# What's the weirdest or funniest name in sports? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 20, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503 "2009-10-20T17:51:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/1 "2009-10-20T17:51:19Z")
I’ll start the ball rolling (err puck rolling) with Valeri Zelepukin, feel free to “raise it” from there. Only rule I’d say is it has to be their real name. “Oil Can” Boyd is all well and good, but he’s actually Dennis. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/2 "2009-10-20T17:56:07Z")
Dick Trickle ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/3 "2009-10-20T17:58:04Z")
There was a bloke who played football for Germany named “Stefan Kuntz”. He was partially responsible for the greatest comment in British footballling commentary history however [http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2008/07/04/video-john-motsons-finest-commentary-moment](http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2008/07/04/video-john-motsons-finest-commentary-moment) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/4 "2009-10-20T17:58:36Z")
From an outsider (I watch ZERO sports, don’t follow them in the least), the names that stick out are Fukudome and Ochocinco. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/5 "2009-10-20T17:58:53Z")
I actually thought about starting this thread a few days ago, although I would have probably limited mine to the NFL. I used to check every NFL roster in the preseason before cuts and figure out how many different spellings of Antoine there were in the league. My record was 14. Anyway, a few of my favorites, mostly from the NFL: Dick Trickle Dick Butkus D’Brickashaw Ferguson Tebucky Jones Reggie Corner (not funny until you realize he’s a Cornerback) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/6 "2009-10-20T18:01:00Z")
Milton Bradley is pretty bad. My husband was shocked over seeing “Fukudome” on a fan’s Cubs jersey until I explained [it was a real player’s name](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosuke_Fukudome). His brain had not processed the name as being a Japanese name so he immediately leaped to the obnoxious pronunciation that it would suggest. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/7 "2009-10-20T18:01:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > From an outsider (I watch ZERO sports, don’t follow them in the least), the names that stick out are Fukudome and Ochocinco. Chad Ochocinco was actually a legal name change. His original name is Chad Johnson, and his jersey number is #85. I’m not sure which came first, the nickname, or the crazy NFL Network commercial with the catchy “Where you at, 85?” song that called him Ocho Cinco. I also forgot [Lucious Pusey](http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=148900). ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/8 "2009-10-20T18:08:00Z")
Grlenntys “Chief” Kickingstallionsims Jr plays basketball for Alabama State. Scientific Mapp played for FAMU. His brother, Majestic Mapp, played for Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/9 "2009-10-20T18:09:44Z")
The best punchline to an unwritten baseball joke is, “One’s a Big Unit, the other one’s a Randy Johnson.” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/10 "2009-10-20T18:16:56Z")
Whenever I hear Amani Toomer (who used to play for the Giants) I always picture it in Arnold’s voice and it makes me smile. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/11 "2009-10-20T18:19:50Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Chad Ochocinco was actually a legal name change. His original name is Chad Johnson, and his jersey number is #85. I’m not sure which came first, the nickname, or the crazy NFL Network commercial with the catchy “Where you at, 85?” song that called him Ocho Cinco. > I also forgot [Lucious Pusey](http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=148900). I just think it’s funny that eighty five should be ochenta y cinco and that he legally changed incorrectly - though that is what the announcers called him. I think it’s worth noting that one of the best golfers of all time is named “Woods”. Maybe Donald Driver took the wrong career path? ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/12 "2009-10-20T18:22:38Z")
One of the best internet timewasters ever is [The Name of the Year contest](http://nameoftheyear.blogspot.com/). Plenty of awful names, and this year’s winner is even an athlete. I present to you [Barkevious Mingo](http://nameoftheyear.blogspot.com/2009/04/barkevious-mingo-lord-master-2009-name.html). ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/13 "2009-10-20T18:23:44Z")
I always snicker at outfielder Coco Crisp. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/14 "2009-10-20T18:28:05Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I always snicker at outfielder Coco Crisp. Regrettably, “Coco” is a nickname and so doesn’t meet the OP’s requirements. Boof Bonser, however, is a real name. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/15 "2009-10-20T18:31:49Z")
Three of the four Alou brothers had normal names (Felipe, Matty, and Jesus), but the fourth, Boog, had to change his last name to Powell because everyone always laughed at him when he was announced. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/16 "2009-10-20T18:35:55Z")
God Shamgod was a college BB player. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/17 "2009-10-20T18:47:22Z")
There’s a good youth soccer player out there, from California if I’m not mistaken, called Cheesy Meltz. I’m sure his last name is original. Not sure about the first name, but he’s been called that since a tyke. I’m hoping he’s good enough one day to be pro. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/18 "2009-10-20T18:49:34Z")
Ochenta y cinco just doesn’t have the same ring to it. I wonder what’s the longest last name they’ve ever fit on the back of a jersey? Roethlisberger (14 letters) is the longest I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/19 "2009-10-20T18:53:05Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > Ochenta y cinco just doesn’t have the same ring to it. > > I wonder what’s the longest last name they’ve ever fit on the back of a jersey? Roethlisberger (14 letters) is the longest I can think of. The Atlanta Braves’ Jarrod Saltalamacchia has him tied. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503/20 "2009-10-20T18:54:34Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > My husband was shocked over seeing “Fukudome” on a fan’s Cubs jersey until I explained [it was a real player’s name](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosuke_Fukudome). His brain had not processed the name as being a Japanese name so he immediately leaped to the obnoxious pronunciation that it would suggest. Ha ha. I got the same reaction at a children’s church event. One of the moms complained to the children’s minister that I was wearing a vulgar shirt to a church event. Either she really read it as “Fuck you do me,” or she was a Cards fan. :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-weirdest-or-funniest-name-in-sports/514503.md?page=2)