# Unusual Names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2017, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219 "2017-07-14T06:09:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/1 "2017-07-14T06:09:22Z")
In the back of my journal I have kept a small list of unusual names I have encountered in my reading. As I am ready to start a new volume, I suppose I ought to share it. William Coney Goldbolt, mass killer Orange Lewis early settler of Ulysses, Pennsylvania Einar Axel Malstrom (no note, but an excellent supervillan name) J. Pius Barbour Crozen, seems to be a biographer of Martin Luther King Astro Teller, Head of Alphabet’s X-Labs Welcome Wilson, head of civil defense in Texas in 1960 (A lovely name) Professor Carlos Silvestre Frenk, on the Honours List for a CBE Jewel Lightfoot, Attorney General of Texas in 1910 Thomas Scattergood, a Quaker minster. (Another lovely name) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/2 "2017-07-14T08:02:45Z")
Urban Shocker, pitcher for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/3 "2017-07-14T08:24:49Z")
Albert Schweitzer (December 23, 1882 – January 27, 1969) outfielder for the Browns. His nickname was “Cheese.” ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/4 "2017-07-14T08:31:50Z")
Irvin Key “Kaiser” Wilhelm (January 26, 1874 – May 22, 1936) played for Boston, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2017, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/5 "2017-07-14T12:08:37Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Urban Shocker, pitcher for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns Sounds like a very specific sexual move with a definition on Urban Dictionary. “She eagerly went along with his weirdness, then he tried the **Urban Shocker** , which, of course, was too much even for her.” ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/6 "2017-07-14T14:43:22Z")
_Bizarre Books_ By Russell Ash and Brian Lake has a list of “Remarkable Names of Real Authors”. The list includes: Sue Mee Hugh Ray Myrtle Berry Nancy Boy Dee Day Al Burt John Thomas Jeffcock Jacques Off Willy Prick Violet Organ Solon Toothacker Kimble O. Hell W. Anker K. Kong Yoshimoto Banana Rebecca Hammering Bang Marmaduke Baglehole Mari Anus Cuming Achilles Fang Ludwig von Baldass Urban Grosskipper von Wipper Count Jacques de Silly Anna Ethel Twitt de Vere Professor A. Moron This is just a small selection. Most of list is available via the Look Inside feature at Amazon. (Page through to near the end of the available pages.) > **[Bizarre Books: A Compendium of Classic Oddities: Ash, Russell, Lake, Brian:...](https://www.amazon.com/Bizarre-Books-Compendium-Classic-Oddities/dp/0061346659)** > > Bizarre Books: A Compendium of Classic Oddities \[Ash, Russell, Lake, Brian\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Bizarre Books: A Compendium of Classic Oddities ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/7 "2017-07-14T14:46:39Z")
And I could add [Praise-God Barebone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praise-God_Barebone), a 17th century Puritan preacher and Member of Parliament. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/8 "2017-07-16T07:40:52Z")
Worst name for an international alliance: The [Schmalkaldic League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmalkaldic_League) ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/9 "2017-07-16T07:53:30Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/10 "2017-07-16T07:56:07Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > In the back of my journal I have kept a small list of unusual names I have encountered in my reading. As I am ready to start a new volume, I suppose I ought to share it. > > William Coney Goldbolt, mass killer… When I Google search that name all I get are links redirecting me to [Willie Cory Godbolt](http://heavy.com/news/2017/05/cory-godbolt-willie-video-mississippi-shooting-spree-eight-killed-photos/), spree killer. Is that who you mean? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/11 "2017-07-16T11:00:00Z")
Increase Mather and his son Cotton Mather, early American Puritans. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/12 "2017-07-16T12:13:45Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > When I Google search that name all I get are links redirecting me to [Willie Cory Godbolt](http://heavy.com/news/2017/05/cory-godbolt-willie-video-mississippi-shooting-spree-eight-killed-photos/), spree killer. > > Is that who you mean? Probably. I will blame by handwriting. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/13 "2017-07-16T14:48:45Z")
I’ve always been fond of the name Athol Fugard, the playwright and novelist. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/14 "2017-07-16T17:04:34Z")
In recent news, there was Reality Winner, the intelligence agency subcontractor who leaked classified information about the Russia investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/15 "2017-07-16T20:25:13Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Increase Mather and his son Cotton Mather, early American Puritans. Saw the name Increase Clapp on a gravestone once. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/16 "2017-07-17T01:39:19Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > In recent news, there was Reality Winner, the intelligence agency subcontractor who leaked classified information about the Russia investigation. Oh, yes, I saw that in the news. “Reality” is a pretty name. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/17 "2017-07-17T01:47:57Z")
The name _Horatio Hornblower_ always comes to mind thanks to President Carter. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/z_dTJTD01n4/hqdefault.jpg "Jimmy Carter-Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention (August 14, 1980)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_dTJTD01n4) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/18 "2017-07-17T06:29:38Z")
[quote=“Mangosteen, post:17, topic:791219”] The name _Horatio Hornblower_ always comes to mind thanks to President Carter. [/QUOTE] Horatio Hornblower was a fictional character. This thread is about real people. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/19 "2017-07-17T16:18:24Z")
There were Coke commercials many years ago where they did taste tests with “real people”. One of them was a woman by the name of Toppie Smelly (or perhaps Smellie). It entertained me no end. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219/20 "2017-07-17T16:44:04Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > There were Coke commercials many years ago where they did taste tests with “real people”. One of them was a woman by the name of Toppie Smelly (or perhaps Smellie). It entertained me no end. I vaguely remember that name because I remember my neighbor and I cracking up about it. That would have been late 70s or early 80s because I would have been in HS or just starting college. But I could not have told you where it came from. A Coke ad, huh? I guy I used to work with had an obituary taped to his filing cabinet, which he had clipped and saved just because of the name: Edna May Swallow-Cox. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-names/791219.md?page=2)