# Unfortunate names of real people **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705 "2011-04-08T19:47:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 17
**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:** [May 13, 2018, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/322 "2018-05-13T02:34:45Z")
I wanted to name my middle daughter Jesse James _Surname_. My husbands grandmother swore she was kin to him. Her maiden name was James. My husband and MIL said noooooo! I am glad I didn’t now. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/323 "2018-05-13T15:50:36Z")
One of my favorites is Athol Fugard, who apparently chose not to use his first name of Harold, and instead went with ‘Athol’. He almost certainly HAD to become a famous play write, novelist and director, as the only other choice would be to legally change his name. He’s also a good crossword clue. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/324 "2018-05-13T20:32:17Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Not unfortunate, but the name fits the job: the sheriff of Washington County, Oregon is named Pat Garrett. That could be a factor in people voting for him. It was for long-time Texas State Treasurer Jesse James. (After his death, evidence was uncovered that he may have changed his name to that early on.) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/325 "2018-05-14T00:02:48Z")
I have encountered\* an Ashley Madison. I remain nostalgic for the days of 6 on 6 girls high school basketball in Iowa, and the scoring exploits of [Fonda Dicks](https://twitter.com/tomarnold/status/572203959458381824?lang=en). Glad to see that Ima Hogg made Texas Monthly’s list of 50 outstanding Texas women. \*not the way you’re thinking. ---
**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:** [May 14, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/326 "2018-05-14T00:19:01Z")
We had some Hoggs in my school. And some Butts. They were teased, of course. I felt sorry for them. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/327 "2018-05-14T12:11:13Z")
There’s a local chef here named Chuck Hughes. Which doesn’t sound unusual, but if you say that name in an angry tone of voice, it kind of sounds like a rude saying. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/328 "2018-05-14T14:39:48Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > That could be a factor in people voting for him. It was for long-time Texas State Treasurer Jesse James. (After his death, evidence was uncovered that he may have changed his name to that early on.) There was a radio announcer in Anchorage named Jack Frost. He tried to run for office using his name as leverage. Didn’t work. One of the people running for governor of Oregon this year is named Buehler. I’m not sure voters will get past hearing Ben Stein in their heads. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/329 "2018-05-16T11:55:28Z")
My sister-in-law and I love to share bad names. I recently sent her this list: Ticore Indiga Totyana Fayrene Shiann Daija Deshante Konstanse Khyree Krystalen Marquisha Kinsey Tyschell Chasity Uquasi’a Stronda Makaela Kareta Margine Sequoria Mycol Elexis Jerrica Appolonia Rockelle Champale ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/330 "2018-05-16T13:58:46Z")
I keep a list of such names, too, when I come across them at court. Some recent favorites: Phinia Aten Park Goist Vilray Russell Angela Shockahosee Bro Krift Nancy Quenomoen Huldah P. Kinlaw Mills ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/331 "2018-05-16T21:37:06Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > My sister-in-law and I love to share bad names. I recently sent her this list: > Ticore > Indiga > Totyana > Fayrene > Shiann > Daija > Deshante > Konstanse > Khyree > Krystalen > Marquisha > Kinsey > Tyschell > Chasity > Uquasi’a > Stronda > Makaela > Kareta > Margine > Sequoria > Mycol > Elexis > Jerrica > Appolonia > Rockelle > Champale Some of these sound like drugs you take to lower cholesterol. Got that daily dose of Mycol, yo? ---
**Author:** ![Santelia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Santelia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santelia)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/332 "2018-05-16T21:43:35Z")
There’s Italian international footballer Ciro Immobile:D ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2018, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/333 "2018-05-17T04:11:12Z")
I’ve discovered an insurance broker in California whose name is Fyle Cabagnot. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/334 "2018-05-22T23:18:25Z")
I have a cousin named Peter Burns. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/335 "2018-05-24T21:11:17Z")
About 50 years ago there was a grad student who was utterly repressed, judgmental, all that sort of thing. Her name was Mary Wright, but the other students called her Mary Righteous. Bad enough, but not a disaster. Then she married. A man named Upham. Now she was referred to as Mary Right Up’em. I don’t know if she ever caught on, but she soon dropped out. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/336 "2018-05-24T21:51:11Z")
I was going through some family genealogy and had the realization that my grandfather and his brothers had very deeply odd names for uneducated Utah fundie Mormon dirt farmers: Clement, Sixtus, Benedict, Linus, and Severinus. It took me 50 years to realize these are all Catholic pope names. Taken singly, they’re not terribly odd names for the early 1900s, but taken as a sibling group they’re odd choices for an anti-Catholic region. No one seems to know/remember who chose the names or why. I’ve friends who named their kid Siobhan – a perfectly nice name if you live in the UK, a mess if you live in the US. My friend complains that no one knows how to pronounce the kid’s name. Really? Just what did you expect? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705.md?page=16)