This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Working Title: Numerical Name: From YKTTW
No mention of James Bond? 007?
Cynthia Wakefield: The following is very interesting but not, in actuality, true.
- Both numbers come from mid-century lunch-counter staff slang. "86" meant "don't serve that customer" — usually used for chronic deadbeats or bad tippers. "99" meant "check out the pretty girl."
That's not the primary meaning of 86, though it is a valid one. The slang for a pretty girl is 87 1/2, not 99 — 99 means "look sharp, manager's watching."
Cecil Adams backs me up: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/255/where-does-the-term-86-come-from
I'll concede on 99, though.
According to Word of God, Feldon's character was originally named 69, but this was changed to appease the censors. Didn't add that to the article because I couldn't find a cite. (There is amazingly little about Get Smart on the web.)
Lord Aaronus: It's still quite new but I thought I'd add the movie 9 as well (release date Sep 9 '09, even). Unless the toy labels are wrong and the nine sackboy heroes aren't really named 1 through 9. EDIT: turns out there's an article already. heh.
Essex: Anybody know if partial numbers count? Like Halo's John-117? Alternatively, if there's already a trope that covers this?
