# Taxonomic names to be revised, because racism **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 19, 2024, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455 "2024-07-19T09:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 8
**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:** [July 28, 2024, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/142 "2024-07-28T18:12:11Z")
Or a real name for a real person. I am Susan X. Yzzz and also Doing Business As Suzanne V. Zyyy, LLC, and also use Juniper Q. Xzzz as a writing name, all of which get paid, all of which receive mail, and all of which are understood as ultimately aspects of the same legal entity for purposes of taxation (though the LLC had an EIN rather than a SS#). I legally changed my name many years ago, but am legally the same person. The government uses either or both of my legal middle names on various documents, but as long as my passport and plane ticket are the same, nobody thinks twice about it. This is to say that all of my names are real and I am one person. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/143 "2024-07-28T18:28:23Z")
Yeah, another vote for “pen names are alternate real names for real people”. “Frodo Baggins” is an imaginary person. “James Tiptree Jr” was a real person and an important author. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/144 "2024-07-30T18:10:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Just because Pluto is also the name of a Disney dog doesnt mean it has to be changed- 🤪 😀 That’s true. However, every time that word leaves your lips you have to send a check for $ 50.00 to The Disney Company. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/145 "2024-07-30T20:28:25Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > That’s true. However, every time that word leaves your lips you have to send a check for $ 50.00 to The Disney Company. Trust me, when ever my wife goes shopping there, it is _way_ more than $50. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/146 "2024-07-31T12:42:12Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > There’s a difference. An imaginary person is wholly invented. A pseudonym or pen name is just a false name for a real person. I read and re-read until they were tattered the [Tom Swift/ Tom Swift, Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift) books as a child and young adolescent. They were all either authored by Victor Appleton or Victor Appleton II. Those were pseudonyms for a group of writers. The real writer of the first Tom Swift book was publisher [Edward Stratemeyer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Stratemeyer). Similarly, all of the [Nancy Drew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Drew) books were written under the pseudonym of Carolyn Keene. In reality, that series as well as the Hardy Boys series were all created by Mr. Stratemeyer, who apparently had a pretty firm grasp of what appealed to young readers. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/147 "2024-08-01T16:21:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > an alternative school for kids like ChickenWing. So…a school for interesting people? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/148 "2024-08-01T16:23:30Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > So…a school for interesting people? Actually, a locked-down school for students who refuse to cooperate with academia… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455.md?page=7)