Names in Aerospace and Military - fun coincidences

overscan (PaulMM) said:
This made me do a double take.

I guess as names go, "it's not unusual..."
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At the last place I worked there was an aeronautical engineer named Kelly Johnson. And let's not forget the first captain of the Zumwalt- James Kirk. (A shame fate couldn't have arranged for him to be first captain of CVN-80 Enterprise.)
 
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sferrin said:
As the last place I worked there was an aeronautical engineer named Kelly Johnson. And let's not forget the first captain of the Zumwalt- James Kirk. (A shame fate couldn't have arranged for him to be first captain of CVN-80 Enterprise.)
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It could still work out. Kirk was the second captain of the enterprise. ; )
 
Josh_TN said:
It could still work out. Kirk was the second captain of the enterprise. ; )
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Problem is that in the USN, aircraft carrier COs are all former aviators. It's a bit too late for our James Kirk to take that path.
 
I had a division officer on CVN-65 named Lt. Bly and quite a character as well, not your typical naval officer though.
 
Had a Junior Officer named Mericle (spoken: "miracle"). Yes, lots of bad jokes.

Had another one named Nice. He's now a full bird Captain as an EDO, runs a shipyard. More bad jokes, but it feels really weird calling him by his first name now.

Had an enlisted quartermaster (navigation, not supply) named Halsey. Never did ask if he was related to the Admiral.

One of my subs had a letter from a guy with the last name of Shipwright.
 
overscan (PaulMM) said:
My childhood dentist was Mr Payne.
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In France we have a doctor Bonnemort. Would you go to Doctor Gooddeath ? I've also seen a lot of Doctor Boucher / Bouchet - Doctor Butcher. Not exactly reassuring, even less if he is a surgeon.

My math teacher - the biggest A-hole in the known universe - was named Baisecourt. Which exactly means - Mr Shortfuck. His name actually means "short sighted" (short = cours and "baise" is old language for "vision")

When Jean Marie Le Pen created the Front National 50 years ago, a couple of supporters were Mr and Mrs Lehideux. Which exactly means - Thehideous. Not bad for right wing nuts.

There are also a lot of people with the name Vilain. This, because in the past it meant "peasant". Unfortunately it gradually evolved into "naughty". Lot of people called Levilain - Thenaughty.

And then are people with brand name. Back in 2007 I got a summer job with my dad, we had to check taxpayers sheets returns. Boring job, so we tried to get it funny with my colleague: and started a "stupid names competition".

We found a William Saurin, which is a brand of canned food - beef sauce. We also got lapin (rabbit) chevreuil (deer) renard (fox).
 
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Scott Kenny said:
Had a Junior Officer named Mericle (spoken: "miracle"). Yes, lots of bad jokes.

Had another one named Nice. He's now a full bird Captain as an EDO, runs a shipyard. More bad jokes, but it feels really weird calling him by his first name now.

Had an enlisted quartermaster (navigation, not supply) named Halsey. Never did ask if he was related to the Admiral.

One of my subs had a letter from a guy with the last name of Shipwright.
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Wonder if Shipwright went on to work for UPS or FEDEX?
 
Many years ago an RAF Tornado Pilot and nav who attended airshows regularly took great pleasure entertaining young ladies and telling them of their daring do as fighter pilots.

On their flights suits, the name patches:

Pilot: Hugh Jardon
Nav: Ivor Biggun

Obviously not their real names, but they got away with it at an number of airshows, RAF Mildenhalls huge Air fete for one.
 
New Scientist's Feedback has long given examples of 'nominative determinism'. All paywalled, alas. Usually they'd be scientific papers with author's names that reflected the research area.

Nominative determinism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

'...and an article on urology by researchers named Splatt and Weedon.'

www.thepoke.com

14 perfect examples of nominative determinism in action

Sometimes people choose the career they wish to pursue, other times a person’s career path feels more pre-determined. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of nominative determinism, it’s the theory that people tend to gravitate towards jobs that fit their names. A simple example would be...
www.thepoke.com www.thepoke.com
 
On the other hand, choosing the name for a product in a global marketplace can be tricky. I heard that the Toyota MR2 sports car didn't sell very well in France because in French, it's name sounds like 'merdeux.' Rolls Royce was going to name a car the Silver Mist until they found out what it meant in German.
 
There's a bloke in my line of business called Guy Gibson.
My former gaffer was called Neil Armstrong.

'Doctor! Doctor! I keep thinking I'm Tom Jones!'

'Hmmm.. It's not unusual.'

Chris
 
Rhinocrates said:
On the other hand, choosing the name for a product in a global marketplace can be tricky. I heard that the Toyota MR2 sports car didn't sell very well in France because in French, it's name sounds like 'merdeux.' Rolls Royce was going to name a car the Silver Mist until they found out what it meant in German.
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And there's an old story about the Chevy Nova that it needed to be renamed before it was sold in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. The name sounds like "doesn't go" in Spanish.
 
Rhinocrates said:
On the other hand, choosing the name for a product in a global marketplace can be tricky. I heard that the Toyota MR2 sports car didn't sell very well in France because in French, it's name sounds like 'merdeux.' Rolls Royce was going to name a car the Silver Mist until they found out what it meant in German.
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There is an offshore e-course we have to do called 'MIST'. I take great delight in explaining its meaning in German. Very apt actually.

Chris
 
Rhinocrates said:
On the other hand, choosing the name for a product in a global marketplace can be tricky. I heard that the Toyota MR2 sports car didn't sell very well in France because in French, it's name sounds like 'merdeux.' Rolls Royce was going to name a car the Silver Mist until they found out what it meant in German.
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Also the Audi E-tron. "étron" is the french word for poop. Renault Koleos sounds like "collé au s- " as in "collé au slip" (glued to the underwear) Also in greek Koleos means testicles.

My former gaffer was called Neil Armstrong.
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Louis Armstrong didn't needed strong arms to play the trumpet: his fingers would do the job.

Neil Armstrong didn't needed strong arms to walk on the Moon: only his legs, plus a gravity only 1/6th of Earth.

Lance Armstrongs didn't needed strong arms to steal seven Tour de France: only his legs, plus of course medical and mechanical cheating.
 
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There is a place in France with the name of Arnac-la-poste, which exactly sounds like "arnaque la poste" : "screw the post office."
There is also Beuzeville: weedtown.
And Beuzeville-les-graniers: ganja town the attic.
Verdelet : glass of milk.
 
Oh yeah, French place names are an unending source of amusement! Never mind double entendres (there's got to be a reason that phrase is borrowed from French of all languages...) in the native tongue, they frequently take on the most hilarious meanings in German.
 
Trident said:
Oh yeah, French place names are an unending source of amusement! Never mind double entendres (there's got to be a reason that phrase is borrowed from French of all languages...) in the native tongue, they frequently take on the most hilarious meanings in German.
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You have no idea... I swear that in Normandy I once saw a "lieu dit" (a random place, smaller than a village) with the name of CHEVAL MORT -"dead horse".
There is also an Aigleville - Eagletown.
We also have a Montcuq, which sounds like "mon cul" - "my ass". It has become a folk legend. I know a Sallespisse ("dirty piss") and countless others, very unfortunate names.
One funny is Longcochon "long pig". Also "Busloup" "bus wolf" (which doesn't mean anything but sounds funny).

Welcome to that rabbit hole... https://www.google.com/search?q="nom+de+villages+insolites+&client=firefox-b-d&sca_esv=567866750&ei=mBIPZaisNMuZkdUPhK-b4AY&ved=0ahUKEwio2JPsk8GBAxXLTKQEHYTXBmwQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq="nom+de+villages+insolites+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGyJub20gZGUgdmlsbGFnZXMgaW5zb2xpdGVzIDIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yCBAAGBYYHhgPSNIxULUDWL4wcAJ4AJABAJgBc6ABkQiqAQM5LjO4AQPIAQD4AQHCAgUQIRigAeIDBBgBIEGIBgE&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

blog.toploc.com

Noms de villages insolites : 30 toponymes plutôt loufoques

Noms de villages insolites : Montcuq, Anus, Vatan, Angoisse, Y, Le Fion, Poil, Sallespisse, Bourré, Trécon, Arnac-la-Poste, Glaire, Bouc...
blog.toploc.com blog.toploc.com

Deux verges = double penis
Le fion = the ass
Anus = (no translation needed)
Angoisse = anguish
Bourré = drunk
Vatan = "go away !"
Trécon = very dumbarse
Trébons = very good !
Bouc = ram
Montretout "show everything !" (incidentally, the HQ of the Le Pen right-wing politician dynasty)

"Cité de froidcul " = City of the cold ass (I kid you not !)

Hébécrevon = "let us die"
Bezons = "let's fuck ! "

And of course, two international superstars: "Bitche" and "Condom"
 
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So I'm told, the original name 'eBussy' had a snicker-inducing effect, so they changed it to 'XBUS.'

www.iflscience.com

Electric Bus Company Inadvertently Names Bus After NSFW Slang Word

Electric Bus Company Inadvertently Names Bus After NSFW Slang Word
www.iflscience.com www.iflscience.com


Honda also started to market a small car in Sweden as the 'Fitta' until they found out that it referred to... another orifice.

And a whole country was named 'Belgium', the rudest word in the galaxy, thus explaining the Fermi Paradox.
 
1695711087695.png

Formerly RNAS Twatt/HMS Tern.

Feel free to Photoshop a suitable person into the image.

Chris
 

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