A: The Funny Name Server is a collection of funny, amusing, interesting, strange, and occasionally rude names.
Q: Where did the names come from?
A: They were found in electronic phone book listings covering Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, Long Island, Westchester and Connecticut, published around 1990.
Q: Aren't the names copyrighted? Don't you have to pay royalties or something?
A: While the original listings are copyrighted, the collection of names in the FNS is a derivative work automatically copyrighted by the Funny Name Server under the Copyright Act of 1977 and the Berne Convention.
Q: Did you actually look up all these names yourself? How long did that take?
A: The names were researched by one person over a period of about a year.
Q: Wow. Get a life.
A: You're right. I should be doing something useful like exploring arcane web sites that list funny names.
Q: Why aren't all the names funny?
A: Not all the names in the FNS were selected for their humor potential. While many are funny, others are simply strange, unusual, or odd. Of course, what's funny, strange, unusual or odd to one person may be simply stupid to another.
Q: I searched for the name [Dick Hertz, Harry Balls, Heywood Jablowme, etc.] and it wasn't found. Why not?
A: The Funny Name Server only lists names that are in the phone book. Occasionally you'll find a name in the FNS that is obviously made-up. This just means that person scammed the phone company into getting their fake name listed.
Q: I found a funny name in your database but it wasn't in the phone book. Why not?
A: The FNS database is over ten years old and in that time many people listed in it have moved, companies have gone out of business, etc.
Q: How come it just shows names, but no phone numbers or addresses?
A: It's the names that are interesting, not the numbers. Besides, if I listed the phone numbers and addresses, those poor people would no doubt get harrassed by people like you.
Q: How many names are in the database?
A: Thousands.
Q: Are there any unlisted names in the database?
A: No.
Q: Where do you get off making fun of people's names?
A: The Funny Name Server is intended to show the incredible diversity of the names in the phone book, not to make fun of any individual, business or organization.
Q: Hey, my name [company name, organization name, etc.] is in the database! I'm offended. How can I remove it?
A: Email your removal request to .
Q: I found a really funny name in my local phone book! Can I add it to the database?
