Doctor Who? And Other Foolishness
After my last post, I owe you a short one. Yes, go ahead and do your happy dance.
Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Sometimes names fit occupations like spandex fits skin. In fact, the correlation makes one wonder: Do individuals choose a vocation because of their names?
The following are examples of physicians I—or acquaintances—have encountered.
Dr. Go, a gastroenterologist. Self-explanatory.
Dr. Sharp, a surgeon. Ditto.
Dr. Seaman, a urologist. (Hehe, semen, hehe…)
Dr. Urich, another urologist.
The name itself (pronounced Yer-ick) is not so unusual, nor the fact that he toiled as a pee-pee doctor. But when one considers he named his two daughters Ann and Polly, the chuckles begin. And the cruelty. Why?
Anuric (i.e., Ann Urich) means the inability to urinate. Polyuric (i.e., Polly Urich) means the excessive production of urine.
Well, at least the two sisters balance each other out.
Dr. Hacker, a general practitioner.
This physician introduced himself to my postpartum sister like this: “Hi, I’m Dr. Dick Hacker, and I’m here to do your son’s circumcision.”
Bazinga!
How about you? Anybody you used to know whose name matched their occupation? Or perhaps their character?
Note: The reason this post has Foolishness in the title is because today is a certain blogger’s birthday, and many of us want to give this cool Guap his due props. Happy Birthday, El Guapo! Hope it’s a good one!
My best birthday treat ever…
226 Responses to “Doctor Who? And Other Foolishness”
What about a bellman named “The Hook”?
After all, bellmen are always fishing for tips…
Too bad they have to fish. One would hope hotel guests would know a tip is in order, but I suspect that is far from the case.
Very far from the case!
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Those are free real? Really? How awful! Especially that he named his daughters Ann and Polly. That’s too mean! I knew a Sgt. Savage once. Ouch!
They definitely are for real. Scary, isn’t it? And you’re the second person I’ve encountered here who knew a Sgt. Savage.
Thanks for stopping by!
I just joined. Your sense of humor made it easy. I also belong to theonlinebookclub which is better for your membership. I like
your style of care giving: humor is always the best medicine.
Thank you! That’s so nice to hear. I’m thrilled you made your way over here, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Have a happy New Year’s!
Great topic! The comments were as entertaining as the post!
I know! The names people mentioned were great, thereby confirming my suspicion that some people choose their occupation because of their names.
LOL That is AMAZING. I knew a family who named their daughter Thankful. I always wondered if she was or if it made her really selfish.
I bet that poor girl never hear the end of it. And each time she heard a joke at her expense, she probably had to smile and pretend it was the first time she’d ever heard it. Because, of course, that’s what thankful people do…
There is a woman at my kids’ school who deals with the misbehaved and naughty children. I don’t actually know her title; she’s not the guidance counselor. Anyway, if a kid acts out in class or on the playground, the child is sent upstairs to “Mrs. Paine.”
If that’s not incentive for good behavior, I don’t know what is! A couple other commenters have known a Mrs. Paine. Seems to be a popular name among teachers.
My friend Mrs Kitchen was the school cook.
Nice post. I think names are wonderful and often show a marked lack of imagination and forethought on the part of parents who do the naming.
I once knew a guy called John Johnstone and someone with the surname Green who called his daughter Teresa.
And not quite the same thing, but we used to have a solicitor whose signature looked remarkably like ME scrawled across the bottom of the page. His initials were DJP, so no idea how he got there.
Mrs. Kitchen for a cook. Perfect. And I’m all for originality when naming children, but not for names that will ultimately embarrass them. I wanted to name my son Billy, but my husband wouldn’t hear of it. Why, I’m not sure given Billy Rubin is a perfectly acceptable name if one knows nothing about bilirubin…
Hmm not sure about Billy Rubin, although children would be the worst offenders and I don’t suppose they would know much about it.
Used to know a doctor who called his boat Midstream Specimen…. Good job a boat can’t be embarrassed.
Haha. I like that boat name. That’s kind of clever.
Granted, we inherit our surnames. I just wonder though, what are people thinking when they name that child? I believe I once heard about a girl named Mercedes –yep–Benz. That’s the best I can contribute at the moment.
I’ve actually encountered a Mercedes Benz, too. It does make one scratch the old noggin. I think I’d rather be a Eunice or Gertrude than a cheesy name like this.
Thanks, Joanna!
You’re welcome. Entertaining post.
Loved this! I actually had an eye doctor named Brighteyes. Unbelievable!
How could anyone not want an eye doctor named that? It’s perfect.
When I was a kid, my mom had a chiropractor named Dr. Bender. We always got a chuckle out of that one.
In terms of other names, when I was teaching, one of the girls who always seemed be in lunch detention was named LaVoujinee (pronounced Luh-vah-juh-nay, very similar to that part of the female anatomy). A teacher friend of mine in another part of LA had a student named Passion Pounds, and unfortunately this girl was a pretty big girl. Another teacher friend of mine in Baton Rouge had two students who were brothers named Orangejello and Lemonjello. The crazy part about the brothers is that if you google it, it will say it’s a hoax, an urban legend, but those kids were actually in his HS science class. I wonder if their mom got the idea from the urban legend…
Great post!
I don’t get why parents give their kids such horrible monikers. Would they want names like that for themselves? Orangejello and Passion Pounds. Maybe they ended up together.
Love Dr. Bender though. Thanks for stopping by!
I can only repair to Seinfeld and Assman. One of my favourite telly moments ever, Carrie.
Definitely a classic.
Hi… my current gastroenterologist’s name is Dr Go… but it isn’t any fun telling people that cuz they have no idea what a gastroenterologist is!!! Thanks for being the one to get my humour!!!
I’m sorta browsing the foolishness foolishness – I’ll probably never get to them all, but it is helping to reinvigorate my blog hopping skills – I’ve been very busy of late and reduced blog hopping was one of the unfortunate consequences! I like your blog and think I might come back, if I may!
I won’t wish EG happy birthday again – he might think it’s next year already!
nice to meetcha…
janet
Nice to meet you, too! Thanks for stopping by. It’s always nice to see a new face. And it’s funny that you also have a gastroenterologist named Dr. Go. It really is a well-suited moniker for that profession and much more pleasant than Dr. Poo.
I’m not sure Ms Poo or Mr Poo would be any better!!!
thanks for stopping my place too!!
My pleasure. I appreciate the FB like, too.
Look at all the comments here!
When I was growing up, my mom’s doctor’s name was Dr. Comfort. She loved that. On a related note, I grew up with a kid named Bob Bug. He went on to be an entomologist. How fitting.
Okay, now that’s just what I’m talking about. Bob Bug an entomologist? It’s like he was drawn to the profession–it’s not exactly a popular one. Weird. And I, too, would love Dr. Comfort. Bet he never heard the end of that one.
I knew someone like this, but my mind is drawing a blank. Maybe I’ll remember later. The two kids names are brilliant though.
Oh the Dr Coffin on the death certificate is also v good.
I know–the Dr. Coffin one is just too perfect. If I wrote in a character with that name in a novel, one who happened to be a medical examiner, people would say I’m trying too hard.
Honestly I think you should try use that name, you could build an interesting character around it, trying to avoid stereotypes.
Dr. Coffin may just be a keeper.
It’s cool to see that example is resonating with so many folks!
It’s such a good one, how could it not?
Big D used to work for an unnamed insurance mega company as a manager of data quality for provider directories. In order to keep from losing his mind, he and co-workers would find doctors whose specialties matched their names. Of the few he can remember, Dr. Beaver was a gynecologist. He can’t remember the field Dr. Jacqueline Hyde was in.
To compound things, any chance they got, they abbreviated group names such as Urology Associates: Ura Asso. There were names that were funny on their own too like Hanger Prosthetics.
Men never grow out of those tendencies, do they?
When I wrote this post, I thought, wouldn’t it be horrible if there was a gynecologist named Dr. Beaver? And you and another commenter confirmed that such entities do exist. I don’t know if I could make an annual pap screen with Dr. Beaver without bursting out laughing. That’s pretty nasty.
I’m already pretty immature about the gynecologist. I can’t help but laugh when they “feel me up” during the breast exam. I definitely could not handle a Dr. with that last name.
And this is why I only go to a female OB/GYN.
Not to do with professions, but there are a few unfortunate people over here that have managed to name their children ‘Dick Kasolo’. Even as I type that, I can barely contain the laughter. In Luganda, ‘Kasolo’ basically means genitalia. The name is just so comically sad!
In those parents’ defence, having English for a second language, they are usually not familiar with most English slang. So even if other people laughed out loud on hearing their son being introduced, they just wouldn’t get it, unless a more informed person explained. And then, Kasolo also means ‘small animal’. As in a creature of the animal kingdom that is small in size. Pun not intended, at all.
So perhaps it’s that ‘small animal’ meaning they were going for(?). I really should find out. I’ll have to ask my grandmother. She’s my go-to library for info/curiosities on the Ganda culture.
We did, however, have a lecturer/medical doctor in med school that went by the surname Kasolo. Her first name was Josephine. That second name she probably took on in marriage, as it’s a boy’s surname only. Surnames are generally gender-specific for most cultures here. Gender and totem specific.
Which reminds me, there’s an Admin Officer in Buganda Kingdom’s ministry of information that goes by the name Sam Dick Kasolo. Ha.
Apologies for the very long comment.
No apologies needed. You managed to entertain AND educate me! I love learning about names. But as for Kasolo, I’m not sure which is worse to follow ‘Dick.’ Genitalia or small animal. They’re both embarrassing.
I didn’t realize you were a physician. What specialty?
Thanks for stopping by!
Pleasure!
I’m not a physician. I’m a pharmacist, only it so happens that over here, for students of Bachelor of medicine & surgery, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Dental Surgery (BDS), and Biomedical Radiography (BMR), we all have to go to medical school. The courses are taught in medical schools at a teaching hospitals. Diplomas for those courses are taught elsewhere in paramedical schools.
For the first year, students of all those degree courses study as one. BSN, BDS, and BMR break off after year one, to study content specific to their courses. Pharmacy and Medicine walk together for the first two years, but the Pharmacy students concurrently get additional content/course units specific to their degree, physiochemical principles of properties, a bit of advanced Maths, making syrups and suppositories (loved that part!), the like. After those two years, the pharmacists then went their own way, save for the clinical ward rounds, during which they of course had to interact with their MBChB counterparts.
Since histology, anatomy and all those cadaver dissections plus post mortems take place in first year, we all do it, in as much as a pharmacist is never going to perform surgery on anyone, not even a circumcision, lol. I’ll confess I dodged those post mortem classes. lol. I was thinking, really at this point they might as well just move me to the MBChB class! We disliked having those dissections imposed on us, but that’s the curriculum. Our cries of ‘do we really need this’ were met with ‘think of the health needs of our population.’
Apparently, it was traditionally done that way because there was a time when the number of health care professionals was way too small, so the government wanted to make sure that whatever specialty of heath professional was available in a given place, say a village, they could have a specified ‘basic’ set of skills, should a medical doctor or nurse be unavailable. Set up a drip, perhaps, or know to avoid the sciatic nerve (and where it’s located, for that matter) should an emergency quinine injection be needed.
And that’s the long and short of how I ended up in medical school, and how I met Dr Kasolo. (mostly the long, alas! Seems to be an illness of mine. The readers that came by for their dose of humour must hate me now !
)
My! That’s one long monster!
But an interesting monster!
Oh, no, this is fascinating to learn! Thank you for taking the time to explain it. Now that you mention it, I do remember you as a pharmacist. I think that’s a very smart way to train for the most part. Pharmacy is a critical part to medicine, and I always loved it when a hospital pharmacist would go on rounds with us. And now with the future possibility of targeting pharmacological therapy to specific gene types, this will become even more important.
Thank you!
Great post and the comments were soo funny! I know some of these, too, but I’m drawing a blank.
Yes, people had some great contributions to this. One of my favorite’s was Dr. Coffin. Apparently that’s the name of the doctor who signed a commenter’s ancestor’s death certificate.
Saw that one! (It’s hard for me not to read your comments!) That one was GREAT! (I did see some paperwork once on a girl who had the name – Enya Rumpf….)
Oh, my. I hope she was a pretty girl, because that name is not pretty at all.
Just had to add: looking up my dentist’s phone number this morning and came across a big yellow page ad that headlined “Dentistry with A Gentle Touch” and, luckily for us and this post, the dentist advertising is, Todd Hammer! HF
See? Writers don’t need to make this stuff up. It’s just there for the taking! Does the dental practice not get the irony in that ad? Perhaps they should have thought of a different tagline. Then again, maybe his name is exactly WHY they needed to make it clear they use a gentle touch.
Thanks for another great morning laugh.
[...] out to wish me a happy one! And boy, did they ever help to make it even happier! The great songs, the hilarious videos, and all of the warm wishes , helped to make it one of my coolest birthdays EVER!!!I can’t [...]
My stepmom once had a foot doctor named Dr. Walker. HAH!
See? That’s perfect. Perhaps that’s what led him to being a specialist of the foot? Good thing his name wasn’t Dr. Crapper.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Haha! This comment reminded me of the Seinfeld episode with AssMan
That one was a gem.
[...] Doctor Who? And Other Foolishness [...]
Alright Carrie … fess up … The names have got to be infinite legends.
… Oh … gotta love any tribute to Guapo! Well done … Hope you had a great day Guap!
Oh, I wish they were urban legends, but they’re not. And some of the commenters provided me with even better ones below! JM McDowell had an ancestor whose death certificate was signed by Dr. Coffin. I mean, really, does it get any better than that?
Thanks for including a link to my post in your latest entry, by the way. I appreciate it.
Thanks for the chuckles from reality!
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Dr Kneebone. He gave lollypops to my kids when they were little and were brought in with colds. Worked a treat. I collapsed on his floor once – he was very nice about it. Interesting new blog design, Carrie. The wallpaper looks like something I might like for my study!
Thanks. It’s a bit bold. Hope I don’t send anyone into a psychodelic spin.
Dr. Kneebone is great. Just sounds like a nice old guy.
I wish I did, but all a superficial reflection of my life experience can dig up is the usual initials errors – Valerie Davidson, Peter Green etc.. It does occur to me that Dr. Urich’s family outings must have had their moments…
Very true. Around non-medical folks, his daughters are simply Ann and Polly. Two lovely little girls. In medical crowds, they have urinary issues. How sad…
Your blog looks so good…so clean…I like it! My brother-in-law had testicular cancer (he’s fine now) and his Dr. was Dr. Chop. It never gets old.
Ooh, Dr. Chop. One must be very hesitant to approach his office…
Glad to hear your brother-in-law is okay now.
I read a book a couple of years ago with a whole chapter on people’s names and their professions. And I can’t remember the name of it, darn it! It may have been a Malcom Gladwell book though. Anyway, there’s research to prove it’s true, people’s names draw them to specific professions than people without these names. For example, there is a large numbers of dentists with the first name Dennis. It was very interesting data, you’d love it!
I can’t remember if I’ve ever met a medical provider with an “appropriate” name. I once knew a magazine editor, whose name was Dick Long. Why he didn’t go for Richard makes you wonder. And what were his parents thinking in the first place?
“Dick Long”—hehe, hehe. No matter how old we are, names like that are funny.
That book sounds interesting. I was joking when I said maybe they choose their professions because of their names, but now it sounds like there might be something behind it after all! Very intriguing.
I promise, when I remember the book, I’ll let you know. It’s worth the read. It could have been Freakonomics too.
WordPress unsubscribed me from your blog! Apologies that I haven’t been around, but I love the new look of your blog. Haha you probably changed it awhile ago and I just didn’t know.
This doesn’t fit in too neatly with what you’re talking about in the post, but when I first moved to Chicago I was looking for a female OB and I found one in my carrier’s listings. Her name was Judy Joseph and her office was really convenient for me so I made an appointment. Lo and behold, when I went in for my appointment and was waiting in the little room with that paper dress on, a little Indian man came in to treat me. HE was Judy Joseph. I really enjoyed calling my insurance the next day to inform them that Judy Joseph was not a woman as their website had indicated.
I don’t know who I feel more sorry for–you for having been stuck with a male OB/GYN by accident (I only go to female OB/GYNs; sexist, I know…) or him for having the name Judy.
I just debuted my blog change on Monday, so you didn’t miss anything. I’m trying to freak people out with the stripes.
Love this! There – my shortest comment:)
Yes, I’m sure you’ve encountered a few interesting doctor names of your own.
Can’t think of a name right now, but here’s an address for you. Dick Ward Ave, Fannie Bay. Saw it on a document the other day, seriously!
Wow. That’s not an address I’d like to say out loud. I might have to move if I lived there. And really, who thought it would be a good idea to name a street Dick Ward? Too funny!
On a personal note, I went to grade school with a Marva Shitman. I “kid” you not! Absolutely, true, too! HF
Oh, you are keeping me really, really happy here. One can’t write fiction better than that. Beautiful.
I know. Here’s the kicker, though, I was too young to know what s**t was. I know, it’s common today, but when I was a kid, it was never said. At least not in polite company. So, we didn’t even get to make fun of her! HF
Such a waste.
Carrie, you know my daughter is a doctor and she works with Dr. Akinhead. This is absolutely no joke! She and I have laughed over this for several years. HF
Dr. Akinhead? Oh, please tell me he’s a neurologist, or better yet, a headache specialist. Perfect!
Nah, same as my daughter, radiologist. HF
Still good stuff.
I had a teacher named Mrs. Paine, 4th grade. She was a truly awful woman and the first teacher to really take a dislike to me. It was also the first time I realized that teachers were flawed human beings like the rest of us, I think.
But alas, all the doctors I’ve known have normal names. A guy I went to school with who became a doctor was named “Fish.” If he’d chosen the right specialty, that could have been really funny.
Yeah, I’m not gonna touch that last one. But an evil teacher named Mrs. Payne? That’s a winner!
No professions, but I used to know a goofy little guy named Prettyman.
Ooh, his bad.
He is one of the great ones.
Indeed!
I love Dr. Hacker and Dr. Seaman (not literally). My gynecologist’s name was Dr. Cutter and this was a but of a worry because I always imagined ‘Jack the Ripper’ when he was examining me (ewwww!)
Oh my, Dr. Cutter. Not nice. Not nice at all!
Good one! Thanks for joining in on the foolishness!!
My pleasure. The Guap’s a great guy!
Dr. Dick Hacker! I love it! Our dog’s veterinarian’s name is Dr. Bone. I’ve always found that one funny.
See? That’s what I’m talking about. Perfect match!
I met a dentist named Dr. Payne once. I also met a doctor named Dr. Softness. He was an internist but I really thought he should be a gynecologist with that name.
Dr. Softness. Ha! Better an OB/GYN than a urologist.
Very true! Also, is that really true about Dick Hacker??? That’s one for the ages there.
It is true, and I applaud his sense of humor. Dr. Dick Hacker is my kind of guy.
Ha ha! Dick Hacker. That’s funny. Did your sister keep a straight face when he told her that, or grab her baby and run?
She’s a great sport, so I’m sure she had a good laugh with it. The baby’s father, however, may have felt like grabbing the baby and bolting.
I’m sure he did. Guys do get a little squeamish over that procedure.
These really made me laugh – especially Dr. Hacker and Dr. Seaman. I can never think of good character names but will have to keep these in mind.
Dickens is famous for making fun of his characters with their names. Of course I can’t think of any right now, but things like a banker might have Tightwad or something like that for a last name.
Of course, if we do too much of that in fiction, we’ll be scoffed at for making things too unbelievable. And yet these names prove that such things are possible!
Dr. Seaman…Now that made me laugh.
LOL!
I know, right? How appropriate. Thanks, Liz!
Awesome! Most of the doctors I know have French names, which is not so keen on the play on words. The only one I can remember was in NYC. An ortho named Bonneberg. Terrific foolishness, Carrie!
Happy birthday, Doc Guapo!
Yes, I suppose French names can’t be toyed with as much–not in English anyway.
Bet you’ll be ready for a little break after all this ‘foolishness.’ But job well done!
Haha! This has been busy, but terrifically fun foolishness! Definitely, this is the biggest birthday blog hop I have ever seen
I had the best bloggers to work with putting it together <3
[...] we started talking about entertaining Foolishness, Carrie Rubin thought perhaps we should have hired a rocket, but she wasn’t sure if everyone had had their [...]
I love it! Well I do remember at my undergraduate college, to not be named, the women lived in a dorm named after a successful professor, Miss Hoar and not to be outdone, the men’s dorm was named after an equally successful professor, Mr. Cox. We couldn’t make this up. IGJ
Oh, those are good ones! An easy way to remember which was the male’s dorm and which was the female’s dorm, I guess.
I remember the Seinfeld episode with Dr. Assman, the proctologist.
One of my doctor’s names is Lucky. Hard to go wrong there!
Ooh, you’re right. You better never change doctors. Best not to push one’s luck.
I remember Assman! Great episode. I also liked the one where Kramer flicked a Junior Mint into the operating room where–was it George?–was having surgery. Nothing like a foreign body in the form of a refreshing Junior Mint.
Seinfeld. Man that show was awesome.
I knew a Dr. Slaughter. A surgeon….
Oh, man, I wouldn’t want to need emergency surgery the night he was on call.
Husband to nurse: “Who’ll be doing my wife’s surgery?”
Nurse: “Dr. Slaughter.”
Nice. Really nice.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting!
There’s a cardiologist at our local Children’s Hospital who’s name is Dr. Human. Every time I see his name plate, I smile!
Oh, that gave me a good laugh! It’s as if he wants to reiterate which species the hospital serves.
“Dick Hacker” – ouch! But Ann and Polly (and your Billy) are subtle and funny.
I had an operation done by Dr. Brain, surgeon (not brain surgery, thankfully). And I think sprinter Usain Bolt’s name is appropriate.
Dr. Brain. That’s fantastic. Too bad he wasn’t a neurosurgeon (but I’m glad you didn’t need brain surgery!) And yes, Bolt was appropriately monikered (forgive me for turning ‘moniker’ into a verb).
I’m sorry to have nothing to add to the party. I don’t even remember the name of the doctor who delivered our son. One interesting coincidence – my family had dinner at Bravo last Christmas Eve, and that evening, my sister went into the hospital for emergency surgery. Her doctor? Dr. Bravo. That’s all I’ve got.
Fun post, Carrie. Your examples were great!
Thanks, Maddie. And that’s actually a pretty cool story–not that your sister needed emergency surgery!–but that the doc’s name was the same as the restaurant. You gotta love life’s little coincidences like that.
I think if I was a doctor I’d legally change my name so it matched what I did.
Like Dr. Love for a heart doctor or Dr. Breathe for a lung doctor. Or Dr. Piss for a urologist. Or Dr. Pap for a GYN. Or… (Good thinking!)
Dr. Bonebrake, an orthopaedic surgeon in the town where I grew up.
Are you serious? That is too perfect to be true! As I mentioned to an earlier commenter regarding a different well-suited name, if writers used a name like Dr. Bonebrake for their orthopedic surgeon character, they’d be scoffed at. Truth really is stranger than fiction.
Thanks for a great laugh and for stopping by. I appreciate it.
I do have a Dr. Robert, which makes me sing the Beatles song of that name every time I walk into his office. He had never heard the song before, so I made him listen to it, which prompted the question “Emelie, are you calling me a drug pusher?”
Haha–that’s great. I had to go look up and listen to that song myself (man, I love the Internet). I guess Dr. Robert has a pretty good sense of humor to be compared to a ‘drug pusher.’
How could I forget an acquaintance of my husband’s? First name Richard, second name Shields? No, he didn’t use Rich or Rick as his nickname.
Haha! That gave me a good laugh. As did your coyness in avoiding writing out the actual name. Well played.
Very interesting names!
Aren’t they? The best I could do would be Billy Rubin if I could have named one of my sons Billy (bilirubin…), but my husband wouldn’t go for that. Spoilsport.
I knew a lady whose last name was Hall. Her husband wanted to name the daughter Alkie. I did know a Holly Wood in grade school.
Alkie Hall. Now that’s just plain mean. And that is one name no one wants to live up to!
It wasn’t good people on the bus use to sing, “Hollywood…” whenever she got on.
Yes, I imagine one doesn’t go through life with that name without some teasing.
I meant to put a period after good! Oh, well…
That name would be a burden. I knew a Richard Ball once, nobody used the nickname for Richard for obvious reasons.
Haha! Thanks for another good laugh, Rachael!
Gah. I remember my urologist well, not for his name, but because he was the best-looking doctor I’d ever seen in real life. I was mortified to be there with a distended bladder postpartum. Mortified, also 25 years old…
And Guapo is the best!!! Also, the site revamp is lovely! Forgot to mention that the last time I was here.
Thank you!
Luckily, when I was young enough to care about it, all of my doctors were stodgy old men. I don’t blame you for not wanting an uncooperative bladder around a great-looking doctor. (But sorry you had to go through that–that must have been miserable postpartum!)
someone (and I’m not saying I know who) but someone I know just hit 53% of someone else’s (who we all know) book…. sorry, I don’t know any clever doctor names so I came up with something else to say instead. oooh, actually, when I was in boot camp my barbie doll senior drill instructor was married to a buff/hot male senior from another platoon, and (this story is going on too long) anyway…he was intimidating (and super fine) and his name was SSgt Slaughter. Which I found kinda scary. Hmmm.. you just reminded me I have a Chiro classmate/friend whose name is Savage (thank you, btw, for taking it easy on us in the book shout out…).
A drill sargeant named SSgt Slaughter would send me scurrying in the opposite direction of the recruitment center. Well, that and many other things. Like I’m a wimp. And Dr. Savage is not a very inviting name for patients. Hope he/she didn’t scare the patients away.
Glad to see you’re progressing in the book. That’s wonderful to hear. You’re a fast reader! But I didn’t understand what you meant by “taking it easy on us in the book shout out.” I apologize–my cluelessness is showing…
Chiropractor who thinks all diseases can be prevented by a healthy spine, or some such. You definitely soft-balled it. Coulda been worse.hahah.
Oh, that! Forgot about that. And actually, I have great respect for chiropractors. They do wonderful things for many people–things the MD can’t do. But I think when I wrote that years ago (first wrote the book 8 years ago), I think I was thinking of a chiropractor who kept reading a patient’s xrays wrong and offering continuous manipulations for the teen’s weakness and fatigue. Turns out the kid had leukemia and those were mets in his bones. Was a very sad case, and it took a long time to come to diagnosis. If only the chiropractor would have referred him earlier. But many people to hold accountable there–not just the chiropractor. It’s just sad the family didn’t have the teen seen by anyone else until months later. And believe me, I’ve seen many misdiagnoses by MDs as well.
Jeez! …wonder what college he went to. We had significant rad training, from first to 9th trimester from physics/positioning to diagnosis…chest pathology, everything, and reading then writing reports was part of internship. Mets should be obvious on plain film as *something* wrong, even if he didn’t know what. Scary. Then again, you’d be horrified by what goes on in our floofy private hospital. One is almost better off staying pinned in a car, than having one of our ambulances show up. hehehe
Yes, it was scary. Even without the xray, his symptoms should have been concerning.
I do know some, but as with other commenters, I can’t remember them right now! Not to do with professions, but to do with cruel naming of children – someone where I once worked had the last name of Money, and he named his daughter Charity. Yep, I kid you not, Charity Money. They knew exactly what they were doing when they named her and they thought it was hilarious. Right.
What’s up with that? I don’t think one should name their child anything they themselves wouldn’t want to be saddled with. Charity isn’t exactly a great name on its own, but with that surname, the poor kid is destined for a lifetime of jokes. Plus, she might feel like she’ll have to live up to her name and become a philanthropist!
Yeah, parents really should think more about the names – and the initials, too. Funny post…love the Hacker
Thank you! Dr. Hacker certainly gave my sister a surprise. And likely the baby’s father a cringe.
The dr who used to do circumcisions at our hospital was named Dr. Stubbs. I think it was a useful deterrent.
P.S. Nice blog look!
Thanks! The stripes are a bit psychedelic. Hope I don’t scare anyone away.
Dr. Stubbs–ouch. He’d make a better orthopedic surgeon than a general practitioner or pediatrician who does circumcisions. People expect a stub post-amputation. Not post-circumcision…
Thanks for stopping by and making me laugh.
Yes, the name was certainly unfortunate.
I’m liking the stripes. It offsets the white space but is not too Clown-y.
Thanks for the visit today as well.
My pleasure.
Yes, good topic. Everyone here gets pulled over at least once by Officer Speed, and I’ve always wondered….
Haha. Is there really an Officer Speed in your area? That’s a good one. Hopefully you haven’t had the chance to meet his acquaintance…
I met him once when I was 18 and he made me stand in front of a jury and apologize for being an irresponsible teenager. Bless him.
Sounds like a fun time. And Mr. Speed sounds like a ball of laughs.
A whole barrel full!!
Oops, that should have been ‘make’ his acquaintance.
Way back when I took organic chemistry, there was a guy in my class whose last name was Bone. And yes, indeed, he went on to become a chiropractor
Love the doc who named his daughters Ann and Polly – wow.
Is it awful that the first thing I thought about when I heard his name was Bone had nothing to do with actual bones? I blame today’s society’s loose morals and the media…and rock bands!
Don’t worry. I thought the same thing. So in other words, Dr. Bone could work for a bone specialist or a urologist. Man, those urologists are fair game today…
lol
Yes, that would have been as bad as me naming my child Billy. Which I wanted to do, but my husband said it would be too mean. But lots of people don’t know what bilirubin is, so he might have slid on by unnoticed…
I think I’d trust a chiropractor named Dr. Bone. Or an orthopedist. That’s a reassuring moniker.
By the way, just read the first of your short stories–I’m trying to work them in where I can. Loved it. And I loved the sales boy. We could all be reminded of what real devastation is at times. Your sentences are beautifully crafted. Looking forward to reading more!
YOU have no idea what that means to me coming from you! Truly!!! Thank you
You’re welcome, and I mean it. I envy those who write pretty sentences. Mine get the point across, but they don’t trickle through the brain poetically.
A girl I worked with doing archaeological survey was working on her PhD and getting married to a guy named Jones, so she is now Dr. Jones. As in Indiana. (Admittedly, maybe not something that catches the eye of a non-archaeologist!)
That’s a good one! So many people are familiar with the movie, that I bet she never hears the end of it when she introduces herself as an archaeologist. Bet she just has to grin and bear it like she’s never heard the joke before.
I began to suspect something when several of my email notices had the word “foolishness” in the title. Happy Birthday to El Guapo. And like Rachelle, I have heard so great doctor’s names but they’re escaping me at the moment. Fun post, Carrie.
Thank you. I haven’t even opened my inbox yet. I imagine all sorts of ‘foolishness’ and other things await me there…
Also heard of another urologist named Dr. Tapper. Do not know him personally, but thought his name kind of appropriate.
Dr. Tapper. Ha! Hope he didn’t live up to his name…
As long as it’s not Dr. Paine.
I don’t have any teacher co-workers with appropriate names, but my Grade 2 teacher was Mrs. Chalk.
Haha! Mrs. Chalk. I love that. Of course, in the digital and Smart Board age, current school children may no longer get that…
And now that you mention Dr. Paine, I do believe I remember someone telling me they had a doc with that name. Hopefully he wasn’t a pain specialist. If so, I hope he excelled beyond his name…
Ha, there’s no way the Urich guy wasn’t aware of the puns – the question is…does that make him a hilariously awesome or horribly awful parent? Or a combination of both?
Can’t say I’ve met anyone whose names matched nearly as well as your examples. However, here’s some food for thought…my last name is Nest…my blog’s name is Nest Expressed?! Mind = blown!
And that Dick Hacker guy is quite a comedian…I wonder whether the son appreciated the humour?
Duke Nest
*Urich…damnit!
Wow, you really are a little OCD, aren’t you? You make my Type A-ness look endearing.
I’m telling you – I have issues! People think it’s all fun and games, but them someone loses an “I”…
*then….I’ll, I’ll just stop right now….
Maybe that’s for the best. Your brain needs a rest. (I could go back and edit these tiny, unnoticeable errors of yours, but then your great follow-up comments wouldn’t make sense, so you’re stuck with them for all eternity. Just like I am with the typo in my book…)
Haha. Yeah, that sucks when that happens.
Luckily, as a newborn, my nephew was not scarred by the humor. Though he may have been from the procedure…
And yes, Dr. Urich was definitely having fun. But who could blame him? Unless one’s familiar with the medical terms, Ann and Polly are simply nice names. And who am I to talk? I wanted to name one of my sons Billy (bilirubin…), but my husband ix-nayed that idea.
Oh, and thanks for the mind-blowing. Brilliant analysis on how your name ties to your blog.
Those are awesome! I’m sure I have several examples of names like this, but can’t think of a single one as I sit typing.
Have you tried standing?
Hahaha! I will try that next time
That guy always cracks me up.
Don’t worry. It will come to you in the middle of the night like good responses always do to me. And then, if you’re again like me, you’ll promptly forget them in the morning.
Right? I like your new blog look too btw.
Thanks!
This is a nice, light, funny post.
May I add to the Dr. Strangnames list?
Dr. Harold Beaver…gynecologist in Florida
Dr. Fester — Georgia dentist who caused one of my teeth with a porcelain filling to abscess, (no kidding)
Dr. Gross – A dermatologist I once visited when I lived in Cumming, Ga (yeah I know, the name of the town is stranger than the name of the doc).
Those are fantastic! Thank you for sharing them. As I wrote this post, I thought, wouldn’t it be horrible if there was a gynecologist named Dr. Beaver? And now you’ve just confirmed to me there is! How could people not laugh when he said what he did for a living?
Love Dr. Fester (though not the abscess he gave you) and Dr. Gross, too. Because skin can be gross. Lesions are not pretty…
oui…and dr. harry beaver to boot…ha! xx
Now that’s just not right…
Teacher at a local elementary school: Mrs. Smiley. My parents met a guy who renamed himself Herb Avore. I’m sure I know more, but I can’t call them to mind right now. You listed some keepers.
Herb Avore! Guess he confined himself to a lifetime of vegetarianism. Hope he didn’t stray.
And I hope Mrs. Smiley lived up to her moniker. No one wants a grumpy teacher names Mrs. Smiley…
Thanks, Anne!
Carrie,
Such a birthday wish looks this much better in a revamped blog look and feel… I think I might even stay here myself for the celebration…
In Canada, everyone has a “Le” or “La” before their name, which helps us know if that someone is a man, or a woman, which is not always evident. You can thank me next time you come to Montreal…
Le Clown (obviously, a man)
Obviously.
Well now at least I know you are a woman, La.
Good point. How do we know La La is who she says she is? She could be a 65-year old cross-dressing man for all we know. Just saw a show about that on Dr. Phil. ‘Catfish’ they call them–those folks who pretend to be someone else online.
And now I’ve digressed, but thank you for stopping by my site!
Ah-ha!
Well, in fact we still don’t know, the ‘La’ before ‘La’ might be fake too…
Catfish you say. For some reason I seem to be coming across them a lot recently. Mostly in edible format on a breakfast waffle. And I’m not even joking.
Okay, now that just sounds gross. Talk about an appetite-buster. Which I guess I should thank you for…
You were the first person I thought of after reading Le Clown’s comment. Well, after Le Clown, anyway…
Thank you for that education, Le Clown. I, La Carrie, appreciate it. However, I must admit, having a ‘La’ before my names makes me feel more like a thing than a human. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
La Carrie,
You are nothing less than La Magnificent™.
Le CLown
Ah, merci.
No one I’ve met personally, but the doctor who signed my great-grandfather’s death certificate was—Dr. Coffin. How’s that for a confidence-inspiring name in your health provider?
OMG, JM! That’s wild!
Isn’t that wild? I’ll bet even in 1916 people must have made endless jokes about that!
And he probably had to grin and bear all of them…
Just goes to confirm that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. If we used that name for a coroner in one of our novels, we’d be scoffed at.
Oh, that’s perfect! He was destined to be a coffin-maker, a mortician, a coroner, or a medical examiner. Pediatrics would never have suited him.
I think from now on, I’m only going to choose healthcare professionals based on their names.
And thanks so much! My birthday is now off to a great start!
Glad to hear it! About the birthday being off to a great start, that is. Well, and the healthcare professional choice, too…
Have a good one!!
And happy birthday, Guap! Hope it’s a great one.
Tahnks so much – I’m enjoying the pants off it so far!
Too bad you’ll probably be blind and insane from reading all the posts, tweets, and comments by the end of tonight. But at least you’ll know you’re loved.
It’s been a fantastic day, mostly because of this stuff!