# 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:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/61 "2011-04-10T00:03:14Z")
An economist interviewed from time to time on NPR is _Hugh Johnson_ and I sometimes have to pay attention to my driving when I hear his name. ---
**Author:** ![pabstist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e99b99/32.png) [@pabstist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pabstist)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/62 "2011-04-10T01:30:29Z")
The last few years my wife had two Thai HS students that were sisters, their last name was Maeksomporn. Every 16 year old boys dream girlfriend! Suddenly this year they have a more American last name… ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/63 "2011-04-10T03:56:59Z")
> [@pabstist](#): > > The last few years my wife had two Thai HS students that were sisters, their last name was Maeksomporn. Every 16 year old boys dream girlfriend! > > Suddenly this year they have a more American last name… There were two female golfers who changed their last name from Wonglukiet (sp?) to Song. Not to avoid making adolescent boys chuckle, but to be easier to pronounce, and obviously, spell. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/64 "2011-04-10T04:08:59Z")
At my last job, I worked indirectly with a woman whose name was Nancy Porn. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/65 "2011-04-10T04:25:03Z")
> [@rucciface](#): > > I kinda cringe when I think of Peter Boyle’s name. That’s not as bad as Lance Boyle [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1944556/](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1944556/). Or Dick Johnson [Dick Johnson (racing driver) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Johnson_(racing_driver)). ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/67 "2011-04-10T08:27:29Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Brilliant. > > I Googled the [name](http://vsites.unb.br/ig/prof/ReinhardtAdolfoFuck.htm), [I think] he was from Brazil; hence, it’s Portuguese. So what does “Fuck” mean in that language? According to [Google Translate](http://translate.google.com/#pt%7Cen%7CFuck), “Fuck”. Must be a pronunciation thing. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Klutz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captain_klutz/32/4993_2.png) [@Captain\_Klutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Klutz)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/68 "2011-04-10T10:45:41Z")
When a new shopping centre opened up, its manager was Will Purchase. I may have mentioned before that I used to work with a Dick Wood (I don’t know why he didn’t use Richard). I came across someone with a last name of Apathy. When asked for his name, I wonder if he says “I don’t care”. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/69 "2011-04-10T16:02:08Z")
In some book of oddball baby names, I read that there was a child given the name, in the 19th century, “Phthisis”, which is a Greek term for “tuberculosis”. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/70 "2011-04-10T16:02:47Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > In some book of oddball baby names, I read that there was a child given the name, in the 19th century, “Phthisis”, which is a Greek term for “tuberculosis”. That reminds me of an ancestor of mine: Blazius. It means “stutterer.” ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/71 "2011-04-10T20:44:25Z")
There was a FB coach at UNC named Dick Crum ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/72 "2011-04-10T21:14:05Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > My dad used to have a business card stuck to the refrigerator, from a Realtor named Rose E. Kuntz. The fact that she put her middle initial on the card indicates to me that she had a good sense of humor about her name. I once had business-related discussion with Hooters corporate. That was their rep’s last name. I always remember Texas philanthropist Ima Hogg and a schoolmate Michael Hunt. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/73 "2011-04-10T21:24:11Z")
> [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](#): > > There is an insurance agent whose office is on Grand Ave in Oakland. Her name is… > > Charming Ho. > > [Charming Ho State Farm Insurance | Oakland Google Satellite Map](http://www.maplandia.com/united-states/california/alameda-county/oakland/buildings/charming-ho-state-farm-insurance/) Perchance, any relation to Sherlock Ho, listed below in my ever-growing collection? King Koc Bich Hung Wei Lo (this is my all-time favorite) Dung Phuoc Phuoc Yu Wonderful Splendid Harris Twat Yur Majesty Boogie Precious Ruru Ruzzle Libertine So Hung Jigger Jonnifer Sherlock Ho Sin Li King Nip Yuk Burgundy Bridges Hung Duong Mignon Peanut Ferrari Jolly ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/74 "2011-04-10T21:24:13Z")
I forgot, a customer where I used to bag groceries in a supermarket decades ago was named Sumner (nicknamed Sum) Pecker. And a Chinese laundryman of that era was A Ho (total name). ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/75 "2011-04-10T22:19:29Z")
I came across someone last night with the last name of Methmann, assuming it wasn’t a typo. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/76 "2011-04-10T23:12:05Z")
No one’s mentioned Dick Assman. Living quietly up in Canada, brought to the world’s attention by David Letterman! Read the Wikipedia article, a celebrity made because of his name! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/77 "2011-04-11T00:26:46Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Mignon I don’t really consider “Mignon” an odd name. It’s not super common, but I don’t think of it as weird. I guess because I have books by an author named Mignon G. Eberhart. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/78 "2011-04-11T02:53:34Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > My wife used to have a gynecologist named Dr. Hyman. As long as his first name wasn’t “Buster.” ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/79 "2011-04-11T02:55:48Z")
Oh, I see someone’s misspelled your name on your school ID, Nina. I’m sorry, but if you go down to the desk and get it fixed, I can register you into the IT system and you’ll be good to go. I’d do it with this one, but I need the card you’ll be using since I need to record the code from the magstripe. _stony silence_ Seriously? _Ninja?_ _stony silence continues_ I’m sorry. You should be good to go now. _Seriously?!_ ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/80 "2011-04-11T03:38:02Z")
Someone here posted on an old thread that they knew a guy named “Fyle Cabonet.” This one still cracks me up. I mean, who does that? ---
**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:** [April 11, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705/81 "2011-04-11T05:23:11Z")
I wonder what the parents of Arthur Purdy Stout (noted 20th century surgeon and pathologist) were thinking. He seems to have been [reasonably trim](http://www.nature.com/modpathol/journal/v15/n1/fig_tab/3880494f11.html#figure-title), however, not to mention a spiffy dresser (Arthur is on the left). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-names-of-real-people/577705.md?page=5)