Some people think that merely hyphenating their surname or having two middle names is more than enough. However, others have names so long that they’re nearly impossible to remember, let alone pronounce!
So, just how impressive can the longest names in the world get? Today we’ll be looking at 10 people with the longest names ever and ranking them according to how many characters are in each name. We’ll also learn some fun facts about their backgrounds or why they have such lengthy names!
Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí y Domenech
Number of Characters: 34
Shortened Name: Salvador Dalí
Birth Year: 1904
Location: Spain
Source: wikimedia.org
While Salvador Dalí is primarily known for his fantastic and incredible surrealist paintings, he also had a notably long name! He was born in Figueres, Catalonia in Spain, and indulged in all manners of the arts including sculpture and film. Dalí was also known for his eccentric, attention-grabbing behavior and his passion for all things strange, which earned him mixed feedback in the artist community!
Did you know?
Salvador Dalí’s most well-known work is The Persistence of Memory, which features his iconic melting clocks.
Nicholas Unless-Jesus-Christ-Had-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned Barbon
Number of Characters: 74
Shortened Name: Nicholas Barbon
Birth Year: 1640
Location: England
Source: wikimedia.org
Praise-God Barebone was a staunch Puritan and decided to express his beliefs by giving his eldest son, Nicholas, a stern and hortatory name to match. Nicholas studied medicine and became certified as a doctor before switching his career interest to building following the Great Fire of London in 1666. His opportunist decision proved to be fruitful and gained him a solid reputation as a young builder.
Did you know?
Nicholas Barbon wrote about economic theory during the later years of his life.
Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F’tang-F’tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel
Number of Characters: 76
Shortened Name: Mr. Tarquin Biscuit-Barrel
Birth Year: 1959
Location: United Kingdom
Source: terrygilliamsbangs.tumblr.com
This student was originally named John Desmond Lewis, but decided to change his name into a standing reference to one of his favorite Monty Python characters. The sketch that features this character, Election Night Special, was a satirical piece mocking the United Kingdom general elections. True to the original sketch from 1970, Tarquin changed his name in order to make a parallel statement against the general elections of 1979.
Did you know?
The Election Night Special sketch was later repurposed into the album Monty Python Live at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso
Number of Characters: 103
Shortened Name: Pablo Picasso
Birth Year: 1881
Location: Spain and France
Source: wikimedia.org
This famous artist is first and foremost known for his hand in beginning the cubist movement, among his countless other points of influence in the art world. Picasso’s work encompasses everything from stage design and printmaking to ceramics and sculpture, and he is said to be one of the greatest artists of the 20th century! Some of Picasso’s more dramatic and colorful styles were inspired by the work of Henri Matisse.
Did you know?
Picasso’s lengthy full name includes references to several family members and saints.
Anna Bertha Cecilia Diana Emily Fanny Gertrude Hypatia Inez Jane Kate Louise Maud Nora Ophelia Prudence Quince Rebecca Sarah Teresa Ulysis Venus Winifred Xenophon Yetty Zeno Pepper
Number of Characters: 154
Shortened Name: Nan Pepper Wait or “Alphabet” Pepper
Birth Year: 1883
Location: United Kingdom
Source: amazing-everything.fandom.com
This daughter of a Liverpool laundryman had a name so long that her christening is said to have lasted half a day or more! She usually went by Anna or “Alphabet” for short, because her full name was made up of one word for each letter of the alphabet. In 1910, Alphabet married Arthur Von Der Donk Wait in the United States, adding yet another word to the end of her name.
Did you know?
Barnaby Marmaduke Aloysius Benjy Cobweb Dartagnan Egbert Felix Gaspar Humbert Ignatius Jayden Kasper Leroy Maximilian Neddy Obiajulu Pepin Quilliam Rosencrantz Sexton Teddy Upwood Vivatma Wayland Xylon Yardley Zachary Usansky
Number of Characters: 197
Shortened Name: Barnaby Usansky
Birth Year: 1975
Location: Scotland, United Kingdom
Source: thesun.co.uk
This UK artist must have been inspired by Alphabet Pepper when he changed his name to a new one featuring a word for every letter in the alphabet! Barnaby was 36 years old when he changed his name, but he says that most of his friends don’t take it seriously and still call him by Nick, his former name. He says he decided to change his name because he had always been “nuts for words”.
Did you know?
Barnaby’s name is the longest one in Scotland by deed poll, and his father called him a “bloody idiot” for changing his name to something so drawn-out!
Louis George Maurice Adolphe Roche Albert Abel Antonio Alexandre Noë Jean Lucien Daniel Eugène Joseph-le-brun Joseph-Barême Thomas Thomas Thomas-Thomas Pierre Arbon Pierre-Maurel Barthélemi Artus Alphonse Bertrand Dieudonné Emanuel Josué Vincent Luc Michel Jules-de-la-plane Jules-Bazin Julio César Jullien
Number of Characters: 277
Shortened Name: Louis Antoine Jullien
Birth Year: 1812
Location: France
Source: wikimedia.org
This Frenchman was the son of a violinist named Antonio Jullien who was asked to play with the Sisteron Philharmonic Society. When Antonio Jullien asked one of the orchestra members to be his new son’s godfather, as was customary, all 36 members wanted to be included as well! As a result, the boy was named after all the orchestra members who wanted to be considered as his godfather.
Did you know?
Louis grew up to become heavily involved in musical arts as well, forming and conducting orchestras of his own.
James Dr No From Russia with Love Goldfinger Thunderball You Only Live Twice On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Diamonds Are Forever Live and Let Die The Man with the Golden Gun The Spy Who Loved Me Moonraker For Your Eyes Only Octopuss* A View to a Kill The Living Daylights Licence to Kill Golden Eye Tomorrow Never Dies The World Is Not Enough Die Another Day Casino Royale Bond
Number of Characters: 310
Shortened Name: James Bond
Birth Year: 1983
Location: United Kingdom
Source: wikimedia.org
You’d be hard pressed to find a bigger James Bond fan than David Fearn of Walsall, Stafford! When asked why he did it, this Bond series fanatic simply said: “I wanted to be James Bond and now I am – it’s the ultimate fantasy.” As you might expect, Fearn also already owned all the James Bond books and movies before he changed his name!
Did you know?
At 69 words, this is the longest name ever recorded on a UK Deed Poll.
Red Wacky League Antlez Broke the Stereo Neon Tide Bring Back Honesty Coalition Feedback Hand of Aces Keep Going Captain Let’s Pretend Lost State of Dance Paper Taxis Lunar Road Up! Down! Strange! All and I Neon Sheep Eve Hornby Faye Bradley AJ Wilde Michael Rice Dion Watts Matthew Appleyard John Ashurst Lauren Swales Zoe Angus Jaspreet Singh Emma Matthews Nicola Brown Leanne Pickering Victoria Davies Rachel Burnside Gil Parker Freya Watson Alisha Watts James Pearson Jacob Sotheran-Darley Beth Lowery Jasmine Hewitt Chloe Gibson Molly Farquhar Lewis Murphy Abbie Coulson Nick Davies Harvey Parker Kyran Williamson Michael Anderson Bethany Murray Sophie Hamilton Amy Wilkins Emma Simpson Liam Wales Jacob Bartram Alex Hooks Rebecca Miller Caitlin Miller Sean McCloskey Dominic Parker Abbey Sharpe Elena Larkin Rebecca Simpson Nick Dixon Abbie Farrelly Liam Grieves Casey Smith Liam Downing Ben Wignall Elizabeth Hann Danielle Walker Lauren Glen James Johnson Ben Ervine Kate Burton James Hudson Daniel Mayes Matthew Kitching Josh Bennett Evolution Dreams
Number of Characters: 899
Shortened Name: Red Dreams
Birth Year:
Location: Hartlepool, UK
Source: themarysue.com
Dawn McManus currently has the longest name of any living person. She suffered a tragic loss at the death of her son, but did her best to channel her energy into something good. She founded the Red Dreams charity with intentions to fundraise and drum up support for youths who dream of pursuing creative careers such as dancing, singing, and filmmaking. She changed her name to match her charity in 2012 and hopes that it will draw attention to her cause and encourage participation.
Did you know?
Red said she knew that her name change would be a big adjustment for others and suspected that her husband would slip up.
Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorffwelchevoralternwarengewissenhaftschaferswessenschafewarenwohlgepflegeundsorgfaltigkeitbeschutzenvorangreifendurchihrraubgierigfeindewelchevoralternzwolfhunderttausendjahresvorandieerscheinenvonderersteerdemenschderraumschiffgenachtmittungsteinundsiebeniridiumelektrischmotorsgebrauchlichtalsseinursprungvonkraftgestartseinlangefahrthinzwischensternartigraumaufdersuchennachbarschaftdersternwelchegehabtbewohnbarplanetenkreisedrehensichundwohinderneuerassevonverstandigmenschlichkeitkonntefortpflanzenundsicherfreuenanlebenslanglichfreudeundruhemitnichteinfurchtvorangreifenvorandererintelligentgeschopfsvonhinzwischensternartigraum Sr.
Number of Characters: 963
Shortened Name: Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff
Birth Year: 1914
Location: Bergedorf, German Empire
Source: wikimedia.org
Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff had the longest recorded name ever. Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff not only gave his name a word for every letter of the alphabet but he added an impossibly long last name to the end as well! There are several variations of this typographer’s name floating around, with some discrepancy concerning which one is correct. However, this version is the most reputably published–and the longest! He usually preferred to be known simply as Mr. Wolfe + 585, Senior.
Did you know?
Hubert grew up in what is now part of Hamburg and emigrated to Philadelphia in the United States, later having his name verified by Guinness.