Foo - What was Opie Taylor's real name?

I mean, what is Opie short for? The only thing I can think of is Opium, but who would name their kid opium?

Opie.

Let me Google that for you...
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+was+opie+taylor%27s+%20real+name

There are two explanations of the name's origin. One is that Opie Taylor was named by Andy Griffith after bandleader and radio actor Opie Cates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opie_Cates).[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opie_Taylor#cite_note-0)[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opie_Taylor#cite_note-1) The other is that he was named for Opie Shelton (1915–1999), a childhood friend of Griffith, who went on to become president of the Atlanta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta,_Georgia) Chamber of Commerce.

Opie Cates (10 October 1909, Arkansas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas), USA – 6 November 1987, Oklahoma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma), USA)[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opie_Cates#cite_note-0)[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opie_Cates#cite_note-1) was an American clarinet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinet) player and band leader in the 1930s and 1940s, during the swing era (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_era), who became a radio actor.
Cates was born Opal Taft Cates, the son of a farmer in Arkansas, and was also raised in Kansas and Missouri.That enough? Opie is a nickname for Opal.

in the early part of the 20th century, lots of names which would be odd-sounding today were common place. Look at Carol Shelby or Carol O'connor. there was even a famous judge name "Learned Hand." (yes, that's Learned, not Leonard. Pronounced Learn-ned.)

Damn, Rob beat me to it.

Whut? I gave everyone a 20 minute head start. Where were you all that time?

Whut? I gave everyone a 20 minute head start. Where were you all that time?
Personally? Catching up on the Drum Solo thread.

Opossum, it's a Southern thing.

^^^ Gack! Who would name their kid after last nites dinner?

^^^ Gack! Who would name their kid after last nites dinner?

Scrapple O'Herlihy Sr.?

That enough? Opie is a nickname for Opal.

in the early part of the 20th century, lots of names which would be odd-sounding today were common place. Look at Carol Shelby or Carol O'connor. there was even a famous judge name "Learned Hand." (yes, that's Learned, not Leonard. Pronounced Learn-ned.)The male version of the name is "Carroll", and it's spelled that way with both O'Connor and Shelby. Of course, there was Evelyn Waugh and Joyce Kilmer...who both had more conventionally masculine first names (Arthur and Alfred).

In my little phone book, we have a variety of old fashioned first names: Ronnell, Donnell, Odie, Shirley, Arvil... to name a few. On the other hand, Opie might just be mis-spelling for initials, like O.P.? Another common southern thing - just use those inititals!

It's short for Ophelia.

Made him tough like the boy named Sue.

Ron Howard

Ron Howard

http://19.media.tumblr.com/mCU8jmcCknhaneztKwDmYdCyo1_500.jpg

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