# Who are so few Americans named Ian, Nigel or Simon?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 16, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915 "2007-10-16T16:26:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915/81 "2007-10-23T10:41:23Z")

</div>

I don’t think of Ivan as Welsh - more Russian. Are you sure your not thinking of Ivor?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915/82 "2007-10-23T10:51:02Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=MarcusF]  
I don’t think of Ivan as Welsh - more Russian. Are you sure your not thinking of Ivor?  
[/QUOTE]

Or Efan, maybe?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915/83 "2007-10-23T11:28:46Z")

</div>

Oh, well I thought it was related to Ivor (I realise it’s just another one in the John/Jan/Ian/Sean family). Guess I was wrong. The only Ivan I know is South African, actually.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915/84 "2007-10-23T13:56:35Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=brownsfan]  
His natural mother originally named him DaShawn Sonata, Sonata being his middle name. Not sure this has to do with anything other than _Sonata_? Where do the hell do they get these names? Car commercials?  
[/QUOTE]  
I could see Sonata for a girl–it means a pretty piece of music to me. Like Condoleeza 🙂 But googling, apparently Sonata is also a sleep med. First one of my former favorites, Allegra, and now this.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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 23, 2007, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915/85 "2007-10-23T14:08:46Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=OneCentStamp]  
This thread instantly makes me think of the 90s rock band Bush, who along with their **Dave** , boasted members named **Gavin, Nigel** and **Robin**. How more British could you possibly get? 😛  
[/QUOTE]

That’s easy: David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls. Hah!

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-so-few-americans-named-ian-nigel-or-simon/422915.md?page=4)