When it comes to politics, memorable names are par for the course (thanks, Obama!) But sometimes memorable can turn into, well, unfortunate. America has seen a parade of elected officials with names that make you do a double take, from Harry Baals to Dick Wigglesworth. In a world where branding is everything, these statesmen—and woman—leaned all the way into their unusual names, bringing a light-hearted twist to the halls of American politics.

Harry Baals – Mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana (1934-1947), and again in 1951 until his death in 1954.

Ethelbert Barksdale – Confederate politician and U.S. Representative from Mississippi (1883-1887).

Lilburn Boggs – Governor of Missouri (1836-1840).

Hale Boggs – House majority leader (1971-1973) and a member of the Warren Commission investigating President Kennedy’s assassination.

Young Boozer III – Current State Treasurer of Alabama. Yes, there were indeed three with this name.

Augustus Brandegee – U.S. Representative and Senator from Connecticut (1897-1898).

Styles Bridges – U.S. Senator from New Hampshire and briefly Senate President pro tempore (1953-1955). Feels like Styles should be in an emo band.

Saxby Chambliss – Former U.S. Senator from Georgia (2003-2015).

Salmon Chase – Governor of Ohio (1856-1860).

Barzilla Clark – Governor of Idaho (1937-1939).

Owen Vincent Coffin – Governor of Connecticut (1895-1897).

Braxton Bragg Comer – Governor of Alabama (1907-1911).

Mike Crapo – Attorney and current U.S. Senator from Idaho.

Edgar D. Crumbpacker – U.S. Representative from Indiana (1897-1013).

Marsena Cutts – U.S. Representative from Iowa (1883-1877).

Chauncey Depew – U.S. Senator from New York, known for his oratory skills (1899-1911).

Martin Dies – U.S. Representative from Texas (1909-1919), known for his role in the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Martin Dies, Jr. – U.S. Representative from Texas (1931-1945), followed in his father’s footsteps in Congress.

Poindexter Dunn – U.S. Representative from Arkansas (1858).

Wall Doxey – U.S. Senator from Mississippi (1941-1943) and later U.S. Representative. Don’t tell anyone where he lives!

Zales Ecton – U.S. Senator from Montana (1947-1953). But did he go to Jared?

Alpheus Felch – Governor of Michigan (1846-1847).

Roswell Pettibone Flower – Governor of New York (1892-1895). Embarrassing or Awesome?

William E. Glasscock – Governor of West Virginia (1909-1913).

Galusha Grow – Speaker of the House and U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1861-1863), instrumental in passing the Homestead Act. Sounds like a Willy Wonka character.

Bob Goodlatte – But is it pumpkin spice? U.S. Representative from Virginia (2013-2019), known for his work in agriculture and judiciary matters.

Asle Gronna – U.S. Senator from North Dakota (1911-1921), known for his anti-war stance during World War I.

Hannibal Hamlin – Vice President of the United States under Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) during his first term.

Lamartine Hardman – Governor of Georgia (1927-1931).

Bourke B. Hickenlooper – Governor of Iowa (1943-1945) and U.S. Senator (1945-1969). Other notable Hickenloopers include Andrew (a Union general) and John, Governor of Colorado (2011-2019) and U.S. Senator since 2021.

Philander Knox – U.S. Senator (1917-1921), Secretary of State, and Attorney General, instrumental in founding U.S. Steel.

Speedy O. Long – Yes, Speedy was his given name. United States Representative for Louisiana’s 8th congressional district (1965-1973). His parents named him Speedy because he was born prematurely.

Reuben O. Moon – U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1903-1913). IDK I just giggled at this one.

Lot Myrick Morrill – Governor of Maine (1858-1861).

Wiley Nickel – U.S. Representative from North Carolina (2019-2023).

J.J. Pickle – Long-serving U.S. Representative from Texas (1963-1995). I’d really like to see a Nickel-Pickle ticket! Or maybe some term limits…

Xenophon Pindall – Governor of Arkansas (1907-1909).

Ruffin Pleasant – Governor of Louisiana (1916-1920).

Percy Priest – U.S. Representative from Tennessee (1949-1953), known for infrastructure development in Nashville.

Al Quie – U.S. Representative (1958-1979) and Governor of Minnesota (1979-1983). Pronounced Kweeeee.

Adolph Sabath – U.S. Representative from Illinois (1934-1952), known for his advocacy for labor rights.

Leverett Saltonstall – Governor of Massachusetts and U.S. Senator, served in both World Wars.

Philetus Sawyer – U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1957-1967).

Elbert Lee Trinkel – Governor of Virginia (1922-1926).

Pleasant Tully – U.S. Representative from Georgia (1883-1885). Descendant of Edmure?

Reed Smoot – U.S. Senator from Utah (1900-1941), known for the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.

Strother Stockslager – U.S. Representative from Indiana (1881-1885).

Gale Stalker – U.S. Representative from New York (1923-1935).

Napoleon B. Thistlewood – U.S. Representative from Illinois (1908-1913).

Enos Throop – Governor of New York (1829-1833).

Sherman Tribbit – Governor of Delaware (1973-1977).

Waitman Wiley – U.S. Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871) through the Civil War.

Effiegene Wingo – U.S. Representative from Arkansas (1930-1933), one of the first women in Congress.

Richard Bowditch “Dick” Wigglesworth – U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (1958-1960) and served as ambassador to Canada.

And we’ll leave you with that.