Recently, I saw a reference to Tenth Circuit Judge Timothy Tymkovich, and it got me thinking about double-named people like him. Of course, his isn’t a perfect example, but it was close enough to start me mulling. And then there was a recent episode of the TBS sitcom “My Boys” in which one character was named Frank Franklin. Another character said he liked those names, and wished another one was named Andy Anderson.
And there’s Jack Johnson the boxer, Robbie Robertson of The Band, Dave Davies of The Kinks, Bob Roberts from the movie by that name, Jimmy James from “NewsRadio” (the man so nice they named him twice), and of course good old Yon Yonson from Wisconsin. I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch more famous examples, but you get the idea.
I’m not sure why, but these people always strike me as a little weird. It’s not their fault, really, although they could have decided to go by their middle names. But it makes me wonder what their parents were thinking. They should have worked as hard to find a suitable name as this Mr. Johnson. Or am I crazy? Do people find these names charming? The fictional Bob Roberts was running for Senator, but would we really elect someone named Steve Stevenson or Dan Daniels or the like? Would you marry someone named Bill Williams or Jenny Jenson?