Unusual Middle Names in Literature and Pop Culture

Posted by Sandra Woolf

[source: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, New Line Cinema]

Middle names are like a secret. Sometimes, they can even be embarrassing for the owner. On this list we reveal the hidden middle names of certain fictional characters in pop culture.

 


[source: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros.]

Nymphadora “Vulpecula” Tonks

As if Nymphadora wasn’t bad enough, poor Tonks also hates her middle name, Vulpecula, which is a group of stars called “the fox." What can we say? At least the Black family is consistent in using the constellations for naming. We prefer Tonks anyways.

 


[source: The Big Band Theory, Warner Bros. Television]

Leonard “Leakey” Hofstadter

Poor Leonard! Nerds can be cruel, and with the middle name like Leakey, it’s no wonder he hides it. Named after the famous archeologists Louis Leakey, whom his father admired, it seems Leonard was destined to be in the sciences.

 


[source: Bones, Fox]

Angela Pearly-Gates Montenegro

When your father is a rock star, you can be sure to have an odd name. For Bones’ Angela, that is just the case. For years Angela refused to tell anyone her full name, due to the embarrassment. It is eventually revealed that her birth name was Pookie Noodlin Pearly-Gates Gibbons. She definitely wins for the most unique name on this list.

 


[source: The Wizard of Oz, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]

Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs

AKA the wonderful Wizard of Oz. Originally from Idaho, Oz was named by his father who gave him quite the mouthful of a name. So, he just went by the shorted version of Oz. Also, he realized that his abbreviated named spelled out Pinhead.

 


[source: Catch-22, Paramount Pictures]

Maj. Major Major Major

It’s pretty bad when your name is a joke. In Joseph Heller’s famous novel Catch-22, that is exactly what happens to Major Major. His father thought it would be funny to name him such. When he joins the army, his name and rank are soon one and the same, much to his chagrin. There seems to be a pattern here of father’s trying to have a sense of humor.

Sandra Woolf

Sandra Woolf

Sandra Woolf lives in the PNW where she haunts bookshops and library sales. Freelancer by day, horror movie lover by night. Writing inquires can go to what lovely books at gmail or just to ask her how her hairy is so bouncy.