# Using "Dr." twice, e.g. "Dr. Dr. Jane Smith" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952 "2023-06-22T18:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/1 "2023-06-22T18:22:01Z")
A client of mine is owned by a scientist from Germany. Today, I noted a few of their documents styled him in exactly the manner noted in the title: “Dr. Dr. Firstname Lastname.” When I pointed out what I assumed was an error, I was told by the (exasperated) lady I work directly with that because he’s both a Ph.D. and MD, he insists he be styled “Dr. Dr.” Is this standard in Europe, or Germany in particular? Anyone see this before? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/2 "2023-06-22T18:24:06Z")
Only when one is requesting delivery of the news. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/3 "2023-06-22T18:32:57Z")
It’s pretty standard in Germany to stack titles (“Herr Professor Doktor”). ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/4 "2023-06-22T18:38:45Z")
From the [Wikipedia article about the title of “Doctor”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title)): In Germany, double doctorates are indicated in the title by “Dr. Dr.” or “DDr.” and triple doctorates as “Dr. Dr. Dr.” or “DDDr.”. More doctorates are indicated by the addition of “mult.”, such as “Dr. mult.”. I believe people from countries where this is not the norm are allowed to snicker quietly to themselves after using it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/5 "2023-06-22T18:46:45Z")
Here’s a thread on the same subject from back in March: > [@What does "Doc. Dr." mean?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-doc-dr-mean/981449): > > I’ve started getting YouTube ads for somebody who identifies themselves with the abbreviation Doc. Dr… I understand the Dr. stands for Doctor but what does the Doc. mean in this context? The ads are very unclear but I think this person is a plastic surgeon. I also believe they may be located in Turkey. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/6 "2023-06-22T18:58:57Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > More doctorates are indicated by the addition of “mult.”, such as “Dr. mult.”. If you have eight doctorates, you get attacked by Spiderman. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/7 "2023-06-22T19:40:42Z")
Well, yes, Germany is full of “Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult.” and so on. It sort of makes sense that in situations/documents formal enough to use a title in the first place, she insists on the correct formulation. Otherwise, what’s the fun in getting a bunch of higher doctorates? ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/8 "2023-06-22T19:45:14Z")
I worked with an anesthesiologist who got a PhD in Germany. His German title was Herr Doktor. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/9 "2023-06-22T19:53:52Z")
I’ve heard of it in Germany. Also I knew a woman who held a PhD married to another PhD. In Germany she was styled as Dr Frau Dr \_\_\_\_\_. That was not at her request. She found it amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/10 "2023-06-22T20:11:06Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Only when one is requesting delivery of the news. Oh, very good. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/11 "2023-06-22T20:30:39Z")
Ninja’ed. @Cervaise dropped one of the best posts of the week. And from Germany no less. Thank you for a real laugh today. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/12 "2023-06-22T20:32:54Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > It’s pretty standard in Germany to stack titles (“Herr Professor Doktor”). Yeah, that’s my recollection/experience too. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/13 "2023-06-22T20:50:26Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hoe24aSvLtw/maxresdefault.jpg "Spies Like Us (1985) - Doctor, Doctor Scene (4/8) | Movieclips") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoe24aSvLtw) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/14 "2023-06-22T21:27:01Z")
And I just assumed it was a Major Major Major Major type situation, where the person’s title and name were both Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/15 "2023-06-22T21:35:44Z")
So you’re three doctors, then? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AygIe_C_tSU/hqdefault.jpg "Fawlty Towers: Two doctors") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AygIe_C_tSU) ---
**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:** [June 22, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/16 "2023-06-22T21:39:26Z")
True story. A female mathematician and professor married to a man who had two doctorates (both in math) and was also a professor was invited to give a talk in Vienna and was introduced to the audience as Professor Doktor Frau Professor Doktor Doktor P. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/17 "2023-06-22T22:05:38Z")
What’s up Doctor Doc? ---
**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:** [June 22, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/18 "2023-06-22T22:29:22Z")
Ain’t there nuthin’ I can take to relieve this bellyache? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/19 "2023-06-23T13:40:20Z")
The only one I know is **Dr. Dr. Gimme The News** > **[Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Case_of_Loving_You_(Doctor,_Doctor))** > > "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" is a 1978 song, written and originally recorded by Moon Martin and sung a year later by Robert Palmer. The song became one of Palmer's definitive hits. > Moon Martin originally recorded the song in 1978. Martin's record label Capitol Records released the song in the United Kingdom and Spain as a stand-alone vinyl single but inserted the song into the United States release of Martin's album Shots from a Cold Nightmare. His original recording did not enter t... ---
**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:** [June 23, 2023, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952/20 "2023-06-23T14:04:20Z")
Then there’s the strange of Doctor Willard Bliss (“Doctor” was his first name), admiringly described by Wikipedia as a “pseudo-expert in ballistic trauma”. He went on to become an actual physician (sort of), made a name for himself in quackery and maneuvered into a position to treat President Garfield’s gunshot wound. [It did not turn out well](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Willard_Bliss). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-dr-twice-e-g-dr-dr-jane-smith/985952.md?page=2)