jeannie who gives the **shiftless** treatment to anyone who makes a joke about whether or not she grants wishes. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/33 "2010-01-20T21:10:52Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Is that you, LeRoy Brown? > > \ If only my name was LeRoy Brown (badest man in the whole damned town.) Who would make a lame joke to LeRoyā€™s face? ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/34 "2010-01-20T21:21:38Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > I have a famous name (although itā€™s becoming less so with the passage of time. I hope). > > Frankly, the name jokes are super lame and honestly people, there are none that I havenā€™t heard. None. At all. Iā€™m 37 years old. Every joke you make has been made by someone else 50 times. Same here. My nameā€™s the same as a prominent political dynasty, and yes, Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™ve heard them all. Multiple times. ā€œOh, wow, thatā€™s even funnier than the first million times I heard it!ā€ NOT. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/35 "2010-01-20T21:38:10Z")
In college, I had a roommate whoā€™s father was Donald Duck. Yep, Donald Duck. It was really obvious that the whole family had heard jokes over and over. So we pretty much ignored it. Except for when my roommate applied for a summer intern ship, hotel/restaurant management, with Disney. The interviewer came right out and said ā€œHow do we not hire the daughter of Donald Duckā€. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/36 "2010-01-20T21:41:58Z")
Oh, please, donā€™t make any jokes. i donā€™t have a famous name (in this country) but my nick was so bad when I was growing up that to this day I wonā€™t go by that name anymore. I hate those fucking jokes and I hated that fucking name. Now I am less hateful of it but still never tell anyone. My current name gets only a few jokes but much worse is the ā€œThatā€™s a strange/weird nameā€. Thanks, fucker. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/37 "2010-01-20T22:57:05Z")
I have a reasonably uncommon name (for a person. Very common with food, pets and perhaps strippers) and have heard all of the jokes. I wish people would stop, so I feel I should at least grant that courtesy to people I meet with notable names. I know how it feels, so why would I contribute to the BS? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/38 "2010-01-20T23:01:11Z")
> [@Not\_a\_Platypus](#): > > I have a reasonably uncommon name (for a person. Very common with food, pets and perhaps strippers) and have heard all of the jokes. I wish people would stop, so I feel I should at least grant that courtesy to people I meet with notable names. I know how it feels, so why would I contribute to the BS? I suspect that your first name and my first name may be the same. Sadly, I also have the famous matching last name. \ ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/39 "2010-01-20T23:05:40Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > I suspect that your first name and my first name may be the same. Sadly, I also have the famous matching last name. > > \ Iā€™m sorry. I guess Iā€™m lucky that my last name isnā€™t terribly notable, but it isnā€™t common in this country, so itā€™s mispronounced/misspelled frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715/40 "2010-01-20T23:23:41Z")
Oh, God. Please say nothing. Itā€™s just a name. My name gets over 19,000,000 Google hits, and Iā€™m quite certain none of them relate to me. I hate the jokes, the ā€œcleverā€ remarks, and even the ā€œI guess you get a lot ofā€¦ā€ comments. Just donā€™t go there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-notable-names-how-do-you-approach-them/525715.md?page=3)