# Was Kraemer Always to Have An Unknown First Name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 24, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298 "2015-12-24T22:08:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/1 "2015-12-24T22:08:08Z")
I just saw the episode wherein the gang finally learns Kraemer’s first name (Cosmo). Did the script writers always intend that the name would be a mystery? Kraemer was pretty PO’d about it-why did he want it to be a secret? ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/2 "2015-12-25T02:15:17Z")
I don’t recall him being particularly PO’d about it. He kinda took the joke in stride didn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/3 "2015-12-25T02:48:24Z")
I think he just didn’t like his first name. He goes by it a few times after that point in the show, though. Not like he avoided it entirely. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/4 "2015-12-25T03:28:24Z")
Giving him a first name may have been a way to disassociate the character from Kenny Kramer, and actual person that Larry David knew, and who was trying to cash in on his identity as the ‘real Kramer’. ---
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/5 "2015-12-25T16:10:52Z")
Thanks for the replys…I think that having Kramer’s mysterious first name was a good way to have an entire episode. Kramer appears to be an alien from another dimension-he has no job, is always around, and dresses in 40 year old clothing. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/6 "2015-12-25T16:52:30Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > Thanks for the replys…I think that having Kramer’s mysterious first name was a good way to have an entire episode. Kramer appears to be an alien from another dimension-he has no job, is always around, and dresses in 40 year old clothing. So Kramer acts like a millennial! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/7 "2015-12-25T17:15:49Z")
Apparently he had an unknown last name as well! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/8 "2015-12-26T14:20:48Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > So Kramer acts like a millennial! [Well, he is a hipster doofus.](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1d/d2/49/1dd249cfdcaa46d2caca25322080f1a1.jpg) ---
**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:** [December 26, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/9 "2015-12-26T14:44:52Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > Thanks for the replys…I think that having Kramer’s mysterious first name was a good way to have an entire episode. Kramer appears to be an alien from another dimension-he has no job, is always around, and dresses in 40 year old clothing. As George once said, “Kramer going to fantasy camp? His life is a fantasy camp! People should pay $1000 a week to live like him. Sit around doing nothing, fall ass-backwards into money, have sex without dating…” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2015, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/10 "2015-12-27T00:11:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Apparently he had an unknown last name as well! Or at least unknown spelling. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/11 "2015-12-27T02:45:19Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Giving him a first name may have been a way to disassociate the character from Kenny Kramer, and actual person that Larry David knew, and who was trying to cash in on his identity as the ‘real Kramer’. And why shouldn’t he? Somebody takes much of your character for their show then they shouldn’t begrudge you making a few bucks off it too. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/12 "2015-12-27T04:34:51Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > And why shouldn’t he? Somebody takes much of your character for their show then they shouldn’t begrudge you making a few bucks off it too. I don’t disagree with that sentiment. The character isn’t exactly Kenny Kramer, but however much it’s based on him they took his name which is significant, so I don’t blame the guy for trying to cash in. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/13 "2015-12-27T13:43:39Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Or at least unknown spelling. Well, it was “Kessler” in the first episode. So being off a letter isn’t so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/14 "2015-12-27T17:58:39Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > Thanks for the replys…I think that having Kramer’s mysterious first name was a good way to have an entire episode. Kramer appears to be an alien from another dimension-he has no job, is always around, and dresses in 40 year old clothing. What I loved most about Kramer was that while everyone made fun of his get rich quick schemes, they paid off most of the time. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/15 "2015-12-28T17:52:46Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > So Kramer acts like a millennial! > [@Mahaloth](#): > > [Well, he is a hipster doofus.](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1d/d2/49/1dd249cfdcaa46d2caca25322080f1a1.jpg) He is a loathsome, offensive brute, yet I can’t look away. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/16 "2015-12-28T20:28:48Z")
I named my cat after him. When / if I get another one, he shall be called Newman. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/17 "2015-12-28T21:02:30Z")
Meow, _Newman!_ ---
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/18 "2015-12-29T12:43:36Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > I don’t recall him being particularly PO’d about it. He kinda took the joke in stride didn’t he? I recall that episode…he was royally PO’d- “You HAD to know it, didn’t you!”. As I say I think it could have been a good plot device-Elaine constantly asking probing questions. Anyway, does anybody really get addressed by his/her last name only? I can’t recall this except in the military…or in England (rich people addressing their butlers). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/19 "2015-12-29T12:44:53Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Meow, _Newman!_ Exactly! ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298/20 "2015-12-30T04:58:06Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > I recall that episode…he was royally PO’d- “You HAD to know it, didn’t you!”. As I say I think it could have been a good plot device-Elaine constantly asking probing questions. Anyway, does anybody really get addressed by his/her last name only? I can’t recall this except in the military…or in England (rich people addressing their butlers). I worked with a guy who was called by his last name all the time. Even his wife called him that. Some times he was called by his first _and_ last name, but very rarely by his first name only. I called him by his first name once when I was exasperated by him, and he looked at me and asked, “Did you just call me Mike?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-kraemer-always-to-have-an-unknown-first-name/741298.md?page=2)