# When did people start to use "Frankenstein" for the monster? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210 "2015-10-30T22:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/1 "2015-10-30T22:32:47Z")
We all know, at this point, that if you’d like to be pedantic for Halloween, you can point out that Frankenstein was the _doctor_, and his monster didn’t actually have a name. But when exactly did people start referring to the monster when they said “Frankenstein”? How old, exactly, is the popular misnaming? ---
**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:** [October 30, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/2 "2015-10-30T22:49:19Z")
According to [Wiki,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein%27s_monster) > [@](#): > > Within a decade of publication [of the book], the name of the creator—Frankenstein—was used to refer to the monster, but it did not become firmly established until much later. I would think it probably really took off after the Universal movie of 1931, even though the monster remains nameless in it. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/3 "2015-10-30T22:52:58Z")
I was wondering if the 1931 movie played a role. I’d love to see a linguistic deep dive on this one. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/4 "2015-10-30T23:11:45Z")
When did people start to use “Ford” for the vehicle? What other name would a monster created by Frankenstein have, if not given one directly by his maker? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/5 "2015-10-30T23:12:38Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > I was wondering if the 1931 movie played a role. I’d love to see a linguistic deep dive on this one. It did in that it made the mistake more prevalent. In fact, it’s even lamp-shaded in third Universal Frankenstein film, **Son of Frankenstein** , when the title character (played by Basil Rathbone) complains how his family name is now incorrectly affixed to his father’s monstrous creation. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/6 "2015-10-30T23:13:11Z")
I thought Shelly said the Monster’s name was “Adam”? At least in the play she wrote. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/7 "2015-10-30T23:18:16Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > When did people start to use “Ford” for the vehicle? > > What other name would a monster created by Frankenstein have, if not given one directly by his maker? Of course- it’s an _eponym_. It all makes sense now. Ford opened a Ford factory making Fords. Frankenstein made a Frankenstein, and he would have opened a Frankenstein factory and made lots more Frankensteins if it hadn’t been for those pesky villagers. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_of\_Words](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@Jack\_of\_Words](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_of_Words)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/8 "2015-10-30T23:21:57Z")
It’s not a linguistic deep dive by any measure, but in 1974, during an art class at school, we were asked to paint ‘Frankenstein’. I painted a mad scientist, and got to add another weight to the ‘teachers are really stupid’ pan. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/9 "2015-10-30T23:25:29Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I thought Shelly said the Monster’s name was “Adam”? At least in the play she wrote. Yes, and in Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula is killed by regular old knives, but in popular culture the movie versions have strongly eclipsed anything from the original source. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/10 "2015-10-30T23:28:32Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > When did people start to use “Ford” for the vehicle? Nobody calls a vehicle “Ford.” They call it “a Ford.” Most vehicles don’t have individual names. > [@](#): > > What other name would a monster created by Frankenstein have, if not given one directly by his maker? Neither Viktor nor Henry Frankenstein gave the monster a name. Can you provide a case when a creator named his creation after himself. In _Forbidden Planet_ Dr. Morbius called his robot “Robby,” not Morbius. > [@DrDeth](#): > > I thought Shelly said the Monster’s name was “Adam”? At least in the play she wrote. In the novel the monster refers to himself, when speaking to his creator, as “the Adam of your labours.” It’s not a name but a metaphor. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/11 "2015-10-31T01:10:49Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > . . . Can you provide a case when a creator named his creation after himself. In _Forbidden Planet_ Dr. Morbius called his robot “Robby,” not Morbius. . . . Ahmunna create a monster solely for the purpose of doing exactly this. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/12 "2015-10-31T02:16:08Z")
In Shelley’s original work, the monster _was_ named Frankenstein. The pitiful creature he created, however, was never given a 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:** [October 31, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/13 "2015-10-31T02:21:52Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Ahmunna create a monster solely for the purpose of doing exactly this. Who’s that? (Google is unhelpful.) ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/14 "2015-10-31T02:32:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In Shelley’s original work, the monster _was_ named Frankenstein. The pitiful creature he created, however, was never given a name. :: golf clap :: ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/15 "2015-10-31T02:33:00Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Who’s that? (Google is unhelpful.) I think it’s a phonetic respelling of a mumbled “I’m gonna.” Or maybe “I wanna.” ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/16 "2015-10-31T02:53:53Z")
The real question should be: Why do people mispronounce the name as Frank-en-stine when it should be pronounced like Fronk-en-steen? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/17 "2015-10-31T16:44:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Can you provide a case when a creator named his creation after himself. In the vast majority of cases where someone creates another person, the newly created person takes the name of one of his creators. Granted, this usually happens in a bedroom, not a laboratory, but the principle seems the same to me. > [@](#): > > In _Forbidden Planet_ Dr. Morbius called his robot “Robby,” not Morbius. In fairness, I don’t recall the movie specifying that Robby didn’t have a last name. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/18 "2015-10-31T17:02:36Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > In fairness, I don’t recall the movie specifying that Robby didn’t have a last name. Rodriguez, maybe? ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/19 "2015-10-31T17:16:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The real question should be: Why do people mispronounce the name as Frank-en-stine when it should be pronounced like Fronk-en-steen? Like we pronounce Frankfurt? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/20 "2015-10-31T17:28:16Z")
The name _is_ canonical, at least [according to XKCD.](https://xkcd.com/1589/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210.md?page=2)