famous people whose names contain famous people’s names
Who else can I add to the list?
I only listed [(first middle/last) last] name variants up there, but I figure there must be some [first (middle/first last)] names as well. If someone was famous and was called Mary Elizabeth Taylor, that would be an example of that variant.
The other implied thing is that the 3-named famous person actually went by or was call by all three names regularly.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:54 am
The “Mary Elizabeth Taylor” prototype is going to be harder, since the surname isn’t generally a given name. In Massachusetts (and perhaps other states), it turns out, parents *can* give their kids any surname they want as long as both parents sign the form, but I don’t know how long this has been the case.
Also, do we have to prove that there was intent on the part of the parents to name their child after a famous person? In the Wikipedia entry on John Wayne Gacy, there’s no mention that his parents deliberately named him after the actor.
Interestingly, if you go to the John Wayne disambiguation page, you’ll find 2 serial killers (John Wayne Gacy and John Wayne Glover) along with John Wayne Bobbitt, who is famous for other reasons…
January 29th, 2008 at 6:07 am
I must not have been clear. There would be someone called Mary Elizabeth Taylor and someone called Elizabeth Taylor, where the three-named person’s second two names make up a famous person’s name. The other examples I gave, the three-named person’s first two names are a famous someone’s name.
No intent needed.
Good finds on John Wayne Bobbitt. I don’t know John Wayne Glover–he seems not quite as famous.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I understood what you meant. The reason I said it was more difficult is that both people’s surnames must match, rather than the second person simply getting the first person’s surname as their middle name. Matching surnames seem less likely.
You may object and say that the fact that a family shares a surname with a famous person may induce them to name a child after that famous person. That may be true. I, however, feel no compulsion to name a son, for example, “Jonathan Arthur Ashe”.
Essentially, what I’m saying is that if I want to name my child after a celebrity, there are lots of ways I could do it according to the first prototype (first and middle names match celebrity’s name) and only one or two according to the second prototype, since there are many fewer famous people who’s last name is Ashe. This holds true for all surnames.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
The low likelihood of matching surnames prompted my initial comments about the ability to also give arbitrary surnames. If you can give your child its surname as well as its first and middle names, then the second prototype becomes much more likely.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Colin, I see what you’re saying and agree. I think it’s not very likely but there must be some out there.
The best, of course, would be where both the first and second prototype would work. For instance, famous people called John Paul, Paul Jones and John Paul Jones (actual famous person). That would have to be the pinnacle, I’d think.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Sawyer Buckminster Fuller
John Quincy Adams
Your mom bischoff
January 29th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
George Washington Smith. Not super famous, but he was born in East Liberty (aka Sliberty) and designed the house that Steve Jobs bought and then wasn’t allowed to demolish.
February 1st, 2008 at 3:56 pm
What about Dylan Thomas Sesink Clee, and Henry James Atkinson. Maybe they will be famous too.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:23 am
julio cesar chavez
February 10th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Dug unintentionally (I asked about his intentions) found a real gem that works many ways. Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez is named after labor rights activist Cesar Chavez, but his name also contains “Julio Cesar” which is Julius Cesar in Spanish. Good find, dug.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Crumb…I was going to add George Washington Smith, but I was a little bit late to the party!
I’ll keep thinking.
December 24th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Henry James Atkinson maybe i think
:)