# Were you named after somebody famous? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582 "2004-01-04T04:06:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Chata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chata)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/21 "2004-01-04T21:45:36Z")
Caroline Kennedy ---
**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:** [January 5, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/22 "2004-01-05T01:13:12Z")
I was named after a famous (now dead) actor, whom my parent had no connection to or affinity with. My grandfather suggested the name after I had been “The Baby” for two weeks, and my parents liked the idea, but didn’t like the idea of my being named directly after another person, so they reversed the names. “Wayland Smithers” became “Smithers Wayland,” and I have a last name for a first name, and a connection to an actor I care nothing about. I’m none too pleased about it. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/23 "2004-01-05T01:17:33Z")
But it beats the hell out of being named “Madonna” or “Britney” or “Vanna” or whatnot, I must say. ---
**Author:** ![Pherenike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Pherenike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pherenike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/24 "2004-01-05T02:05:32Z")
I was named after Veronica Lake, my grandfather’s favorite actress. Also didn’t hurt that it’s one of the few names that doesn’t sound ridiculous paired with my last name. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/25 "2004-01-05T02:32:36Z")
Since my first name is John and my middle name is Paul (and I look Italian) people always assume I was named after the pope. I point out that since I was born in 1959, and there was no Pope John Paul until 1980, _he_ was technically named after _me_. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/26 "2004-01-05T03:01:06Z")
I was named after a song from the 70’s…does that count? I am asked if I know about it all the time…and occasionally people even feel the need to break into song after hearing my name. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/27 "2004-01-06T13:51:53Z")
I was named after a reggae musician of some renown. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/28 "2004-01-06T14:07:49Z")
Biblical Adam. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/29 "2004-01-06T14:22:19Z")
My son’s middle name is Wilson after Brian Wilson. I was amazed to discover that my dad got it right away and announced from the pulpit that his grandson Brian, I mean Preschool Caricci Wilson had been born. ---
**Author:** ![\_shaolin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/9de053/32.png) [@\_shaolin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_shaolin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/30 "2004-01-06T15:13:18Z")
I was named after a (the?) famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. I recently visited New York, and visited his favourite pub, [The White Horse Tavern](http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/4056.htm). I wasn’t tempted to re-create his [famous last words](http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=13601), however. ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/31 "2004-01-06T18:05:04Z")
I was named after a song by Leon Russel. It was my dad’s favorite song, and therefore, I am Emily (after “Sweet Emily”). ---
**Author:** ![mailman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@mailman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mailman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/32 "2004-01-06T18:21:51Z")
Gregory Peck–specifically after his work in To Kill Mockingbird impressed my mother. ---
**Author:** ![Chata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Chata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chata)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/33 "2004-01-06T19:05:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by masonite \* > \*\*But it beats the hell out of being named “Madonna” or “Britney” or “Vanna” or whatnot, I must say. \*\* True. In the late 70s there were a lot of people naming their daughters “Farrah” after the Charlie’s Angels ‘sensation’ Farrah Fawcett. Wonder where all those girls are now… ---
**Author:** ![Pablito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@Pablito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pablito)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/34 "2004-01-06T20:01:46Z")
(Saint) Paul, by way of my grandfather with the same name ---
**Author:** ![Intent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5e9695/32.png) [@Intent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intent)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/35 "2004-01-06T20:03:46Z")
My name is just something my mom thought was pretty. But my middle name, Michelle, is supposedly after that song, “michelle, my belle…” ---
**Author:** ![Joey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f14d63/32.png) [@Joey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/36 "2004-01-06T20:26:46Z")
Old riddle: Why were all Jews in first century Egypt named after Alexander the Great? Because they were born 300 years too late to be named _before_ him. ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/37 "2004-01-07T02:46:54Z")
If you think Yvette Mimieux is famous, then yes. _shudder_ It’s such a girly name. Max 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/38 "2004-01-07T02:49:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Maxxxie \* > \*\*If you think Yvette Mimieux is famous, then yes. > > _shudder_ It’s such a girly name. > Max 😃 \*\* Oh. My. God. I made the mistake of googling. This chick is [_REALLY GIRLY_](http://www.donbrockway.com/yvette.htm). What _were_ my parents thinking??? Max. ---
**Author:** ![phraser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e4f/32.png) [@phraser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phraser)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/39 "2004-01-07T07:10:23Z")
> [@](#): > > _Maxxxie said:_ > Oh. My. God. I made the mistake of googling. This chick is _REALLY GIRLY_. What were my parents thinking??? Well, if you compare those pics to you when you had bleached hair, I can see the resemblence :eek: _runs like hell_ 😃 As for me: I’m named after Jamie Oliver and Jamie Lee Curtis, although the spelling was different for reasons of numerology. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2004, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582/40 "2004-01-07T07:37:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Maxxxie \* > \*\*If you think Yvette Mimieux is famous, then yes. > > _shudder_ It’s such a girly name. > Max 😃 \*\* Don’t feel too bad; the girl at the deli counter I frequent is named Weena. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-named-after-somebody-famous/222582.md?page=3)