History Headscratchers / FamilyTies

*** Yes, contrary to popular belief, natural-born citizen doesn't just mean 'person born in the United States', that would be ''native-born'', it's also 'person who, at the time of their birth, had at least one parent be an American citizen, regardless of where the person was born." It wasn't like his parents had renounced their American citizenship, they simply happened to be in Africa at the time of his birth.

*** And you didn't think. Steve and Elyse didn't name the kids. Just because they oh I don't know. Like the names or something? They might not have cared about historical connotations. For example, most people don't think of Joseph Stalin when they name their son Joseph.

** If Alex was born in 1965, then Steven and Elyse had to have met or been married in 1964 or 65. Yet it's well established that they met during the hippie movement protesting the Vietnam War. That was around 1968-69, when Alex would have been 3 or 4 and Mallory would have been 1 or 2.

*** P. stood for Patrick.

*** That's a good explanation, although I'm not sure Pope was on many 1960's bookshelves either. Jennifer was always the most explicable name to me: I imagine Elyse really enjoyed "Love Story" and named her youngest daughter for its heroine. The name was pretty trendy in the 70's. I was more confused by what sort of 80's child Jennifer was supposed to be. Alex was the Reaganite yuppie, Mallory was the Material Girl, and Jennifer was...?
*** 8She was the tomboy turned rock girl.

*** Yes, contrary to popular belief, natural-born citizen doesn't just mean 'person born in America', it's also 'person who, at the time of their birth, had at least one parent be an American citizen, regardless of where the person was born." It wasn't like his parents had renounced their American citizenship, they simply happened to be in Africa at the time of his birth.

*** And you didn't think. Steve and Elyse didn't name the kids. Just because they oh I don't know. Like the names or something? They might not have cared about historical connotations

*** And you didn't think. Steve and Elyse didn't name the kids. Just because they oh I don't know. Like the names or something?

** To two American citizens, which makes him, legally, a natural-born citizen. So he would be eligible.

** To two American citizens, which makes him, legally, a native-born citizen. So he would be eligible.

* Alex keeps claiming he's going to be the President of the United States, but he was born in Africa.

* I've always wondered some things about the time line. The show takes place in the years it aired, 1982-1989 and we are introduced to Baby Andrew in the third season who goes through SoapOperaRapidAgingSyndrome. It's also established Alex was born in 1965 and he is part of the graduating class of 1984, but is 22 in 1989 when he graduates college. Is this a continuity error or a rewrite?

I always wondered why Steve and Elyse, former hippies, named their son Alex. Arguably the most famous bearer of the name was a military leader (Alexander the Great). Was it a family name?

*** And you didn't think. Steve and Elyse didn't name the kids. Just because they oh I don't know. Like the names or something?

** And you didn't think. Steve and Elyse didn't name the kids. Just because they oh I don't know. Like the names or something?

*** That's a good explanation, although I'm not sure Pope was on many 1960's bookshelves either. Jennifer was always the most explicable name to me: I imagine Elyse really enjoyed "Love Story" and named her youngest daughter for its heroine. The name was pretty trendy in the 70's. I was more confused by what sort of 80's child Jennifer was supposed to be. Alex was the Reaganite yuppie, Mallory was the Material Girl, and Jennifer was...?

** My parents always assumed it was for Alexander Pope, which would've explained the P middle initial, too. They were more confused by the fact that two hippies with kids named Alexander and Mallory would've gone with a really standard name like Jennifer.