# Was the name/nickname "Popeye" in general use before the cartoon character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733 "2006-03-24T16:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/1 "2006-03-24T16:00:40Z")
Inspired by the “Popeye Chicken” thread ([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=364270](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=364270)), I found myself wondering if the sobriquet of “Popeye” had been in the cultural lexicon before Seegar’s cartoon creation of the acromegalic sailor. Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/2 "2006-03-24T16:11:57Z")
It was certainly a name used before that, as far back as the 1880’s from some cites in newspapers that I can find. Not common, but certainly it didn’t originate with Seegar. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/3 "2006-03-24T18:05:30Z")
I saw a movie once, set in the early 1900s, with a female character named Popeye. I couldn’t figure out how a young black girl could have a nickname like that - not only was he a white male sailor with bulging biceps, but the timeframe was a bit early - until I saw the character. It appears she was suffering from [Exophthalmos](http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec20/ch236/ch236f.html) which made her [eyes](http://www.scottcamazine.com/personal/Nigeria/nigeriaClinical/images/exophthalmos_gif.jpg) [bulge](http://scielo.isciii.es/img/maxi/v27n2/93%20Fig%202.jpg) I suppose that’s the sort of nickname you give to someone with bulged eyeballs. Not sure how [this dude](http://www.geocities.com/thomascris/popeye.jpg) got the name. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/4 "2006-03-24T18:21:16Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Not sure how [this dude](http://www.geocities.com/thomascris/popeye.jpg) got the name. Popeye the Sailor has only one eye. Presumably the other one was popped out in a fight or an accident. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/5 "2006-03-24T18:28:55Z")
And here is his original appearance in Thimble Theater, Elzie Segar’s comic strip: [![](https://bdoubliees.com/seriesauteurs/sfig/popeye/thimbeltheater170129.jpg) ](https://bdoubliees.com/seriesauteurs/sfig/popeye/thimbeltheater170129.jpg) The guy accosting him is Castor Oyl, Olive’s brother. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/6 "2006-03-25T05:35:14Z")
Thanks for the info. Can’t find any ancestors in my family tree with that name, tho. Too bad. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/7 "2006-03-25T07:38:40Z")
I’m Popeye the Mercotan I’m Popeye the Mercotan I fights all the Lensmen Cuz I’m Qadgop’s kinsman I’m Popeye the Mercotan ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/8 "2006-03-25T17:58:04Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > I’m Popeye the Mercotan > I’m Popeye the Mercotan > I fights all the Lensmen > Cuz I’m Qadgop’s kinsman > I’m Popeye the Mercotan Bravo!! Encore!!! \<\\> ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/9 "2006-03-25T19:10:07Z")
Do Mercotans eat spinach? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/10 "2006-03-25T19:19:19Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Do Mercotans eat spinach? We prefer to eat those who eat spinach. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/11 "2006-03-25T21:56:24Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > We prefer to eat those who eat spinach. Maybe you should search for the name Bluto instead. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/12 "2006-03-25T23:09:39Z")
My great-grandfather, born in 1872, was called Popeye most of his life, apparently because he was somewhat popeyed. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/13 "2006-03-26T03:28:39Z")
> [@](#): > > We prefer to eat those who eat spinach. In the words of Alf the Mercotan when offered a salad: “That’s not food. That’s what food eats.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/14 "2006-03-26T20:53:25Z")
Can’t you generally tell what a creature eats from its mouthparts? Well, what sort of diet is indicated by a xymosely polydactle tongue? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/15 "2006-03-26T20:59:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, what sort of diet is indicated by a xymosely polydactle tongue? Marmite. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/16 "2006-03-26T22:45:08Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Popeye the Sailor has only one eye. Presumably the other one was popped out in a fight or an accident. Actually, I’ve never been sure if the one eye is missing or just squinty. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/17 "2006-03-26T23:25:12Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Actually, I’ve never been sure if the one eye is missing or just squinty. In the Thimble Theater comic strip it was clear that Popeye had only one eye. It was less clear in the cartoons - in some of the later ones I think he didn’t even keep the same eye closed all the time. Have you ever thought about what an unlikely hero Popeye is? A small, ugly man with one eye, a huge cleft chin, no teeth, skinny biceps and gigantic forearms who speaks a strange variety of broken English and gets superhuman strength by eating his vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/18 "2006-03-26T23:35:37Z")
> [@Jeff Lichtman](#): > > Have you ever thought about what an unlikely hero Popeye is? A small, ugly man with one eye, a huge cleft chin, no teeth, skinny biceps and gigantic forearms who speaks a strange variety of broken English and gets superhuman strength by eating his vegetables. Ah, well. He’s more plausible than practically any cartoon superhero you could name. E.g., the Incredible Hulk. (If you got caught too close to an A-bomb test, what do you think would happen to you?) ---
**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:** [March 27, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/19 "2006-03-27T00:00:51Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Ah, well. He’s more plausible than practically any cartoon superhero you could name. E.g., the Incredible Hulk. (If you got caught too close to an A-bomb test, what do you think would happen to you?) I don’t mean “unlikely” in a scientific sense - I mean in a dramatic sense. People like the character even though he seems strange and unappealing in so many ways. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733/20 "2006-03-27T00:24:08Z")
> [@Jeff Lichtman](#): > > I don’t mean “unlikely” in a scientific sense - I mean in a dramatic sense. People like the character even though he seems strange and unappealing in so many ways. _Fffft._ He’s a _sailor_. A manly man. He can be ugly, stupid, and have any number of moral failings, but he’s a heroic figure by default. Look at the way that Ann Darrow fawns over Driscoll in the original _King Kong_. On their first meeting, he pops her in the jaw and tells her that he thinks women are a “damned nuisance,” and her reaction is to bat her eyelashes at him, adjust her posture to best show off her feminine pulchritude, and make it absolutely clear that it’s imperative that he have his way with her as soon as he can possibly fit it in. (Long before he’s given any opportunity to display his heroism.) It’s a common archetype of the '20s and '30s – sailors are rough, rude, plug-ugly, unwashed, uneducated, and supernaturally virile and capable, which makes them very attractive figures. _swoon_ I don’t get it, either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-name-nickname-popeye-in-general-use-before-the-cartoon-character/349733.md?page=2)