Unknown First Names Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joseph

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay, British India, in 1865. He is best known for "The Jungle Book" and other novels, poems and stories that often featured life in India. Joseph Conrad (Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski) was a Polish-born author whose best known works were written in English, including "Heart of Darkness" and "Lord Jim".

Answer: Calvin Coolidge

John Calvin Coolidge served as President from 1923-1929 and was widely known as "Silent Cal". Although a gifted speaker, Coolidge was known to be a man of few words in private. The other Presidents named John were: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Tyler and John Kennedy.

Answer: Keith

Keith Rupert Murdoch runs a media empire that includes such stalwarts as Twentieth Century Fox, HarperCollins, and "The Wall Street Journal". Fellow Australian Keith Urban was born in New Zealand, and is married to Nicole Kidman, a US-born Australian actress.

Answer: Henry

Henry Ross Perot ran as an Independent and won 19 percent of the vote in the 1992 election and in earlier polling had matched G.H.W Bush and Bill Clinton. Through 2016, the name "Henry" has appeared only once in the name of a US President, as a middle name for William Henry Harrison.

Answer: Arthur

Arthur Neville Chamberlain was Prime Minister of the UK from 1937-1940 and signed the Munich Agreement of 1938 that ceded part of Czechoslovakia to a Germany that was expanding through threats and diplomatic guile. Arthur Wellesley led the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo.

Answer: Anna

Anna Lenowens' memoirs, published in 1870, were titled "The English Governess at the Siamese Court" and formed the basis for 1944 novel "Anna and the King of Siam" and 1951's musical "The King and I". Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was a very forward-thinking First Lady: she held press conferences, hosted a radio show and wrote for magazines and newspapers and spoke at the Democratic national party convention in 1940.

Answer: Yitzhak

Yitzhak Edward "Ed" Asner is best known for playing the curmudgeonly "Lou Grant" on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and the spin-off "Lou Grant". Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin pursued peace with Palestinians, and was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli that opposed his attempts at reconciliation with Arabs.

Answer: Ralph

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. undoubtedly pronounced the "L" in his first name, as do most Americans. Ralph Fiennes uses the traditional pronunciation with a silent "L", or "raif".

Answer: William

William Bradley Pitt shared a first name with his father, as well as English royalty. Pitt was a journalism major at the University of Missouri, but left two weeks before earning his degree to pursue an acting career. None of Pitt's children, adopted or natural, have their father's name.

Answer: George

Orson Welles' first name is George, same as King George VI who reigned 1936-1952. Welles' classic "War of the Worlds" was broadcast as a Halloween special in 1938, fooling many who didn't hear the disclaimers into thinking Martians were actually invading the U.S. Welles' opus is 1941's "Citizen Kane", which he co-wrote, produced, directed and in which he acted in the lead role. Welles' first name came from a great-granduncle, but he always used his middle name, "Orson", from his great-grandfather.