Full Names of the Boys

[MacGyver]

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.

[Fenlaur]

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.

[hardygirl847]

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.

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

[SDLagent]

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.

[tomswift2002]

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]".

[SkyWarp]

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

[SDLagent]

...and at some weddings they still say that.

[hardygirl847]

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.

[tomswift2002]

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.