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ArchivesWhat's the origin behind the James Earl combo?
I've began to notice its a popular name combo throughout history. There's actor James Earl Jones, former POTUS James Earl (Jimmy) Carter, MLK's assassin James Earl Ray, and civil rights activist James Earl Chaney. Is there any famous James Earl or something? How did this become such a popular name combo?
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People liked James Earl Carter and named their children after him, with himself being named after his father.
This happens with many historical/famous figures. I’ve seen a lot of people, particularly African American men, named George Washington Surname and a lot of people, particularly white men, named John Wayne Surname for example. I know there are many other examples of this.
This happens with many historical/famous figures. I’ve seen a lot of people, particularly African American men, named George Washington Surname and a lot of people, particularly white men, named John Wayne Surname for example. I know there are many other examples of this.
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Your principle is correct, but the statement that Jimmy Carter was the impetus for this particular combination cannot be. Jimmy Carter was born in 1924, Ray in 1928, Jones in 1931, and Chaney in 1943. If there was a historical or public figure they were all named after, it had to have been someone born much earlier than Carter.
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It could be any of a few historical figures such as the historian James Ray (1700s), James Ray (governor, b. 1794), or James Ray (politician, b. 1874).
Or, it could just be a popular combo that people heard and liked. James is a popular first name (top 20s in the SSA since 1900). Ray is a popular middle name (top 80's in the SSA since 1900). It stands that they will commonly be paired together. Its like the thousands of kids named Olivia Grace, Isabella Rose, Michael Lee running around. They're all popular names and thus popular combos.
(ETA: Oops, sorry, looked up James Ray not James Earl, but the theory still stands)
Or, it could just be a popular combo that people heard and liked. James is a popular first name (top 20s in the SSA since 1900). Ray is a popular middle name (top 80's in the SSA since 1900). It stands that they will commonly be paired together. Its like the thousands of kids named Olivia Grace, Isabella Rose, Michael Lee running around. They're all popular names and thus popular combos.
(ETA: Oops, sorry, looked up James Ray not James Earl, but the theory still stands)
This message was edited 1/26/2024, 9:57 PM
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I second this theory. Earl was a popular name in the 1920s and 1930s, and being a one syllable name I imagine it would have made a popular middle name.
A brief search of Wikipedia using first names that were also popular at the time shows several instances of man named "Robert Earl", "John Earl", "William Earl", "Richard Earl" and "George Earl". This seems to suggest that Earl was once a fairly common middle name. So it's no surprise that "James Earl" is a common combination.
A brief search of Wikipedia using first names that were also popular at the time shows several instances of man named "Robert Earl", "John Earl", "William Earl", "Richard Earl" and "George Earl". This seems to suggest that Earl was once a fairly common middle name. So it's no surprise that "James Earl" is a common combination.
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