History Main / WackyAmericansHaveWackyNames

* Comedian Lenny Henry's comic character Theophilus P. Wildebeeste, an over-the-top parody of various 1970s soul singers like Barry White.

* ''Series/{{Burnistoun}}'': Exaggerated with a pair of American GIs named Brocca Bronk and Honk Hucklehanka, who both come from hometowns that sound very similar to their ridiculous names.

The kernel of truth behind this mostly stems from the New World's origins as a [[UsefulNotes/MeltingPot multi-ethnic society.]] A Celtic given name combined with a Slavic family name (e.g. "[[MultiethnicName Kevin Zagorski]]") doesn't sound particularly odd to someone with Celtic and Slavic parents (or even just Slavic parents, but they've lived in UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} for so long they just think of "Kevin" as a normal name for a boy). Each society coming to America brought their own naming conventions and the extent to which they kept those traditions depended upon the extent to which they intermingled with others, hence the survival of patrician names like 'Prescott Worthington Cabot III' alongside more exotic combinations. Some did not come voluntarily and had no choice in what name they received when they got there. Americans do tend to have middle names and traditionally use those initials in formal signatures. Add in the tendency of new immigrants to 'americanize' their names (along with the second or third generation's desire to 'reconnect') with a general American tendency to choose names for sound rather than meaning (to the point of inventing new names when an old one simply just won't do) and names like [[AerithAndBob 'Dirk Pulaski O'Leary' or 'Midori Goldberg']] don't seem like much of a stretch. This is also an effect of the American cultural emphasis on personal freedom and self-expression. Unlike other countries, the U.S. doesn't force parents to choose from lists of "approved" names, so they can name their kids anything they want.[[note]]Of course, it's still expected that the name is something that can be typed on a standard keyboard.[[/note]]

* UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}ns may have first names that look odd even by American standards, even if you ignore the names from [[Literature/TheBookOfMormon Mormon Scripture]] (which can be pretty odd by any standard, sounding kind of Hebrew-ish but having no direct cognates anywhere else[[note]]People skeptical of Mormonism often claim that Joseph Smith made them up[[/note]]). Collapsing the names of the parents or grandparents into the name of the child is a Utah tradition (i.e. [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Renee + Esme = Renesmee]]) or just making up something completely new.

* Compound names like Mary-Beth or Bobby Joe. Ironically, if called Mary-Sue, the character will probably not be such a character. These names are often used as a shorthand to indicate the character hails from the Southern states or at least a rural area, particularly if the compound name is not hyphenated.
* DeepSouth or rural characters may alternatively get obscure Biblical names--if male, often ending in "-iah" ("Jeremiah," "Obadiah," "Jedediah," that kind of thing)--perhaps reflecting assumptions about the prevalence of religious belief in those areas (which naturally raises the question of why Old Testament "Jewish" names seem to be selected far more often than New Testament "Christian" names). French-derived names are also common to indicate an "aristocratic" background (e.g. "Beauregard"), as are names in some way associated with the UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar (e.g. "Beauregard" again).

* Compound names like Mary-Beth or Bobby Joe. Ironically, if called Mary-Sue, the character will probably not be a MarySue. These names are often used as a shorthand to indicate the character hails from the Southern states or at least a rural area, particularly if the compound name is not hyphenated.

The kernel of truth behind this mostly stems from the New World's origins as a [[UsefulNotes/MeltingPot multi-ethnic society.]] A Celtic given name combined with a Slavic family name (e.g. "[[MultiethnicName Kevin Zagorski]]") doesn't sound particularly odd to someone with Celtic and Slavic parents. Each society coming to America brought their own naming conventions and the extent to which they kept those traditions depended upon the extent to which they intermingled with others, hence the survival of patrician names like 'Prescott Worthington Cabot III' alongside more exotic combinations. Some did not come voluntarily and had no choice in what name they received when they got there. Americans do tend to have middle names and traditionally use those initials in formal signatures. Add in the tendency of new immigrants to 'americanize' their names (along with the second or third generation's desire to 'reconnect') with a general American tendency to choose names for sound rather than meaning (to the point of inventing new names when an old one simply just won't do) and names like [[AerithAndBob 'Dirk Pulaski O'Leary' or 'Midori Goldberg']] don't seem like much of a stretch. This is also an effect of the American cultural emphasis on personal freedom and self-expression. Unlike other countries, the U.S. doesn't force parents to choose from lists of "approved" names, so they can name their kids anything they want.[[note]]Of course, it's still expected that the name is something that can be typed on a standard keyboard.[[/note]]

* UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}ns may have first names that look odd even by American standards, even if you ignore the names from [[Literature/TheBookOfMormon Mormon Scripture]] (which can be pretty odd by any standard, sounding kind of Hebrew-ish but having no direct cognates anywhere else[[note]]People skeptical of Mormonism often claim that Joseph Smith made them up, and Mormons counter back, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment and that's all we'll say on the subject.]][[/note]]). Collapsing the names of the parents or grandparents into the name of the child is a Utah tradition (i.e. [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Renee + Esme = Renesmee]]) or just making up something completely new.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* When UsefulNotes/JoeBiden was sworn in as the oldest president ever, many Europeans were amused to hear his full name: Joseph Robinette Biden, [[IronicName Junior]].
* Murderers generally are not wacky, and this one wasn't either, but [[https://www.pressherald.com/2020/03/22/on-this-date-in-maine-history-27/ Valorous P. Coolidge]] is a hell of a name.

* ''VideoGame/AfterTheEndACrusaderKingsIIMod'' has a lot of fun with this in [[AfterTheEnd post-apocalyptic]] America, especially the former United States. Every region has fallen back to its most stereotypical names (things like "Augustus" in the South, "Thorestein" in Minnesota, or "Wentworth" in New England), although those dominated by resurgent Native American tribes use the naming conventions of said tribes instead.

** In ''Literature/FromTheEarthToTheMoon'', there's Impey Barbicane, president of the Baltimore Gun Club, but the names of the other members of the club, e. g. James T. Maston and Tom Hunter, are perfectly ordinary.

* ''[[Film/ThePoseidonAdventure Beyond the Poseidon Adventure]]'' features Slim Pickens as a [[EverythingIsBigInTexas colorful, big-talking alcoholic Texan]] named Dewey Hopkins, whom the British protagonist (played by MichaelCaine) derisively calls "Tex". The cliche of Slim Pickens playing a character called Tex was lampshaded by RogerEbert in his one-star review.

The kernel of truth behind this mostly stems from the New World's origins as a [[UsefulNotes/MeltingPot multi-ethnic society.]] A Celtic given name combined with a Slavic family name (e.g. "[[MultiethnicName Kevin Zagorski]]") doesn't sound particularly odd to someone with Celtic and Slavic parents. Each society coming to America brought their own naming conventions and the extent to which they kept those traditions depended upon the extent to which they intermingled with others, hence the survival of patrician names like 'Prescott Worthington Cabot III' alongside more exotic combinations. Some did not come voluntarily and had no choice in what name they received when they got there. Americans do tend to have middle names and traditionally use those initials in formal signatures. Add in the tendency of new immigrants to 'americanize' their names (along with the second or third generation's desire to 'reconnect') with a general American tendency to choose names for sound rather than meaning (to the point of inventing new names when an old one simply just won't do) and names like 'Dirk Pulaski O'Leary' or 'Midori Goldberg' don't seem like much of a stretch. This is also an effect of the American cultural emphasis on personal freedom and self-expression. Unlike other countries, the U.S. doesn't force parents to choose from lists of "approved" names, so they can name their kids anything they want.[[note]]Of course, it's still expected that the name is something that can be typed on a standard keyboard.[[/note]]

Compare GunmanWithThreeNames, PreppyName, and SesquipedalianSmith.

* Creator/SinclairLewis' novel ''Babbitt'', wich satirizes American society and culture has supporting characters with names like Vergil Gunch, Professor Joseph K. Pumphrey, Chester "Chet" Laylock, Mat Penniman, T. Cholmondeley "Chum" Frink, Tanis Judique and Carrie Nork.

* [[MadScientist Dr.]] [[Music/DoctorSteel Phineas Waldorf Steel]] isn't just wacky - he's CrazyAwesome.

* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' has a [[http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=905 brief mention]] of one J. Edward Runcible, 19th-century conspiracy theorist and foaming-at-the-mouth nativist.

The kernel of truth behind this mostly stems from the New World's origins as a [[UsefulNotes/MeltingPot multi-ethnic society.]] A Celtic given name combined with a Slavic family name (e.g. "[[MultiethnicName Kevin Zagorski]]") doesn't sound particularly odd to someone with Celtic and Slavic parents. Each society coming to America brought their own naming conventions and the extent to which they kept those traditions depended upon the extent to which they intermingled with others, hence the survival of patrician names like 'Prescott Worthington Cabot III' alongside more exotic combinations. Some did not come voluntarily and had no choice in what name they received when they got here. Americans do tend to have middle names and traditionally use those initials in formal signatures. Add in the tendency of new immigrants to 'americanize' their names (along with the second or third generation's desire to 'reconnect') with a general American tendency to choose names for sound rather than meaning (to the point of inventing new names when an old one simply just won't do) and names like 'Dirk Pulaski O'Leary' or 'Midori Goldberg' don't seem like much of a stretch. This is also an effect of the American cultural emphasis on personal freedom and self-expression. Unlike other countries, the U.S. doesn't force parents to choose from lists of "approved" names, so they can name their kids anything they want.[[note]]Of course, it's still expected that the name is something that can be typed on a standard keyboard.[[/note]]

The kernel of truth behind this mostly stems from the New World's origins as a [[UsefulNotes/MeltingPot multi-ethnic society.]] A Celtic given name combined with a Slavic family name (e.g. "[[MultiethnicName Kevin Zagorski]]") doesn't sound particularly odd to someone with Celtic and Slavic parents. Each society coming to America brought their own naming conventions and the extent to which they kept those traditions depended upon the extent to which they intermingled with others, hence the survival of patrician names like 'Prescott Worthington Cabot III' alongside more exotic combinations. Some did not come voluntarily and had no choice in what name they received when they got here. Americans do tend to have middle names and traditionally use those initials in formal signatures. Add in the tendency of new immigrants to 'americanize' their names (along with the second or third generation's desire to 'reconnect') with a general American tendency to choose names for sound rather than meaning (to the point of inventing new names when an old one simply just won't do) and names like 'Dirk Pulaski O'Leary' or 'Midori Goldberg' don't seem like much of a stretch. Unlike other countries, the U.S. doesn't force parents to choose from lists of "approved" names, so they can name their kids anything they want.[[note]]Of course, it's still expected that the name is something that can be typed on a standard keyboard.[[/note]]

* The 1994 Super Famicom game ''Fighting Baseball'' didn't have the rights to use actual MLB players' names, so they used made-up names that an A.I. created: [[https://slate.com/technology/2020/04/mlbpa-baseball-nintendo-japan-player-names.html Sleve McDichael, Bobson Dugnutt, Mike Truk, and Todd Bonzalez]] are a few.

* {{UsefulNotes/Utah}}ns may have first names that look odd even by American standards, even if you ignore the names from [[Literature/TheBookOfMormon Mormon Scripture]] (which can be pretty odd by any standard, sounding kind of Hebrew-ish but having no direct cognates anywhere else[[note]]People skeptical of Mormonism often claim that Joseph Smith made them up, and Mormons counter back, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment and that's all we'll say on the subject.]][[/note]]). Collapsing the names of the parents or grandparents into the name of the child is a Utah tradition (i.e. [[{{Literature/Twilight}} Renee + Esme = Renesmee]]) or just making up something completely new.

* Many [[GhettoName African-American forenames]] can sound odd [[note]] plenty of examples on the GhettoName article, such as Lasquweesha, Shwayne and D'Anthony[[/note]], to those who are not of this ethnicity. This is a relatively recent evolution not seen much before the 1980s. Historically, the vast majority of black Americans did not have formal surnames before emancipation in 1865. Surnames needed to be assumed quickly, and many former slaves chose to take the names of inspirational presidents, or the kinder slave-owners, or of the Union generals who liberated them. This explains the preponderance of Lincolns, Washingtons, Jeffersons, etc, still seen today. "Freeman" was another popular choice, for obvious reasons

* Oddly enough, ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' gives its [[NationsAsPeople anthropomorphic personification of America]] the rather bland moniker "Alfred Jones," though he ''does'' have the MysteriousMiddleInitial "F" (speculated to stand for, among other things, [[PatrioticFervor "Franklin," "Freedom,"]] and [[ClusterFBomb "Fucking"]]).

* A mention must go to the Stane family from IronMan, where each generation preserves a biblical name - Obadiah, Jedediah, and Ezekiel.