Does anyone know the full names of the boys or if they were ever mentioned in the books? The most I've ever seen was Joseph for Joe. But I've been reading a lot of fanfic recently and some people give them full names. For example, Frank=Franklin. Is there some basis for this or is someone just making it up for their own story?
I realize that Joseph for Joe is obvious but is their middle names ever mentioned or Frank's full name? I always thought it was just Frank...
PLEASE don't tell me it's Francis or something like that...I will NOT be happy! lol
I believe that Frank's full name is just Frank. Joe's is Joseph, but in all the books I've read, Frank's name is the same.
I think one of the casefiles has a bad guy mention Frank by "Franklin" but beyond that I don't ever recall any reputable character in any book mentioning something other than Frank.
I've always thought "Frank" was his full first name. In the 1920s that was a pretty popular name, in fact my grandpa was named Frank. Plus, I've never seen "Franklin" or anything like that in any of the books.
Joe's full name is "Joseph". Both the originals and the Casefiles mention this, I think. In one of the UB, Frank says Joe's middle name is "Irving".
I would agree that Frank is and should be just "Frank". Joe's middle name being Irving? No way. lol I don't see it.
Thanks for the replies. I was pretty sure the fanfic with Franklin Davis as his full name was made up. :)
Quote from: SDLagent on November 17, 2009, 11:01:03 PM
I've always thought "Frank" was his full first name. In the 1920s that was a pretty popular name, in fact my grandpa was named Frank. Plus, I've never seen "Franklin" or anything like that in any of the books.
Joe's full name is "Joseph". Both the originals and the Casefiles mention this, I think. In one of the UB, Frank says Joe's middle name is "Irving".
Yeah, I've never once heard Frank's middle name. I'm not even sure if it's Franklin or not. lol You'd think we'd know that after 80 years huh? lol But yeah, Joe's full name has been currently established as Joseph Irving Hardy.
*Sighs* Irving for sure huh? Well I guess that makes more sense as they originated in the 20s. Good to know though...thanks!
Yeah, that makes sense, hardygirl847. Weird thing is, though, his middle names wasn't mentioned until the 2000s! In the same series they modernized Gertrude's name to Trudy. Go figure.
SDLagent...I didn't realize that! Either way, I have a hard time picturing Joseph Irving Hardy as his name. You would think he would get picked on or something about that...I'm not saying anything against the name itself...just that it doesn't fit with Joe. That's just my opinion. Perhaps Frank and Joe were created without full/middle names because it doesn't really matter. No one really uses their full names (minus a few "Josephs" here and there)...Oh well.
well, in one of the originals, frank and joe called themselves francessca and josephine hardy. since joseph is close to josephine, one might suspect that frank's full name might be francis. though, really, what else would he have called himself? but if his name really is francis, well...it'd suck! :( no offense to any of the francises out there! ;D ;D
Quote from: RevWolfX on December 31, 2009, 11:13:04 AM
well, in one of the originals, frank and joe called themselves francessca and josephine hardy. since joseph is close to josephine, one might suspect that frank's full name might be francis. though, really, what else would he have called himself? but if his name really is francis, well...it'd suck! :( no offense to any of the francises out there! ;D ;D
LOL I agree...mainly because it doesn't fit him. He is a Frank. Period. Franklin or Francis doesn't make sense to me. Francessa could have been used as his alias with all three possibilities. I am still on the "Simply Frank" team. He doesn't need any other fluff. I just don't see Fenton and Laura having him and naming him Francis. Joseph for Joe on the other hand...is very common and therefore is just fine.
Quote from: SkyWarp on November 17, 2009, 12:28:09 PM
I think one of the casefiles has a bad guy mention Frank by "Franklin" but beyond that I don't ever recall any reputable character in any book mentioning something other than Frank.
Do you remember which Casefile?
Yeah because I want to know!!
And if a bad guy said it then it doesn't completely count as his actual name being Franklin. Sometimes villains do that for no reason or to try and piss someone off.
I'm on another forum and people who have gone through every single book with a fine tooth comb that Frank is never anything but Frank.
I'm curious about this one too. I'll have to look through my books and see if I can find anything...
I'm pretty sure that, when the books first came out in the 20s, Frank's name was just Frank. That was a pretty popular name at the time. Also, originally Joe's name was probably just Joe, too. I don't think it was until the 50s that he started being called Joseph. Any know which book first used the Joseph name? The Secret of the Lost Tunnel was it?
I'm not sure about the originals offhand, but I do know that at the end of Chapter 3 of "Too Many Traitors" (#14 in The Hardy Boys Casefiles) Joe is referred to as Joseph. The funny thing is that Frank and Joe are being put under arrest for a crime and so probably in an effort to be formal, their full names are used- but they are addressed as Frank and Joseph Hardy. So that makes me question if Frank honestly is short for anything. It sounds more like it's just Frank and Joe is short for Joseph, which is pretty normal.
In the original The Mystery of Cabin Island, the Hardy Boys receive a letter from Elroy Jefferson and it is addressed to Frank and Joseph Hardy.
Quote from: Fenlaur on March 12, 2010, 11:42:17 AM
In the original The Mystery of Cabin Island, the Hardy Boys receive a letter from Elroy Jefferson and it is addressed to Frank and Joseph Hardy.
Quote from: MacGyver on March 11, 2010, 09:28:28 PM
I'm not sure about the originals offhand, but I do know that at the end of Chapter 3 of "Too Many Traitors" (#14 in The Hardy Boys Casefiles) Joe is referred to as Joseph. The funny thing is that Frank and Joe are being put under arrest for a crime and so probably in an effort to be formal, their full names are used- but they are addressed as Frank and Joseph Hardy. So that makes me question if Frank honestly is short for anything. It sounds more like it's just Frank and Joe is short for Joseph, which is pretty normal.
This is what I've been saying all along on the various forums I participate in! If someone was being formal with Joe (police or dear Aunt Gertrude) then it would stand to reason they would use Frank's formal name as well. In all instances I've read, it has always been JUST Frank.
As for it being popular, it was #12 during the 1920s. As found here: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/babynames/decades/names1920s.html
But Wikipedia states Frank being #10 in 1920. The name goes from 10 to 9 a few times before falling off the top 10. Still...more reason to think his name was just Frank.
link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_most_popular_names_in_the_1920s_in_the_United_States
Quote from: Fenlaur on March 12, 2010, 11:42:17 AM
In the original The Mystery of Cabin Island, the Hardy Boys receive a letter from Elroy Jefferson and it is addressed to Frank and Joseph Hardy.
Wow, that's the earliest mention I know of. 1929. This means that in Leslie McFarlane's mind, and possibly even Edward Stratemeyer's, it was Frank and Joseph.
Quote from: SDLagent on March 12, 2010, 04:27:58 PM
Wow, that's the earliest mention I know of. 1929. This means that in Leslie McFarlane's mind, and possibly even Edward Stratemeyer's, it was Frank and Joseph.
Of course back then when people were addressing envelopes a lot of times, even though a person may be called by "Joe" or "Bill" in person, the addresser would use the formal name for the person, ie. "Joseph" or "William". And then think of how many times in the 1920's and 1930's if you were sending a letter to a woman who was married how the woman would be addressed as "Mrs. [husband's first and last name]".
Quote from: tomswift2002 on March 13, 2010, 04:42:00 PM
And then think of how many times in the 1920's and 1930's if you were sending a letter to a woman who was married how the woman would be addressed as "Mrs. [husband's first and last name]".
That wasn't just back in the 30's, I know of several older ladies that had their phone numbers listed in the phone book like that in the 1980's
...and at some weddings they still say that.
I am 26 and get addressed at Mrs. David F. all the time when it's for a wedding or something else formal. Personally I shortened my name since high school but some people still call me by my full name once in a while...usually family. However, Frank is always addressed as Frank.
Thus more reason to believe that formally and informally, Frank is just Frank. :)
Quote from: SkyWarp on March 13, 2010, 10:18:12 PM
That wasn't just back in the 30's, I know of several older ladies that had their phone numbers listed in the phone book like that in the 1980's
I know what you mean about the phone numbers. My great-grandmother had her name like that in the phone books until she passed away in the early-2000's even though her husband had been dead since the mid-60's.