Our newest member, a lady (one assumes) by the name of Irisclara, brought to mind the fact that there aren't many proper names which are also parts of the body. (Yes, Irisclara, I'm sorry but that's how my mind works sometimes.)

"Iris" is, of course, one but I'll be damned if I can think of another one.

"Hairy" fails on a number of levels. Nicknames, such as "Bones" Reardon shouldn't count either. Pinky Lee might come closer but I doubt that was truly his given name so let's also say no to stage names. There was a fairly famous James Bond villian whose last name was Galore but I don't think she should count here and, while we're at it, a common diminutive for "Richard" should be out for the same reason. Let's keep this discussion on a somewhat elevated level.


So how about it? Is Iris the only proper name which is also a body part??

Be careful, CJ - you don't want to be giving celebs ideas!

Before we know it there'll be Kidney Kidman and Oesophagus Diaz running around...

I suppose you won't credit Lash LaRue either..

quote:

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Originally posted by tsuwm:
I suppose you won't credit Lash LaRue either..

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No, but close I'd say. I have to assume "Lash" was a nickname or a stage name. Wasn't that the guy with the bullwhip in the 40s and 50s westerns?

Giving this a bit more thought I came up with one myself although there is a U.S./U.K. distinction involved. "Fanny" used to be a not-too-uncommon woman's name around the WW2 era as in Fanny Brice or Fanny Farmer. In the states, one sits on ones fanny whereas (how to put this...) well, only women have fannies. How this occured I have no idea but "Fanny" would appear to fit the bill here.

Any others?

ARCH!!, short for Archie.

Also "Jaws" comes to mind but if it's the James Bond character it's no good because it's a nickname and if it's the shark it's no good because, well... ah, because it's a fish. New rule - No fish!


(Since I posed the question, I probably should postpone any of my own answers for a day or so.)

Does Armand Hammer qualify?

Lots of people whose last name is Kneeland.

There was a psychologist whose name is perpetuated in the optical illusion known as the "Necker cube."

Aureole, a name and, as a body part, variant of areola.

And, if you'll permit punning, the obscure personal name Uranus.

Secretary of State Colon Bowel ...... er ... ah ..

How about Achilles? Chin is a common last name. Gene is a man's name. Pat and Ella combined make patella. Does that count? No, I didn't think so. Well, there's Beaver Cleaver. What, you don't like that either? Daisy comes from "dayes eye". Still no good? I give up, then.

Tinman

Pat and Ella combined make patella.

Oh, you are humerus, Tinman!

I have been thinking, googling, obsessing, and can come up with zip!

I knew a Dr. Foote, who was a pediatrician.

And a Dr. Blood, who was a cardiologist.

How about "Chesty" Puller, the famous soldier?

I once knew a guy named Peter Richard.... no kidding!

My childhood dentist was Dr. Sydney Toothacher. Honest. I'm not kidding or making it up.

...I knew a Dr. Foote, who was a pediatrician.

...And a Dr. Blood, who was a cardiologist.

Now that I think of it, one of my instructors was Dr. Zoltan Ovary. (pronounced oh-VAH-ree).

But he wasn't a gynecologist, he was an immunologist.

Down the street was the office of Dr I. Needles, the dentist. But that's not a body part, just a pretty sharp name. For a dentist.

Most of the above are "aptonyms" and covered elsewhere though I will give Tinman credit for "gene" and honorable mention for "patella."

This one turned out to be more difficult than I had expected.

We had a great thread about humorous names, but my personal favorite was a friend's obstetrician:

Dr. Mabel C. Hiscock

There was the jurist Learned Hand - don't know if his feet were also erudite. And I suppose Bruce Holter would be somewhat amusing in German. I knew an Alex Neuron some years ago. Oh, and don't forget Doctor Fallopius' contribution to medical nomenclature. And Oral Roberts.

Then there was Cristobal Colon.

Richard has posted a reply in another thread that is also a contender.

My folks went to school with a guy named Dusty (short for Dustin) Rhoades. I've always loved that name! I know it's not body parts . . . but it's still good.

I work in an urban library, and I know a young woman (about age 12) who is named Placenta. Sad but true.

CW, you might find these old posts about names fun! I sure enjoyed rereading them!

Oh yes! Thanks for the link - I think it's the same one someone else already included, but it sure is great!

quote:

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Originally posted by Caterwauller:
My folks went to school with a guy named Dusty (short for Dustin) Rhoades.

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ICLIU but didn't Dusty Rhodes play outfield for the Giants forty years or so ago?

"Dusty" is quite a common nickname for someone named Rhodes, as it is for someone named Miller.

quote:

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Originally posted by haberdasher:
...ICLIU but didn't Dusty Rhodes play outfield for the Giants forty years or so ago?

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I looked it up. Yes.

responding to an earlier part of this thread... my dentist when I was a teen was Dr. Sydney Toothacker.

Hi everyone, I'm new to this board.

I believe that when somebody follows a career that is appropriate to their name, its called Nominative Determinism.

I know in the UK a few years ago the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds had staff called Bird, Sparrow, Starling, and Crow.

Welcome, B17Simon! And, another UKer. I love it!

Tell me, what does your name mean?

Welcome to the board, Simon!

I had to look up boffin and I'm glad I did! Here in the States it is slang for something OTHER than scientist.

Simon,
Surely you didn't FLY B-17's?

Hi Simon, and welcome! Your name doesn't imply that you live in Harborne or Edgbaston, does it?

There might be somebody named L. Bo Joynt...

I'd say there is definitely someone named Ulna. (Reminds me a bit of Mulva...)

This actually came up on Google:
[The pun seems to be unintentional, too.]

... A very dear friend of mine, named Retina, told me years ago about a vision she had ...

This isn't a body part...but it is a drug. I may have told the story here in some other thread. However, when I was a student in OB, a lady who had just given birth had decided not to breast feed (bad choice!). In order to dry up her breasts, the drug of choice at the time was "deladumone" (I may have the spelling wrong). The new mom loved that word and named her new baby: "Deladumone!" I remember thinking that if the girl didn't like her name, at least people could call her "Della."