Action J.
March 26, 2023 1:19 PM Subscribe
As a data researcher, I had to get to the bottom of it. What followed was months of categorizing hundreds of action movies, consulting experts in the field of name studies, reviewing academic papers and name databases, and seeking interviews with authors and screenwriters as to the rationale behind their naming decisions. It turned out I had only scratched the surface. from Why Are All Action Heroes Named Jack, James, or John?
Strangely, the author implies a theory early on but then never addresses it...
According to its list of action movies, 2,206 modern movies had been released in the genre, beginning in 1962 with Dr. No, the first movie to star James Bond.
Bond was/is genre-defining. I'd imagine that plenty of movies since have taken cues from it, whether the creators are consciously aware of it or not.
posted by solotoro at 1:49 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
According to its list of action movies, 2,206 modern movies had been released in the genre, beginning in 1962 with Dr. No, the first movie to star James Bond.
Bond was/is genre-defining. I'd imagine that plenty of movies since have taken cues from it, whether the creators are consciously aware of it or not.
posted by solotoro at 1:49 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
This is begging for a cross-cultural comparison.
posted by porpoise at 1:51 PM on March 26, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by porpoise at 1:51 PM on March 26, 2023 [8 favorites]
Because I guess they can’t all be named Ellen.
posted by BeeDo at 2:06 PM on March 26, 2023 [15 favorites]
posted by BeeDo at 2:06 PM on March 26, 2023 [15 favorites]
Why are all men in BBC radio dramas and sitcoms called Tom, for that matter?
posted by pipeski at 2:06 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 2:06 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
"All" here apparently means "about a third":
posted by Not A Thing at 2:33 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
But as I scrolled down, I saw that my hunch was correct: Of these 790 movies, 33 percent have a male protagonist with a first name starting with the letter J. Thirty-three percent!Dunno what a rigorous statistical analysis would look like here, but that seems like an effect that would be plausibly accounted for by just wanting to have names that are as unmarked and unremarkable as possible. Maybe the "everyman" factor in action movies is a factor -- but then again, maybe an analysis of non-action movies would reveal a similar trend?
posted by Not A Thing at 2:33 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Can’t say how rigorous the analysis is, but similar trends in the romance genre have been reported. Interestingly, John does not appear in the top 5, though Jack and James do.
posted by brook horse at 2:44 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by brook horse at 2:44 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Five out of the twelve of Jesus' disciples had names starting with J (John, 2x James, 2x Judas) as did the original Magic J himself. So I blame the bible for normalizing a plurality of J named characters in our storytelling.
posted by bl1nk at 2:50 PM on March 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by bl1nk at 2:50 PM on March 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
Maybe the "everyman" factor in action movies is a factor
posted by Not A Thing
And in life as well. Reminds me of the Jethro Tull song, Working John, Working Joe.
posted by Splunge at 2:58 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Not A Thing
And in life as well. Reminds me of the Jethro Tull song, Working John, Working Joe.
posted by Splunge at 2:58 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
Years ago I used to joke about how most men in all kinds of movies were named Jack. And I never knew anyone in real life went by that. It's not just me!
posted by Liquidwolf at 2:59 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Liquidwolf at 2:59 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Jesus’s disciples were something like Yakov, Petros, Shimon, Yokanon, Bar-Talmai, Mattityahu, Tau’ma, Theudas, Andraus, Philipos, and Yehudah? But those were the Greek names I’ll stop now sorry.
posted by Peach at 3:15 PM on March 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by Peach at 3:15 PM on March 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
content alert: computer generated response
Query: 'in the entire works of Agatha Christie how many characters are named John, James, Jack'
Software: 'it is difficult to give an exact number
According to my data, there are several characters named John, James, and Jack in Agatha Christie's works. For example:
John: There are several characters named John, including John Cavendish from "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," John Christow from "The Hollow," and John Sterling from "The Secret Adversary," among others.
James: There are also several characters named James, including James Bentley from "Dumb Witness," James Pearson from "The Murder at the Vicarage," and James Ryder from "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," among others.
Jack: Finally, there are also several characters named Jack, including Jacko Argyle from "Ordeal by Innocence," Jacko from "The Mysterious Mr. Quin," and Jacko Kearns from "The Adventure of the Western Star," among others.'
Ok software, James Ryder is a character from the blue carbuncle written by Arthur Conan Doyle is from the Sherlock Holmes Canon.
Jack of all trades....
posted by clavdivs at 3:32 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Query: 'in the entire works of Agatha Christie how many characters are named John, James, Jack'
Software: 'it is difficult to give an exact number
According to my data, there are several characters named John, James, and Jack in Agatha Christie's works. For example:
John: There are several characters named John, including John Cavendish from "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," John Christow from "The Hollow," and John Sterling from "The Secret Adversary," among others.
James: There are also several characters named James, including James Bentley from "Dumb Witness," James Pearson from "The Murder at the Vicarage," and James Ryder from "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," among others.
Jack: Finally, there are also several characters named Jack, including Jacko Argyle from "Ordeal by Innocence," Jacko from "The Mysterious Mr. Quin," and Jacko Kearns from "The Adventure of the Western Star," among others.'
Ok software, James Ryder is a character from the blue carbuncle written by Arthur Conan Doyle is from the Sherlock Holmes Canon.
Jack of all trades....
posted by clavdivs at 3:32 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
“When you say ‘Jack,’ the shape your mouth takes, the breath it takes, signifies loner, hero, renegade. … Think John the Baptist, Johnny Guitar, Johnny Suede, Jack the Ripper, jack-o’-lantern.”
- John the Baptist: I guess he's a loner. And a renegade, maybe?
- Johnny Guitar: Never heard of him.
- Johnny Suede: Never heard of him.
- Jack the Ripper: Um...?
- jack-o’-lantern: That's a carved seasonal fruit.
I’m sad you don’t know Johnny Guitar, but also so, so envious. For two reasons!
posted by BeeDo at 4:13 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by BeeDo at 4:13 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Why Are All Male Action Heroes Named Jack, James, or John
ftfh!
posted by praemunire at 4:18 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
ftfh!
posted by praemunire at 4:18 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
...because in 1/3 of the world, when you say 'Hero', what you write down stars with a J?
posted by k3ninho at 4:47 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by k3ninho at 4:47 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
Jackie Chan, who emits multiple films per year, is an outlier adn should not have been counted.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 4:47 PM on March 26, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 4:47 PM on March 26, 2023 [11 favorites]
You know what old Jack Burton always says at a time like this?
posted by JanetLand at 5:04 PM on March 26, 2023 [14 favorites]
posted by JanetLand at 5:04 PM on March 26, 2023 [14 favorites]
Jack of all trades....
That's one of the delightful conceits in Gaiman's The Graveyard Book - the Jacks of All Trades: Jack Frost, Jack Nimble, Jack Dandy, etc.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:07 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
That's one of the delightful conceits in Gaiman's The Graveyard Book - the Jacks of All Trades: Jack Frost, Jack Nimble, Jack Dandy, etc.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:07 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
KEANU.
When you say ‘Jack,’ the shape your mouth takes, the breath it takes, signifies loner, hero, renegade. … Think John the Baptist, Johnny Guitar, Johnny Suede, Jack the Ripper, jack-o’-lantern.
GWENDOLEN.
Jack? . . . No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations . . . I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know the entrancing pleasure of a single moment’s solitude.
(The only really safe name is Ernest.)
posted by trig at 5:09 PM on March 26, 2023 [9 favorites]
When you say ‘Jack,’ the shape your mouth takes, the breath it takes, signifies loner, hero, renegade. … Think John the Baptist, Johnny Guitar, Johnny Suede, Jack the Ripper, jack-o’-lantern.
GWENDOLEN.
Jack? . . . No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations . . . I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know the entrancing pleasure of a single moment’s solitude.
(The only really safe name is Ernest.)
posted by trig at 5:09 PM on March 26, 2023 [9 favorites]
“John Matrix” (Commando, 1985 with Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the greatest action hero name.
posted by migurski at 5:38 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by migurski at 5:38 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
""Love Me Do", I think it was
And from there, it didn't take him long…"
posted by clavdivs at 5:39 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
And from there, it didn't take him long…"
posted by clavdivs at 5:39 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Ahem. Axel Foley? Snake Plissken? Indiana Jones? Ripley?
posted by jzb at 5:55 PM on March 26, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by jzb at 5:55 PM on March 26, 2023 [4 favorites]
Jones Junior?
Well, not everyone can be named Hiro Protagonist
posted by Jacen at 6:18 PM on March 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
Well, not everyone can be named Hiro Protagonist
posted by Jacen at 6:18 PM on March 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
WO IST JONES!?
posted by darkstar at 6:18 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by darkstar at 6:18 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
John, James, and Jack are all rather WASP or at least English names. They go with a crewcut and a button nose. Generic, bland, faceless folk designed to be blank slates for fantasy.
posted by Peach at 6:24 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Peach at 6:24 PM on March 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
Well, clearly, the theory that all action heroes are named Jack, James, or John has been disproved, but what about the other 66%? Are there any names that come up close to as often or is it just a smorgasbord of hundreds of names appearing once or twice?
posted by dg at 6:51 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by dg at 6:51 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
What about John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt? His name is my name too, and whenever we go out, people always shout PUT DOWN THE WEAPON
posted by not_on_display at 8:25 PM on March 26, 2023 [21 favorites]
posted by not_on_display at 8:25 PM on March 26, 2023 [21 favorites]
Can’t say how rigorous the analysis is, but similar trends in the romance genre have been reported. Interestingly, John does not appear in the top 5, though Jack and James do.
posted by brook horse at 2:44 PM on March 26 [2 favorites +] [!]
So. Many. Lucians??
posted by latkes at 8:40 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by brook horse at 2:44 PM on March 26 [2 favorites +] [!]
So. Many. Lucians??
posted by latkes at 8:40 PM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Meanwhile, on a server at Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems:
"All these people applied for Social Security cards in the same town in New Jersey, on the same date":
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:08 PM on March 26, 2023 [14 favorites]
"All these people applied for Social Security cards in the same town in New Jersey, on the same date":
John Barnettfurther reading about The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
John Bigboote
John Camp
John Careful Walker
John Chief Crier
John Cooper
John Coyote
John Edwards
John Fat Eating
John Fish
John Fledgling
John Gomez
John Grim
John Guardian
John Icicle Boy
John Jones
John Joseph
John Kim Chi
John Lee
John Littlejohn
John Many Jars
John Milton
John Mud Head
John Nephew
John Nolan
John O'Connor
John Omar
John Parrot
John Rajeesh
John Ready to Fly
John Repeat Dance
John Roberts
John Scott
John Shaw
John Smallberries
John Starbird
John Take Cover
John Thorny Stick
John Turk
John Two Horns
John Web
John Whorfin
John Wood
John Wright
John Ya Ya
John Valuk
John Emdall
John Gant
John Parker
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:08 PM on March 26, 2023 [14 favorites]
I thought it was just the well-known rule: Believable but memorable character names have one boring name and one non-boring name.
Jack Bauer -- one boring name, good
Indiana Jones -- one boring name, good
John Smith -- two boring names, bad
Nero Wolfe -- two non-boring names, the character must be very eccentric and probably collects orchids or something
posted by mmoncur at 9:51 PM on March 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
Jack Bauer -- one boring name, good
Indiana Jones -- one boring name, good
John Smith -- two boring names, bad
Nero Wolfe -- two non-boring names, the character must be very eccentric and probably collects orchids or something
posted by mmoncur at 9:51 PM on March 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
Archie Goodwin -- one non-boring name, one middling name, the character must be slightly eccentric and probably has strong opinions about orchids or something
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:21 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:21 PM on March 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
Action films started in the 1960s? something something whippersnappers something something lawn
posted by Pyrogenesis at 10:40 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Pyrogenesis at 10:40 PM on March 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
If those names really are over-represented, it may be because they're relatively classless. A James, a Jack or a John could come from almost any stratum of society, which is something writers may find useful.
I once asked the comedian Nigel Plainer how he'd settled on a name for his character Nicholas Craig, a ridiculous pretentious actor. He said it was something about using two first names together that seemed so perfect in that case.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:03 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
I once asked the comedian Nigel Plainer how he'd settled on a name for his character Nicholas Craig, a ridiculous pretentious actor. He said it was something about using two first names together that seemed so perfect in that case.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:03 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Nero Wolfe -- two non-boring names, the character must be very eccentric and probably collects orchids or something
Archie Goodwin -- one non-boring name, one middling name, the character must be slightly eccentric and probably has strong opinions about orchids or something
this sent me to look up the name of the titular Orchid Thief from Susan Orlean's non-fiction book about the orchid thief & it's JOHN LAROCHE
posted by taquito sunrise at 12:39 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
Archie Goodwin -- one non-boring name, one middling name, the character must be slightly eccentric and probably has strong opinions about orchids or something
this sent me to look up the name of the titular Orchid Thief from Susan Orlean's non-fiction book about the orchid thief & it's JOHN LAROCHE
posted by taquito sunrise at 12:39 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
John Bigboote
I think you'll find that that's John Bigbooté.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:30 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
I think you'll find that that's John Bigbooté.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:30 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
From these movies, I narrowed down the list to include only Hollywood productions and movies centered on a male everyman–type hero.
I think this is part of the problem. By removing movies with two or more major characters, you reduce the chance of getting a non-white and even non-Anglo name. By limiting it to Hollywood, you eliminate the often superior products from Asia and the rest of the world.
It also seems bizarre to consider characters like James Bond and John Wick “every-man type heroes.”
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:52 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I think this is part of the problem. By removing movies with two or more major characters, you reduce the chance of getting a non-white and even non-Anglo name. By limiting it to Hollywood, you eliminate the often superior products from Asia and the rest of the world.
It also seems bizarre to consider characters like James Bond and John Wick “every-man type heroes.”
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:52 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
John Lennon fought Blue Meanies and an evil cult and a mad professor in a couple of sixties movies.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:13 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:13 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Why are all men in BBC radio dramas and sitcoms called Tom, for that matter?
posted by pipeski at 4:06 PM on March 26
I recently was looking at the slang names people give opposing army's soldiers during war, and this comment made me think of Tommy Atkins, which was apparently the sample name on all the forms from the War Office. A lot of nations called British soldiers Tommy Atkins or Tommies for short including the British themselves.
Interestingly for this discussion, two other common examples of these kinds of names are Jack Tar (US Navy) and Johnny Reb (Confederacy).
Presumably in most cases these names are chosen because they are very common in the group being described (though not always, I am not aware of Jerry being a common German name for example).
posted by joannemerriam at 6:40 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by pipeski at 4:06 PM on March 26
I recently was looking at the slang names people give opposing army's soldiers during war, and this comment made me think of Tommy Atkins, which was apparently the sample name on all the forms from the War Office. A lot of nations called British soldiers Tommy Atkins or Tommies for short including the British themselves.
Interestingly for this discussion, two other common examples of these kinds of names are Jack Tar (US Navy) and Johnny Reb (Confederacy).
Presumably in most cases these names are chosen because they are very common in the group being described (though not always, I am not aware of Jerry being a common German name for example).
posted by joannemerriam at 6:40 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Forty-two comments in and no one has mentioned the guy, the most eponymous of Jacks of Action?
(warning, do NOT rabbit-hole over to the 1970s TV commercial, or you too will suffer the brutal earworm that is afflicting me now.)
posted by martin q blank at 6:49 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
(warning, do NOT rabbit-hole over to the 1970s TV commercial, or you too will suffer the brutal earworm that is afflicting me now.)
posted by martin q blank at 6:49 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Indiana Jones -- one boring name, good
I believe Indiana Jones is a volume of an encyclopaedia, sitting between Herbert India and Jonson Kane.
posted by Phanx at 8:39 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
I believe Indiana Jones is a volume of an encyclopaedia, sitting between Herbert India and Jonson Kane.
posted by Phanx at 8:39 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
Ahem this is Jason Bourne erasure
posted by Apocryphon at 8:57 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Apocryphon at 8:57 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
James and John are two of the three most popular names in the United States over the last 100 years (with Robert at #2).
posted by kirkaracha at 9:50 AM on March 27, 2023
posted by kirkaracha at 9:50 AM on March 27, 2023
In the objectively greatest action comedy of all time, 1986's Jumpin' Jack Flash, the main character is named Terry, played by Whoopi Goldberg in only her second role in a major film. The generic, gender-neutral quality of the character's name is a small part of the plot, though you may notice the name Jack is in the title of the film. It's also the name of Terry's counterpart in the film, though he is not seen until the final moments, because this is a film that centers around computer instant messaging a good ten years before I saw IMing with my own eyes in real life. Also the name comes from a Rolling Stones song.
posted by lampoil at 11:53 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by lampoil at 11:53 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
I once asked the comedian Nigel Plainer how he'd settled on a name for his character Nicholas Craig, a ridiculous pretentious actor. He said it was something about using two first names together that seemed so perfect in that case.
Hey now.
posted by nickmark at 1:27 PM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Hey now.
posted by nickmark at 1:27 PM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Why are all men in BBC radio dramas and sitcoms called Tom, for that matter?
Interestingly, both Tom and Jack are used to refer to the males of some animal species, as in tomcat, jackass, etc. (Apparently in the case of toms this might have been inspired by a 1760 children's book.) The female counterpart of a jackass is a jenny -- where Jenny is a diminutive feminine form of John, of which Jack is supposed to be the male diminutive for whatever reason.
The Online Etymological Dictionary lists some more Jacks:
Both Jack and Jock used to be slang for "penis", from which we probably got "jacking off", and "jack" is also used in some the names of some tools or machines, like a car jack, supposedly by association with the servants who used to do more lowly physical tasks. From here apparently we got "to jack (something) up", and thence possibly "to hijack" and its derivatives.
So historically "Jack" has had a lot of associations with: maleness, virility, low/"common" social status, generic-ness, and, often, silly or antisocial behavior.
(And now I'm thinking of JFK and Jack Skellington.)
posted by trig at 1:44 PM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Interestingly, both Tom and Jack are used to refer to the males of some animal species, as in tomcat, jackass, etc. (Apparently in the case of toms this might have been inspired by a 1760 children's book.) The female counterpart of a jackass is a jenny -- where Jenny is a diminutive feminine form of John, of which Jack is supposed to be the male diminutive for whatever reason.
The Online Etymological Dictionary lists some more Jacks:
In England, Jack became a generic name applied familiarly or contemptuously to anybody (especially a young man of the lower classes) from late 14c. Later used especially of sailors (1650s; Jack-tar is from 1781); Jack-ashore (adj.) "drinking and in high spirits, recklessly spending" (1875) also is an image from sailors (1840 as a book title). In U.S., as a generic name addressed to an unknown stranger, attested from 1889. Every man Jack "everyone" is from 1812. Also see jack (n.).See also Jock, a Scottish form of Jack ("Since 1520s, like Jack, it has been used generically, as a common appellative of lads and servants, as the name of a typical man of the common folk"), from which (apparently) we get jockey, jockstraps, high-school jocks, and more.
Used in male personifications from 15c.; first record of jack-of-all-trades "person handy at any kind of work or business" is from 1610s; Jack Frost is from 1826; Jack-nasty "a sneak or sloven" is from 1833 (Jack-nasty-face [my note: ?!?!], a sea-term for a common sailor, is from 1788). Jack Sprat for a small, light man is from 1560s (his opposite was Jack Weight). Jack-pudding "comical clown, buffoon" is from 1640s. Jack-Spaniard is from 1703 as a Spaniard, 1833 as "a hornet" in the West Indies. Other personifications listed in Farmer & Henley include jack-snip "a botching tailor," Jack-in-office "overbearing petty official" (1680s), Jack-on-both-sides "a neutral," Jack-out-of-doors "a vagrant" (1630s), jack-sauce "impudent fellow" (1590s).
Both Jack and Jock used to be slang for "penis", from which we probably got "jacking off", and "jack" is also used in some the names of some tools or machines, like a car jack, supposedly by association with the servants who used to do more lowly physical tasks. From here apparently we got "to jack (something) up", and thence possibly "to hijack" and its derivatives.
So historically "Jack" has had a lot of associations with: maleness, virility, low/"common" social status, generic-ness, and, often, silly or antisocial behavior.
(And now I'm thinking of JFK and Jack Skellington.)
posted by trig at 1:44 PM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Jack Skywalker
James Solo
Jack 3PO
John America
James Man
Jack Odinson
James Prime
Jack Quill
Jack the Destroyer
Eh. It's all fine.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:46 PM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
James Solo
Jack 3PO
John America
James Man
Jack Odinson
James Prime
Jack Quill
Jack the Destroyer
Eh. It's all fine.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:46 PM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
My dad’s mother had four boys: Peter, Jim, Jack, and Joe. (Jim is my dad.)
My mother’s sister also married a man named Jim. Although we were just discussing the other night that Uncle Jim didn’t go by that name until college. As a child he was known by his middle name (Julian) in formal contexts, but he has also never quite escaped the nickname “Hoggie.” Apparently his older sibling would have preferred a hog to a baby in the house, and the name never went away.
So anyway. An overabundance of “J” names. Not weird in my personal experience.
[starts computing the odds of another mefite asking their buddy Hoggie about his brothers-in-law]
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 4:34 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
My mother’s sister also married a man named Jim. Although we were just discussing the other night that Uncle Jim didn’t go by that name until college. As a child he was known by his middle name (Julian) in formal contexts, but he has also never quite escaped the nickname “Hoggie.” Apparently his older sibling would have preferred a hog to a baby in the house, and the name never went away.
So anyway. An overabundance of “J” names. Not weird in my personal experience.
[starts computing the odds of another mefite asking their buddy Hoggie about his brothers-in-law]
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 4:34 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
a high school friend of mine had two J-named parents & two or three J-named older siblings & it always felt like a punchline to me that her name was Laura, like what happened, why did they give up?
posted by taquito sunrise at 5:59 PM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by taquito sunrise at 5:59 PM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've always wondered that about name-themed children in which one kid obviously doesn't match. Like on Empire, Cookie's two sisters had C-names and her real name was Loretha. You're both all, "where did that one come from," and "no wonder she changed it to Cookie." And, of course, c is for Cookie..
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:29 PM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:29 PM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
There's a peripheral character on the show Peaky Blinders named Johnny Dogs, who is always referred to that way, and I am so jealous I didn't come up with that. It's really the perfect name for a minor player in a 1920s British crime syndicate.
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:07 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:07 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Don't forget Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo.
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 8:07 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 8:07 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
My brother and I both have J-names as our first names, but we both go by our K-name middle names. Our sister goes by her K-name first name. (Neither of our parents' names start with J or K.)
I'm named after my uncle, who has three daughters with J-names.
And my daughter has a J-name.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:14 AM on March 28, 2023
I'm named after my uncle, who has three daughters with J-names.
And my daughter has a J-name.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:14 AM on March 28, 2023
Why are all men in BBC radio dramas and sitcoms called Tom
And why do the ones in The Archers always sound so tired?
posted by Paul Slade at 8:05 AM on March 28, 2023 [2 favorites]
And why do the ones in The Archers always sound so tired?
posted by Paul Slade at 8:05 AM on March 28, 2023 [2 favorites]
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JOHN 3.27%....
Xephon .01%
Nero Wolfe-pricless.
posted by clavdivs at 1:47 PM on March 26, 2023 [4 favorites]