Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Dr. Dick

I am not running, biking or swimming today because I am being a pussy and letting this illness run its course. So let me be annoying and share something non-fitness related with you because I think it is a fascinating topic:

I went to the urologist recently (in support of a family member). Having not spent any time with a urologist, I wasn't quite sure what they did. I knew it had something to do with urine (or that was my guess because I'm pretty good at looking at words and breaking them up to find their meanings).

Sitting in the waiting room and seeing all the pamphlets on Viagra and erectile dysfunction, I quickly realized that the urologist must cover all kinds of issues from the waist down. Not, however, to be confused with the gynecologist or proctologist in any way.

After I had read every "Martha Stewart" and "Country Living" magazine in the waiting room (I skipped the edition of "You and Your Urine") I started looking around. I realized that there are two doctors in the practice. One of the doctor's name was Dr. Weiner. No shit. And not the same Weiner who just resigned for using his wiener inappropriately.

This got me to thinking: does your name have anything to do with your destiny?

These are real:

Chiropractor: Dr. McCracken
Dentist: Dr. Molar
G.I. Doc: Dr. Butt
Orthopedist: Dr. Bonz
Driver's Ed Teacher: Mr. Carr
Hearing Aid Doc: Dr. Silence
Urologist: Dr. Cockburn

Cockburn??? Are you kidding me?

Do you think if you are born with a name like, let's say, Lester Vachina, are you more likely to become a gynecologist than the average person? If kids ridiculed you for fifteen years about your name being so close to the word vagina, is there something subconscious that would cause a person to gravitate towards a profession having to do with female genitalia? Just curious. Someone should do a research project. I think I'm onto something big.

Ever met anyone whose name correlated to their profession or personality? How does Beth Shart sound?

Update and funniest thing ever! A reader, Michelle, just commented about a gynecologist back east named Harry Beaver. I did not believe her. But, Google tells me he is alive and well and practicing in Fairfax, VA.

SUAR

68 comments:

  1. And the most infamous doctor of them all... DR FEELGOOD! You're the same age as me, so don't tell me you don't recall that awesome Motley Crue song. :)

    Sorry you're sick. I came down with chest/head crap the day after my Oly. UGH. Am ALMOST better...hope to be back in the pool on Friday.

    Get well soon!

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  2. I was reading about a fire in our local paper last night, and it mentioned the Fireman in charge ... Ash (somebody, can't remember the surname) ... I thought that was pretty funny :)

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  3. I don't know about professions, but my maiden name was pretty difficult to live down .. it rhymed with 'screamer'... and i was very loud and obnoxious. And then it meant other things...

    My married name isn't much better :P

    But I think they're both ... ummm... accurate?

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  4. Dr. Doctor. He did my knee scope.

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  5. Yes his name was Dick Police. He was a cop and worked pt as security management at the store I worked at in HS . To a rebellious teen it was pretty funny. I also know a guy named Harry Bush and he's a Jr. So the jokes were for a few generations.

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  6. I once saw a sign for a dentist named Dr Pain. I bet he had a hard time bringing in new clients. I know I was going to steer clear!

    I hope you feel better soon!

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  7. In my hometown there was a urologist named Dr. Stopp. The father of the kid I used to babysit went to him for his vasectomy.

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  8. My acupuncturist was named Dr. Au.

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  9. My Orthodontist growing up was Dr. Seuss and he always gave me wacky, colorful brace rings.

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  10. There's a doctor in our area (now retired) who performed mostly vasectomies (on many people we know). His name is Dr. Stop. For real!

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  11. There's actually been research done on this topic -- people are more likely to gravitate toward jobs/towns/friends with similar names. Dennis is more likely to become a dentist, Florence is more likely to move to Florida, and so on.

    I've never encountered any really good ones, but when I worked for Kaplan Test Prep, I came across a few non-related Kaplans, and at a Hilton in Melbourne, I was greeted by Tessa Marriott.

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  12. Our principal was Dr. Schoolman.

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  13. I have a friend name Richard Toy .. yet Dick Toy and yes a real man whore at that! LOL

    Also dealt with a guy at a printing/documents company name Wayne Carr some things just fit hahah

    Glad i am not the only one that things about this stuff. Get better soon.

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  14. orthodontist in my hometown -- dr. smiley!

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  15. I always thought it was ironic that the doctor who delivered me was named Dr. Bottomy.

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  16. There was gyno on the east coast (I believe now retired...) named Dr. Harry Beaver. I kid you not!!!

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  17. OMG Michelle you are killing me over here. That cannot be true. Harry Beaver???

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  18. A friend of mine sees a Dr. Hung for his restless legs....I don't know if it's true....

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  19. Mike Hunt: the best Urologist in town

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  20. We have friends whose last name is Speakar - he's a sports radio announcer and she's a speech pathologist.

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  21. My OB/Gyn, now retired, was named Dr. Grab....

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  22. I once saw an orthopedic Doc whose name was Dr. Meaney.

    There was also once a priest at my church whose name was Fr. Sinner

    Really, it's true!!!

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  23. I had a health teacher named Ms. Gross (and in 5th grade pretty much everything in health class seemed gross) and an art teacher named Ms. Mess (who was shockingly messy) Funny correlation!

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  24. Yep, true!!! He is/was in Fairfax, VA. I originally heard of him from my sister in law who lives in Wash DC. I knew you would like that name....

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  25. My eye doctor in my home town in Iowa's name was Dr. Wink. Seriously!

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  26. Get this -- My maiden name is RUNNER!!!!!! It was....meant to be!

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  27. There's a urologist in Ohio named Richard (Dick) Tapper. (There's also a doctor who worked at the same hospital named Dr. Snowman, but I don't think that has anything to do with his job.)

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  28. The doctor that over saw my arrival into this world was Dr. Miracle. I don't think the doc that mess up my x-rays in high school was Mal Practice though.

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  29. My dad had a surgeon by the name of Dr. Slaughter.......no sh*t!!!

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  30. I had a Biology teacher in High School named Mr Geik (pronounced Geek) and the name fit all too well.

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  31. Oh, I remember now...there's a guy who works at a bus company here on Maui and his name is Harry Johnson. I can't say his name without cracking up. I hope I never meet him in person!

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  32. This is the funniest thing I've heard all week:
    Alecia said...
    I have a friend named Barette Morris. We call him Bare Ass More Ass, and yes, he is a male whore

    Can't. Stop. Laughing.

    Also, there's a plastic surgeon in my town named Dr. Teet.

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  33. As a joke, not an actual name, my uhh... 'acquaintance' wore a gynecologist costume for Halloween a few years back.
    His name was 'Seymour Bush'.

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  34. A family member of mine went to a Dr. Philpott in Denver for urology.

    Hope you are feeling better soon...

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  35. Growing up, my dentist was Dr. Needleman and my orthodontist was Dr. Hertzberg.

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  36. After your blog, mentalfloss is one of my faves. They just did an article on this:
    http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/90485

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  37. The name of my first gynocologist: Dr. Glover.

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  38. this might just be the post of the week for me. training and motivation be damned, I needed a good laugh

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  39. i wonder if they will take my laptop away at work for seeing a google for harry beaver?

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  40. Hmmm I wonder what became of Barabara Buns or Mary Bone from way back in first grade?

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  41. My orthodontist was Dr. Misri, pronounced Misery.

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  42. Hey Blog friend, learned a new term for one of your favorite subjects while on a 20 mile backpacking trek the other week - BOBO. Bo is #1, BoBo is #2. And we got points -
    1 point if you Bobod with a view
    2 point if you bobod with a view while watching an animal bobo.
    3 point if you bobobd with a view while watching an animal bobo and used a rock for toilet paper
    4 points if you built a throne to bobo on - view optional.

    the whole conversation we had about bobo made me think of you!

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  43. Ooh ooh my eye doctor Dr. Leslie Doctor. Who's parents were also eye doctors.

    My sister in-law has a psychiatrist friend, Dr. Sic (not sure if that is the way you spell it). The brother is a doctor also.

    There are also the Downers near me who own a funeral home.

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  44. Gyno in Southeast PA - Dr. Greybush

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  45. Dr. Richard Chopp - Urologist in Austin, TX. That's right, he does vasectomies and his name is Dick Chopp. LOL

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  46. At one company we went through a corporate tax audit. The auditor at the federal government was named Richard Head.

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  47. Years ago I went to an OB/GYN named Dr. Hymen.

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  48. My friends go to a chiropractor named Dr. Bender and a gyno that also has an appropriate name that has escaped me at the moment. My name has yet to make me a rockstar runner, but all in good time. ;-)

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  49. I used to work with a Dr. Hurt (ER doctor) and, I kid you not, Dr. Bush, the OBGYN.

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  50. There's an orthodontist where I lived name Dr. Toothman. And my mom used to go to a pediatrist named Dr. Machete.

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  51. Usually I bust your balls... errrr labia?

    BUT, don't feel like a pussy for not training even if its just a head cold. Your body needs time off to recover. Us type A personalities see it as a weakness though.

    You can typically go 2 weeks and not lose any fitness... so no sweat. You have tons of time to train. Typically I just shuffle my recovery days that are scheduled with my days off.

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  52. Amy M and Brenda Jo... It sounds like you both might be referring to the same doctor?!

    Feel better soon Beth!

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  53. HAAAAAA! I once went to a doctor named, "DR SLAUGHTER" .. no kidding. good doc though. Gave out good drugs

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  54. This conversation is truly delightful on a cold, rainy, east coast Thursday.

    I have a good friend who's last name is Liekness. (Pronounced "Likeness") and yes, she is a professional photographer.

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  55. There is a podiatrist (foot doctor) in DC named Dr. Korn!

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  56. OMG! You crack me up! I found your blog through either Janae or SR and I'm loving it. I had an English Comp Teacher named Mr. English. I thought he was joking the first day of class!

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  57. I don't think this is exactly the same, but my son's pediatric ear, nose, and throat doc was named Dr. Soose (pronounced the same as Dr. Seuss). Of course, each of my children separately asked, "Isn't he DEAD?!?!" THAT was tough to explain...

    And a friend's sister had a friend named Crystal Chanda Leer. For real.

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  58. I do think there's something about someone's name that makes them more inclined to have a certain occupation. My husband's last name is Youngblood and he's a family dr., so there you go!

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  59. I once met a woman named Candida. I don't know what she did for a living.

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  60. How about Payne and Payne- Dentist's

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  61. Local podiatrist (or ortho, not sure) named Dr. Brace.

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  62. When I was at JMU, the head of the psychology dept. was named Dr. Couch. My vet is Dr. Wolff. And yes, Harry C. Beaver (to be official) is something of a legent in Northern Virginia. It used to be the first thing we NoVa folk used to point out to visitors in the phone book.

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  63. My dentist's name is Dr. Toothman. No kidding.

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  64. I'm so late to reading this post - but one of my college professors was Dr. Dick and he's really well known in my field. The worst part is when I go to interviews - I have said things like "I took Dick", Dick was one of teachers", "Dick was a good professor." and "Yeah, I think that was Dick." Never awkward. At all.

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  65. OMG - I live in CT and my husband's urologist is also Dr. Weiner. I kid you not. And last Sunday I sprained my ankle and ended up in the ER, where the doctor introduced himself to me as "Dr. Doolittle". I laughed at his joke. And then saw his Dr. Doolittle name tag. D'oh!!

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  66. Oh, and how could I forget my first gynecologist, Dr. Ruth? :)

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  67. My parents knew of a urologist named Dr. Flood! Btw, you're so cutting edge that you even scooped NPR =)

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/talk/2011/06/26/137399635/whats-in-a-name-maybe-the-key-to-your-career

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  68. Couple years later commenting... But you came up on google when I was trying to find I guy I changed air filters for when I was in high school (summer job at a hospital in east LA). Dr. Richard Dick - a urologist specializing in penile implants. Dick Dick the Dick Doc.

    Here in Texas we have a urologist in Austin named Dr. Dick Chopp.

    As a Dental Hygienist I've known of dentists named Dr. Payne, Dr. Molar and Dr. Ouches

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