What's with the Initials?

[_Rank&File]

I have a buddy that could never be a GA because his name is Steve Allen Hull. The members would have a hard time saying Steve A. Hull

[_SatanWasSetUp]

There is a GA named C. Scott Grow. It sounds like a Dr. Suess book. I'm sure he lived his entire life as Scott Grow, then he got called as a GA and they tagged the first initial onto it.

[_Bond...James Bond]

There is a GA named C. Scott Grow. It sounds like a Dr. Suess book.

Sounds like one of those Public Awareness videos from the 1950s dealing with puberty.

[_silentkid]

C. Mike Hawk...sorry, couldn't resist.

[_moksha]

Would they have even more prestige if they used two initials?

[_Bond...James Bond]

Would they have even more prestige if they used two initials?

Of course. E E Emerson, W B Dubois, much better names with 2 initials.

I'm this close to changing my name to James S. P. Y. Bond.

[_rcrocket]

What is it about the LDS and their 3rd initial? It's really weird.

President Gordon B. Hinckley
President Thomas S. Monson

Let me guess. You don't work in a professional field, "profession" meaning clergyman, doctor, lawyer, professor.

American Heritage: An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.

A clergyman historically in Western civilization has been accorded "professional" status. Professionals, right or wrong, ridiculous or otherwise, use either first name and one initial or two initals or first and middle name. At least when they are operating in their profession. "C.S. Lewis." "Thomas W. Murphy, 'Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics;'"

Not always, but it is a 200-year-old custom.

P

[_Bond...James Bond]

Let me guess. You don't work in a professional field, "profession" meaning clergyman, doctor, lawyer, professor.

American Heritage: An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.

A clergyman historically in Western civilization has been accorded "professional" status. Professionals, right or wrong, ridiculous or otherwise, use either first name and one initial or two initals or first and middle name. At least when they are operating in their profession. "C.S. Lewis." "Thomas W. Murphy, 'Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics;'"

Not always, but it is a 200-year-old custom.

P

I was sort of semi-joking. It just struck me as funny that all of the LDS 12 use their initial (and many have throughout the past).

Not yet to the professional thing. Someday.

Then I shall be known as, Bond...J Ty Bond

[_SatanWasSetUp]

Let me guess. You don't work in a professional field, "profession" meaning clergyman, doctor, lawyer, professor.

American Heritage: An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.

A clergyman historically in Western civilization has been accorded "professional" status. Professionals, right or wrong, ridiculous or otherwise, use either first name and one initial or two initals or first and middle name. At least when they are operating in their profession. "C.S. Lewis." "Thomas W. Murphy, 'Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics;'"

Not always, but it is a 200-year-old custom.

P

In the past 200 years we've had George Wasington, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Ronald Reagan, Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking. They apparently didn't need to use any initials to do their jobs, and many could argue they were more successful in their proffessions than the current crop of 3 name GAs. :)

[_rcrocket]

Let me guess. You don't work in a professional field, "profession" meaning clergyman, doctor, lawyer, professor.

American Heritage: An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.

A clergyman historically in Western civilization has been accorded "professional" status. Professionals, right or wrong, ridiculous or otherwise, use either first name and one initial or two initals or first and middle name. At least when they are operating in their profession. "C.S. Lewis." "Thomas W. Murphy, 'Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics;'"

Not always, but it is a 200-year-old custom.

P

In the past 200 years we've had George Wasington, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Ronald Reagan, Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking. They apparently didn't need to use any initials to do their jobs, and many could argue they were more successful in their proffessions than the current crop of 3 name GAs. :)

Do you contest my assertion that it is common among professionals to use the middle initial when writing or appearing professionally -- especially clergyman? (Washington, Lincoln, Smith, Young did not have middle names.)

I suppose that if I argued that most politicians in the United States are male, you would come back with -- oh yeah -- what about Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Geraldine Ferraro.

P