"gomer" (was: Air Force Language (1962); Medical Slang (1994))

[Douglas G. Wilson]

 From Larry Horn:

>I seem to recall rustic--or non-rustic--simpletons also being dubbed
>"Homer" (well back before Homer Simpson, whose dubbers may have
>exploited this tendency).

I think I recall this too ... more often "Zeke" or "Clem".

I suppose there's a reason for "Clem Cadiddlehopper" rather than "Clive
Cadiddlehopper", for "Jethro" rather than "Jeffrey" on "Beverly
Hillbillies", for "Li'l Abner" rather than "Li'l Alfred", etc.

My grandfather was originally named Willy. He changed his name to William;
he said he felt "Willy" was undignified and reminiscent of a comic strip
character or so, as I recall. Like it or not, names have a certain flavor,
I guess ....

-- Doug Wilson