Name Nerds! Urban Legends about Names

Urban myths are a common feature of our society. We probably receive tons of e-mail about sick children with rich benefactors who will send 1 cent for every e-mail you forward. Perhaps you're cousin swears her cousin was stuck in an elevator with Eddie Murphy, and his dog...(if you haven't heard this one, visit the Urban Legends Reference Pages.)

If you've heard this, and believed it and passed it along...you're the recipient of another urban legend. Urban legend names are most prolific because people swear by them. So if you've heard someone swear they know someone by these names, I wouldn't believe it unless you've met them in person! The Urban Legends Reference Pages has a nice article on these names as well.

Be sure to check out our More Unusual Names page for more odd names in this vein!

Oranjello & Lemonjello
This is a perennial favorite. Usually, the parents of these fruity twins is either Creole or from Louisiana. Their mother thought that Oran (or Orange or Oranjello depending on the telling) were nice sounding names, and being unaccustomed to the English language, bestowed them upon her twins.

Male and Female
This is probably the second most prolific urban legend around. The story goes: An uneducated or non-English speaking mother gives birth to boy/girl twins. The hospital labels them "Male" and "female". Thinking the hospital has assigned the babies names, the woman officially calls her children Male and Female, only pronounced like Molly and Femolly.

Nozmo King
The mother of little Nosmo King was supposedly inspired by a "No Smoking" sign in the lobby of the hospital where the baby was born.

Ima Hogg
Unlike the other names above, Ima Hogg actually does exist. She was the daughter of a early 20th century Texan politician. She was also a philanthropist. However, nobody has verified variations like Ima Pigg and Ura Hogg.

Porcelain Latrine
I think I'm the only one who's heard this one, thus making not so much of an urban legend. If anyone else has heard about Porcelain Latrine, fact or fiction, please let me know! The story goes that Porcelain's mom, and uneducated rural African-American woman saw a van deliver a box marked "porcelain latrine." not knowing what it was, she thought the name was beautiful, and gave the name to her daughter. Sounds fishy to me! I mean, how many people (and especially delivery companies and furniture manufacturers) actually use the word "latrine"? You'd probably be more likely to see "toilet".

Long Dong
Long Dong is quite a legend, particularly in towns with high Asian populations. Long Dong is the ever-elusive Chinese immigrant (male, of course) with a name that is funny in English. After someone finishes telling a Long Dong story, he usually ends with something like "well, Bob Smith probably means, like, 'screw you' in Chinese or something!" I went to the Chinese Surnames page (click here for more info) and I couldn't find any surname that approximates Dong. If Dong was actually the forename (as Chinese tradition puts the family name first) then Long does exist as a surname. However, most Chinese immigrants adopt the system used by Americans, and put their family name 2nd.

Urine
Another variation on the non-English speaking parent theme, a woman in a hospital saw a vial marked Urine, and bestowed this name upon her daughter, with the pronunciation you-reen.

Shithead
This unfortunate child's parents pronounced his or her name sheath-edd or shy-thed.

Innocent Bystander
Here's an e-mail I recieved--"Okay, I have no proof of this, but my Aunt swears that she has a distant cousin somewhere in the USA (we're in Melbourne, Australia) who has the name Innocent Bystander. Bystander being the surname." Have you ever heard the last name "Bystander?" I haven't.

**UPDATE!!** this just in from an alert reader:
Hey, I saw the "urban legends" page and wanted to throw in some information. There is in fact the last name Bystander (Innocent Bystander) Originally it was Bisthander, but I have seen Bystander in the genealogy files @ the library. I've also seen Porrie Latrine (in the old city lists). Pretty close to Porcelaine.

Atheist Evolution
From another e-mail I received: "I read a blip under news of the weird in a newspaper once saying that someone named their daughter Atheist Evolution. Don't know if that's true or not."

Other Unfounded Urban Legend Names

(if anyone personally has met anyone with one of these names, and I mean KNOWS them- not just has heard about them or knows someone who knows them, please e-mail me!): We received so many e-mails about these, they now have their own page!

Sandy Castle, Sandy Beaches
Candy Kane
Crystal Shanda Leer- There is a Shanda Lear, however, of Lear Jet fame.
April Mae June- there is an April May, though, from Portland, ME.
Jay Walker
Paige Turner

Myths of Meaning

There's also a rumor around the the name Damian means "devil" or "devil's child" or something like that.
This idea shows the power of movies! The possessed tyke in "the Omen" and some of its sequels was named Damian. It also didn't hurt that the priest in "The Exorcist" was also named Damian. With all of this association with 70s possession flicks, no wonder people have attached the meaning to it! This illustrates the importance of the cultural meaning as opposed to the etymological meaning. While Damian actually comes from a Greek word meaning "watcher", how many people will know this when they see your son? Will they always think of him as the "devil's child?"

Many People also believe that the name Rhiannon means "witch."
It was that Fleetwood Mac song of the 1970s that spread this idea. Rhiannon probably means something closer to "divine queen." in Welsh.

I think it may have started with the book The Thorn Birds, by Australian novelist Colleen McCullough--many people of Irish descent swear up and down that Megan is an Irish name. It's actually a Welsh pet form of Margaret. You can spell it Meghan, Meeghan, Meagan, Meaghan and any other spelling you can think of, but Megan will never be Irish!

Common Urban Legends About Names

Does your aunt swear that she once had twins in her class named Oranjello and Lemonjello?

Other Unfounded Urban Legend Names

Myths of Meaning


		Common Urban Legends About Names
Name Nerds main	Does your aunt swear that she once had twins in her class named Oranjello and Lemonjello? Urban myths are a common feature of our society. We probably receive tons of e-mail about sick children with rich benefactors who will send 1 cent for every e-mail you forward. Perhaps you're cousin swears her cousin was stuck in an elevator with Eddie Murphy, and his dog...(if you haven't heard this one, visit the Urban Legends Reference Pages.) If you've heard this, and believed it and passed it along...you're the recipient of another urban legend. Urban legend names are most prolific because people swear by them. So if you've heard someone swear they know someone by these names, I wouldn't believe it unless you've met them in person! The Urban Legends Reference Pages has a nice article on these names as well. Be sure to check out our More Unusual Names page for more odd names in this vein! Oranjello & Lemonjello This is a perennial favorite. Usually, the parents of these fruity twins is either Creole or from Louisiana. Their mother thought that Oran (or Orange or Oranjello depending on the telling) were nice sounding names, and being unaccustomed to the English language, bestowed them upon her twins. Male and Female This is probably the second most prolific urban legend around. The story goes: An uneducated or non-English speaking mother gives birth to boy/girl twins. The hospital labels them "Male" and "female". Thinking the hospital has assigned the babies names, the woman officially calls her children Male and Female, only pronounced like Molly and Femolly. Nozmo King The mother of little Nosmo King was supposedly inspired by a "No Smoking" sign in the lobby of the hospital where the baby was born. Ima Hogg Unlike the other names above, Ima Hogg actually does exist. She was the daughter of a early 20th century Texan politician. She was also a philanthropist. However, nobody has verified variations like Ima Pigg and Ura Hogg. Porcelain Latrine I think I'm the only one who's heard this one, thus making not so much of an urban legend. If anyone else has heard about Porcelain Latrine, fact or fiction, please let me know! The story goes that Porcelain's mom, and uneducated rural African-American woman saw a van deliver a box marked "porcelain latrine." not knowing what it was, she thought the name was beautiful, and gave the name to her daughter. Sounds fishy to me! I mean, how many people (and especially delivery companies and furniture manufacturers) actually use the word "latrine"? You'd probably be more likely to see "toilet". Long Dong Long Dong is quite a legend, particularly in towns with high Asian populations. Long Dong is the ever-elusive Chinese immigrant (male, of course) with a name that is funny in English. After someone finishes telling a Long Dong story, he usually ends with something like "well, Bob Smith probably means, like, 'screw you' in Chinese or something!" I went to the Chinese Surnames page (click here for more info) and I couldn't find any surname that approximates Dong. If Dong was actually the forename (as Chinese tradition puts the family name first) then Long does exist as a surname. However, most Chinese immigrants adopt the system used by Americans, and put their family name 2nd. Urine Another variation on the non-English speaking parent theme, a woman in a hospital saw a vial marked Urine, and bestowed this name upon her daughter, with the pronunciation you-reen. Shithead This unfortunate child's parents pronounced his or her name sheath-edd or shy-thed. Innocent Bystander Here's an e-mail I recieved--"Okay, I have no proof of this, but my Aunt swears that she has a distant cousin somewhere in the USA (we're in Melbourne, Australia) who has the name Innocent Bystander. Bystander being the surname." Have you ever heard the last name "Bystander?" I haven't. UPDATE!! this just in from an alert reader: Hey, I saw the "urban legends" page and wanted to throw in some information. There is in fact the last name Bystander (Innocent Bystander) Originally it was Bisthander, but I have seen Bystander in the genealogy files @ the library. I've also seen Porrie Latrine (in the old city lists). Pretty close to Porcelaine. Atheist Evolution From another e-mail I received: "I read a blip under news of the weird in a newspaper once saying that someone named their daughter Atheist Evolution. Don't know if that's true or not." Other Unfounded Urban Legend Names (if anyone personally has met anyone with one of these names, and I mean KNOWS them- not just has heard about them or knows someone who knows them, please e-mail me!): We received so many e-mails about these, they now have their own page! Sandy Castle, Sandy Beaches Candy Kane Crystal Shanda Leer- There is a Shanda Lear, however, of Lear Jet fame. April Mae June- there is an April May, though, from Portland, ME. Jay Walker Paige Turner Myths of Meaning There's also a rumor around the the name Damian means "devil" or "devil's child" or something like that. This idea shows the power of movies! The possessed tyke in "the Omen" and some of its sequels was named Damian. It also didn't hurt that the priest in "The Exorcist" was also named Damian. With all of this association with 70s possession flicks, no wonder people have attached the meaning to it! This illustrates the importance of the cultural meaning as opposed to the etymological meaning. While Damian actually comes from a Greek word meaning "watcher", how many people will know this when they see your son? Will they always think of him as the "devil's child?" Many People also believe that the name Rhiannon means "witch." It was that Fleetwood Mac song of the 1970s that spread this idea. Rhiannon probably means something closer to "divine queen." in Welsh. I think it may have started with the book The Thorn Birds, by Australian novelist Colleen McCullough--many people of Irish descent swear up and down that Megan is an Irish name. It's actually a Welsh pet form of Margaret. You can spell it Meghan, Meeghan, Meagan, Meaghan and any other spelling you can think of, but Megan will never be Irish! for more on name books and meaning, see Why Your Baby Name Book Sucks. We have some more unusual names in this vein on this page: Other Unusual Names. Check them out!