# Aptonyms: they are what they're called!



## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

MichelleR said:


> People gravitate to places and things that remind them of their own names -- they feel an affinity for them. A guy named Dennis is more likely to be a dentist and marry a woman named Denise and, I dunno, cheat on her with Della from Dellaware. If someone with a similar name to your own asks you to take a survey, you're more likely to agree, but if someone asks you why you agreed, you probably won't realize the name was a factor.


There is a proctologist in Humble, TX by the name of _Butts_. Seriously!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The milkman in the town where my father grew up was named Teets.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

My Dad is a minister with the initials P.E.W.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

I was baptized by Father Faith.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

My daughter's OB/GYN is Dr. Plummer.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I used to share an apartment with an oboe player whose name was Electra Reed.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Folks I'm going to move the last bit of this thread down to Not Quite Kindle. . . .it's morphed from Kindlette's into "Aptonyms". . . .which is great. . . .keep going. . .I bet we can find lots of them!

Thanks for understanding!

(Ann)


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

There is a pediatrician in the practice where my children go named Dr. Youth.

L


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

The pediatrician my children went to was Dr. Balls. His first name was Flamen. I'll let you put it together.


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## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

Angela said:


> There is a proctologist in Humble, TX by the name of _Butts_. Seriously!


LOL


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Kathy said:


> The pediatrician my children went to was Dr. Balls. His first name was Flamen. I'll let you put it together.


His parents were cruel...LOL

L


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## mwvickers (Jan 26, 2009)

There was a pastor at a church in my town whose last name was Sin.  I thought that it was interesting to have a Pastor Sin.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Folks I'm going to move the last bit of this thread down to Not Quite Kindle. . . .it's morphed from Kindlette's into "Aptonyms". . . .which is great. . . .keep going. . .I bet we can find lots of them!
> 
> Thanks for understanding!
> 
> (Ann)


Thanks Ann! I was beginning to feel a bit guilty that the thread was being hyjacked!  Of course, I was also VERY surprised when I clicked on _Show new replies to your posts _ and discovered I had started a new thread!!  I knew I was half asleep when I made my last couple of posts last night (this morning), but I just sat there and stared at the screen for a moment with my mind completely blank!! 

I can't wait to see more of these Aptonmyns! (I never knew they were called that)


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

My music teacher in elementary school was Dan Major, or as I thought of him: "D-major". 

The first Anglican minister in the town I grew up in was Reverend Good.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Dr. David Bird is one of the best known ornithologists (bird specialist) from Canada.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Aptonym is my new word of the day!  I haven't looked it up yet, is it related to the name being "apt" for the profession?  My veterinarian's name is  Dr. Doggett and her partner is Dr. Pound.


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## TheAutomaton (May 20, 2009)

The only one I think can think of is there is an equine vet in Tomball, Texas named Dr. Hay and I always thought that he should put the slogan "Hay is for Horses" on his business cards.


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

Biggest Funeral Parlor in Buffalo, NY is owned by the Amigone family...It really is their name


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## B-Kay 1325 (Dec 29, 2008)

The Urologist that performed my DH vasectomy was named Dr. Grab.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Noun

aptonym (plural aptonyms)

A proper name that aptly describes the occupation of the person, especially by coincidence. 
"Cutter & Sons, Butchers" and "Dr. Childer, Pediatrician" are examples of aptonyms. 


New Scientist magazine coined the terms "nominative determinism" or "aptonyms" to describe the phenomenon of people whose names reflect their jobs - or rather, who end up working in areas that reflect their names (hence the "determinism"!).


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

With a name like Nicoll, I should have been a banker or accountant (I pronounce it like the coin). Alas, I am a nurse.

For awhile at the Free Clinic, the other nurse working with me had the last name Penney. Nicoll & Penney. No one ever commented on it though.

L


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Okay, one more local example; maybe not true aptonyms since they practice individually, but there are a couple of attorneys that I have begged to go into partnership for years....because they would then be the Lynch & Burnam Law Firm!

BTW, thanks Angela for doing the definition look-up I was too lazy to do today!


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

^^
You are most welcome!


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

Leslie said:


> With a name like Nicoll, I should have been a banker or accountant (I pronounce it like the coin). Alas, I am a nurse.
> 
> For awhile at the Free Clinic, the other nurse working with me had the last name Penney. Nicoll & Penney. No one ever commented on it though.
> 
> L


Yes, and I should have been a coal-deliverer. Or a raft guide - oh wait, I was for a while. ("Chute" is French for waterfall.)


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

I had a pediatrician, Dr. Smiley...now if she was a dentist...


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## Sanveann (May 16, 2009)

My dad used to see a dentist named Dr. Foot -- I always felt like he missed his true calling to podiatry.

One of my best friends has the last name Speaker. When I first met her, I joked, "Wouldn't it be funny if you were in Toastmasters?" Turns out she is!


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

My hairdresser's name is Harry.  His shop is Hair Ease Salon, rather than Harry's
Salon.


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