# 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:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/41 "2015-11-01T22:52:06Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually, Viktor Frankenstein’s assistant’s name is pronounced either “Fritz” (_Frankenstein_) or “Karl” (_Bride of Frankenstein_). 😃 Not in the new **Victor Frankenstein** movie, in which Daniel Radcliffe plays the assistant, Igor. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/42 "2015-11-01T23:29:17Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Growing up in the 1960s, ‘Frankenstein’ was the monster, and nobody gave a damn about his creator. I think _Young Frankenstein_ remedied that to some extent. Interesting observation. It may be that the history of print-or-online references to the creator (rather than the monster) being “Frankenstein” did increase dramatically after the 1974 film debuted. The Ngram of “Frankenstein, monster’s name” seems to support that theory: [Google Ngram Viewer: Frankenstein,monster's name](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Frankenstein%2C+monster's+name&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2CFrankenstein%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cmonster%20%27s%20name%3B%2Cc0) (You have to click through on the “Search lots of books” button to get it to show up.) Of course, other search terms might be even more revealing. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/43 "2015-11-01T23:44:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually, Viktor Frankenstein’s assistant’s name is pronounced either “Fritz” (_Frankenstein_) or “Karl” (_Bride of Frankenstein_). 😃 That was **Henry** Frankenstein! ---
**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:** [November 2, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/44 "2015-11-02T05:20:10Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > …Also, wasn’t he the one with the hump? And which side was it on, anyway? I get confused. ---
**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:** [November 2, 2015, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/45 "2015-11-02T06:06:33Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > That was **Henry** Frankenstein! Sorry, you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/46 "2015-11-02T11:48:39Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Nobody calls a vehicle “Ford.” They call it “a Ford.” “If your mother was a vampire and your father was a frankenstein, why are you a werewolf?” [/Apu] ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/47 "2015-11-02T12:53:23Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Nobody calls a vehicle “Ford.” They call it “a Ford.” Most vehicles don’t have individual names. Unless you call it Brad. Then you get in a wreck, and you’re bummed because nothing can replace Brad. Then Liberty Insurance calls… ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/48 "2015-11-04T13:49:16Z")
Well we have one of the many sequels called “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman”. I doubt the studio intended this to mean “Dr. Frankenstein meets a werewolf”. Clearly they thought the monster’s name was Frankenstein. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/49 "2015-11-04T13:55:52Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Well we have one of the many sequels called “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman”. I doubt the studio intended this to mean “Dr. Frankenstein meets a werewolf”. Clearly they thought the monster’s name was Frankenstein. There was, in fact, a member of the Frankenstein family in that film. Namely Henry’s granddaughter, Elsa Frankenstein, played by the gorgeous [Ilona Massey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilona_Massey). Pedantic nitpickers everywhere (like yours truly:)) enjoy pointing out that _she_ must be the Frankenstein who met the Wolfman. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/50 "2015-11-04T14:12:41Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > There was, in fact, a member of the Frankenstein family in that film. Namely Henry’s granddaughter, Elsa Frankenstein, played by the gorgeous [Ilona Massey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilona_Massey). Pedantic nitpickers everywhere (like yours truly:)) enjoy pointing out that _she_ must be the Frankenstein who met the Wolfman. Except, as I recall it, she never did meet “The Wolfman” (although she met Lawrence Talbot). Elsa Frankenstein meeting Larry Talbot is like THIS version of **Alien vs. Predator** : > **[alien vs. predator chess - Bing](http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=alien%2Bvs.%2Bpredator%2Bchess&view=detailv2&qpvt=alien%2Bvs.%2Bpredator%2Bchess&id=C9283C98E530F34ACB3F49C86AFC28F9095C2F55&selectedIndex=0&ccid=vSqt%2bl6K&simid=608036497939695449&thid=OIP.Mbd2aadfa5e8a375c7f7bfc84028a681fo0&ajaxhist=0)** > > Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/51 "2015-11-04T14:19:51Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Except, as I recall it, she never did meet “The Wolfman” (although she met Lawrence Talbot). Now we’re getting into _really_ pedantic nitpicking–the best kind! I believe that “The Wolfman” refers to Larry Talbot in either of his guises, werewolf or human. If we want to go with the notion that it refers only to the lupine form, then while Elsa may never have been formally introduced to the werewolf, she was in the same room with him during the final fight scene. Indeed, he saved her from being carried off by the Frankenstein Monster. Surely that’s enough for them to at least be acquaintances. Okay, she was unconscious at the time, but we can’t have everything. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/52 "2015-11-04T16:43:11Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > It’s only steen if the last syllable is spelled Stien. Since it’s spelled Stein, it’s pronounced stein. You know, I could’ve sworn it was spelled Frankenstain. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/53 "2015-11-04T16:52:16Z")
Clearly, she met the Wolfman, but she never met the Manwolf. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/54 "2015-11-04T17:20:49Z")
Just bumping this to note that last night I saw [Frankenhooker](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099611/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1), the story of a young man who reanimates his dead girlfriend with spare parts taken from prostitutes. The monster’s name was Elizabeth Shelley. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/55 "2015-11-04T18:03:47Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Now we’re getting into _really_ pedantic nitpicking–the best kind! I believe that “The Wolfman” refers to Larry Talbot in either of his guises, werewolf or human. > > If we want to go with the notion that it refers only to the lupine form, then while Elsa may never have been formally introduced to the werewolf, she was in the same room with him during the final fight scene. Indeed, he saved her from being carried off by the Frankenstein Monster. Surely that’s enough for them to at least be acquaintances. > > Okay, she was unconscious at the time, but we can’t have everything. 🙂 Okay – she “met” the Wolfman while unconscious. Are you sure you tortured the definition of “met” enough? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/56 "2015-11-04T18:06:43Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Well we have one of the many sequels called “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman”. I doubt the studio intended this to mean “Dr. Frankenstein meets a werewolf”. Clearly they thought the monster’s name was Frankenstein. > [@MrAtoz](#): > > There was, in fact, a member of the Frankenstein family in that film. Namely Henry’s granddaughter, Elsa Frankenstein, played by the gorgeous [Ilona Massey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilona_Massey). Pedantic nitpickers everywhere (like yours truly:)) enjoy pointing out that _she_ must be the Frankenstein who met the Wolfman. Then whom did [del]Abbot and Costello[/del] Wilbur and Chick meet in “Meet Frankenstein”? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/57 "2015-11-04T18:09:39Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Just bumping this to note that last night I saw [Frankenhooker](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099611/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1), the story of a young man who reanimates his dead girlfriend with spare parts taken from prostitutes. > > The monster’s name was Elizabeth Shelley. **Frankenhooker** is essentially a remake of the wonderfully awful 1962 movie _The Brain that Wouldn’t Die_ (AKA _The Head that Wouldn’t Die_, which is used in the closing credits – and sometimes the opening credits, as well). The plots are virtually identical, and _Frankenhooker_ opens with a scene of the Giant Brain in a Jar with One Big Eyeball, something that appears in the poster for The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, but not in the movie itself: [https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;\_ylt=A0LEVzuuSTpWNdIA.7RXNyoA;\_ylu=X3oDMTEybDZvNmFxBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyMDNfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=Brain+That+Wouldn't+Die&fr=yfp-t-901#id=3&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fourcolorcomics.com%2Fsc%2F2077094%3Fheight%3D-1&action=click](https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0LEVzuuSTpWNdIA.7RXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEybDZvNmFxBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyMDNfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=Brain+That+Wouldn%27t+Die&fr=yfp-t-901#id=3&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fourcolorcomics.com%2Fsc%2F2077094%3Fheight%3D-1&action=click) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/58 "2015-11-04T18:14:47Z")
Last night I was talking to my daughter, who’s 9, about Frankenstein as I had just bought the Universal collection. Even she knew that the monster has no name. Not really sure how she knew it, but she told me “daddy, you know the monster’s name wasn’t Frankenstein.” Proud papa here. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210/59 "2015-11-04T18:18:33Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Okay – she “met” the Wolfman while unconscious. Are you sure you tortured the definition of “met” enough? It’s what I do. 🙂 My friends and I just watched (the Mystery Science Theater version of) _The Brain That Wouldn’t Die_ on Halloween. One of us even made the comparison to _Frankenhooker_. Are you sure you’re not one of my D&D group in disguise? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-to-use-frankenstein-for-the-monster/736210.md?page=2)