What's in a name?

mhardy6647

So -- my son sent me a text earlier today:

i was reading something about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Van_Zandt

like i didn't know anything about him but it seems cool to be like a pretty successful actor and a member of the e street band

To which I responded:

I have trouble keeping these "van" guys all straight. Besides Little Steven, there's:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gus_Van_Sant

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townes_Van_Zandt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Van_Zant

This led to a predictably arcane exchange about evaluating the statistical significance of so many guys named (more or less) "van (S)Zan(d)t" all being musicians of some repute.

... it is kind of weird, isn't it?

lightman1

You're still snowed in, aren't ya Doc.......

FestYboy

A rose by any other name?

mdaudioguy

Don't forget Donnie and Johnny, but that's not really statistically significant, considering the relationship to one of the first three you mentioned.

mhardy6647

lightman1 wrote: »

You're still snowed in, aren't ya Doc.......

kind of -- and Mrs. H is on a birding trip. And I have a head cold. You mean you can tell?

Jaybeez

Methinks somewhere in their lineage a relative came over from Holland.

Most folks with "Van" are of Dutch descent.

My wife is first generation (her parents are off the boat) and their parties had more Vans than a skateboard park.