# Who Were You Named After? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076 "2002-08-02T20:21:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/1 "2002-08-02T20:21:30Z")
Alright…Alright… For the purists out there: “For Whom Were You Named After?” Wait. That still ends in a preposition. Let’s try: “After for whom were you named?” Ugghh. Forget it. You know what I mean. How’d you get your first name? Real first name that is, not your SDMB handle. Anyway… I was named after my father saw the movie **The Incredible Shrinking Man**. He saw the movie, liked the first name of the lead actor and I got stuck with it. O.K., who’s next? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/2 "2002-08-02T21:04:30Z")
My middle name is my great grandmother’s maiden name (Evans). ---
**Author:** ![TheOnlySaneOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheOnlySaneOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOnlySaneOne)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/3 "2002-08-02T21:15:15Z")
My first name is my paternal grandfather’s and my middle name is my maternal grandfather’s. Weren’t my parent’s creative?😃 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/4 "2002-08-02T21:16:25Z")
First name: mom’s maiden name, Britt. In homage to grandfather “Papaw” Britt. Middle name: Houston. Other grandfather’s given name. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/5 "2002-08-02T21:16:59Z")
My first name is my maternal granmother’s name, my 2nd name is my great aunt/god-mother’s name, my 3rd name is my paternal granmother’s name, and my last name is, of course, my dad’s last name. Mom and dad wern’t real creative. I spose I can’t complain too much, seeing as how my brother’s name is _EXACTLY_ the same as my father’s name, which is _EXACTLY_ the same as my grandfather’s name, which is _EXACTLY_ the same as my great-grandfather’s name, which is… Well, I guess you can see where this is going. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/6 "2002-08-02T21:24:01Z")
I was named after a religion professor at Brigham Young University, who is a good friend of my parents. Years ago, when I was up in Provo, I visited this professor, and he recognized me by my voice alone (he’s been blind since birth). Rather startled me. One of the nicest gentlemen I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/7 "2002-08-02T21:37:03Z")
As the firstborn, I was supposed to be a boy, named for my grandfather. As I am decidedly all female, I’m Michelle instead of Michael. ---
**Author:** ![wyldelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@wyldelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wyldelf)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/8 "2002-08-02T21:42:34Z")
I wasn’t really named after anyone in particular. However both my brother and I were limited in the choice of names we could be given because my mum is a teacher and too many names had associations of kids she had taught. Right up to the month befor my brother was born he was going to be called Cameron, however in that month mum taught a horrible little child called Cameron so there was a last minute change to Andrew. I was to be Chauntelle but was lucky enough to escape that to become a “\_\_\_\_\_\_” instead. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/9 "2002-08-02T21:49:28Z")
Elisabeth: after a Belgian queen of the early 20th century. Jane: after fictional character _Jane Eyre_. ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/10 "2002-08-02T21:58:54Z")
My middle name is my uncles. He landed at the beaches of Normandy with the canadians. It’s an honour to have his name. ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/11 "2002-08-02T22:02:38Z")
Susan - no idea Beth - my sister’s best friend as a child There were a ton of Susans when I came to be. But it isn’t a very common name anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Smashed\_Ice\_Cream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Smashed\_Ice\_Cream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smashed_Ice_Cream)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/12 "2002-08-02T22:15:05Z")
**al-in-wonderland** I’m named exactly how you are! Maternal Gramma’s name for my first name, Aunt for second name, other gramma for first. My proper first name is Catherine, there are probably 5 or 6 of us counting cousins and neices. They do it to the men in my family as well. My brother is the “VI” in the line, with a wife pregnant with a boy. They won’t say if they’re going to keep it going. Borrrrrrr-ing. ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/13 "2002-08-02T22:18:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kwyjibo \* > \*\*My middle name is my uncles. He landed at the beaches of Normandy with the Canadians. It’s an honour to have his name. \*\* Oh, I forgot to mention that he is still alive, which make it more special for me. ---
**Author:** ![tsarina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tsarina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsarina)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/14 "2002-08-02T22:22:09Z")
I was named for a random kid whose birth was announced in our local paper around the time my parents were looking for names. My mom would always get pissed when she met another woman with a daughter named Kendra. “I wanted you to have your own name.” “But Mom, you stole it from someone else!” “That doesn’t matter!” If she wanted me to have my own name, why didn’t she make one up? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/15 "2002-08-02T23:06:32Z")
I was named after my maternal great grandmother. Out of all her grandchildren, my mother was her favorite. I like it okay but it really pisses me off when people spell it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/16 "2002-08-02T23:56:08Z")
I was named after a character from _The Thorn Birds_, with a slightly altered spelling. I read the book in the eighth grade and HATED the character. ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/17 "2002-08-03T00:35:22Z")
My first name is actually my mother’s maiden name only spelled differently. (Me = Bailie, Her = Bailey) How they got my middle name I don’t have a clue. There’s no one in my entire family with it as a first name, and only my cousin has it for a middle name and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t named after her. So it’s a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/18 "2002-08-03T00:41:45Z")
I’m named after my grandfather. So is my dad. Yep, I’m a 3rd. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/19 "2002-08-03T00:42:17Z")
My first name is Matt. My parents thought it would be original since they didn’t know too many Matt’s growing up. Apparently, every parent naming their child around the same time felt the same way. Fortunately, my middle name is definitely original. Walden. After the pond/book by Thoreau. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076/20 "2002-08-03T00:44:47Z")
I’ll put it this way: I have a suffix of “Jr.” I’m really a clone. I’m like a Boba to Jango. Tripler I can’t fly, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-named-after/122076.md?page=2)