September 23, 2004

Credit

I need advice about how my name should be listed in the credits for this documentary I've been working on. Curse my parents for giving me such a common name! There are countless Mike Phillipses, a bunch of Michael Phillips Jrs., and even a Michael W. Phillips.

I usually use Michael W. Phillips Jr. on legal-type things, and it's the name I use on my site. But it's so awkward. What do you guys think? What about Michael Walt Phillips? What about Siegfried von Himmelbutz? I need to make up my mind sometime tomorrow.

Posted by mike, September 23, 2004 12:25 AM
Comments

Michael W. Phillips Jr. has a sturdy elegance about it. It sounds honest. It sounds nice. And it is consistent with your site.

Posted by: zz at September 23, 2004 7:27 AM

How about MIKE THE HAMMER?

You need a stagename, dude. Cary Grant is dead. Use his. :-P

This is why I want to name my kid Biakabatuka Khabibulin Hockin, but Angela won't have anything to do with it. I am lucky. I'm the only "Shane Hockin" in the world that I know of. If I find another...

he will surely die.

Seriously, if you don't want to make up a name, I think Michael W. Phillips, Jr. works the best. It looks great written out. It only seems awkward if you say it 5 times fast.

michaelwphillipsjrmichaelwphillipsjrmichaelwphillipsjrmichaelwphillipsjrmichaelwphillipsjr!

Posted by: shane at September 23, 2004 7:50 AM

How about Michael J. Phillips? If a fake "J" is good enough for Michael J. Fox, it's good enough for anyone.

Posted by: deli-cut at September 23, 2004 9:15 AM

Michael J. Phillips won't work. If you enter than into Google, you get a ton of different people. The chairman of Russell Company, some agriculture bio-chemist, the author of "Dreamgirls," a mathematicial statitician, etc. etc.

HOWEVER, I did not turn up any direct hits with Michael X. Phillips. I've decided that Michael X. Phillips gets my vote. ;-)

Posted by: shane at September 23, 2004 9:46 AM

I don't think Michael W. Phillips Jr. is awkward at all!

How about just "Walt"? Like Cher...

Posted by: Amy at September 23, 2004 9:49 AM

I think Michael W. Phillips, Jr. sounds quite distinguished. I'd highly recommend going with that.

Posted by: Kris at September 23, 2004 10:12 AM

How about John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith?

Posted by: Gaia at September 23, 2004 10:35 AM

If you google "Michael W. Phillips, Jr." it only turns up you. So I think it's a winner...

if you don't like Michael X. Phillips better. :-P

Posted by: shane at September 23, 2004 10:39 AM

I think I'm going to go with Boutrous Boutrous-Phillips. I am positive nobody has a name like that.

Posted by: mike at September 23, 2004 11:22 AM

Travis Anderson (who has a name so common he can get into many concerts for free because it's probably on the guest list), suggests you go with Michael W. Phillps, Jr.

Especially since all that matters in this case is IMDB, not Google, and there's no Michael W. Phillips, Jr. on IMDB.

That being said, even though Travis Anderson is a common name, there is not one listed on IMDB. Though "Tracy Anderson" is, which is my mom's name.

Posted by: travis at September 23, 2004 12:04 PM

What Travis says is wise and true. However, people may mistake you for the son of the second unit production assistant from the movie "Backdraft."

Posted by: shane at September 23, 2004 1:37 PM

I think you should credit yourself as Michael Williams Phillips, to make up for all the people who dropped that name.

Posted by: Stevis at September 23, 2004 2:02 PM

Schmoo?
Yussuf Islam?
The Documentarian Formerly Known As Michael W. Phillips, Jr.?

Posted by: Slim at September 23, 2004 5:31 PM

I'm a big fan of the simple, yet, elegant "Mike Phillips" but it's just too common I suppose. I would go with Michael W. Phillips, Jr. That format works great for William H. Cosby, Jr.

Posted by: Shawn at September 23, 2004 8:14 PM

You could be mysterious and go with M. W. Phillips Jr. But if not that, I like Michael W. Phillips Jr. too.

Posted by: Brian at September 27, 2004 3:42 PM

So did you decide??

Posted by: aaaaa at September 28, 2004 11:42 AM

He went with "Turkey McCoy"

Turkey's the bomb now

Posted by: Mustard Seed at September 28, 2004 1:02 PM

I don't think that was one of the option. :-P

Posted by: shane at September 28, 2004 2:40 PM