J.B. vs. JB
Thursday, Feb 7, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This isn’t a major story or anything, but I never noticed before that JB Pritzker changed the way he punctuated his name when he ran for governor. From Vince Gerasole…
When Pritzker introduced himself to voters ahead of the 2018 election, he invited them to call him by name. He even spelled it out in campaign materials, and on social media accounts, as JB; forget the Jay Robert, and the periods. […]
But check out the other worlds JB Pritzker inhabited before getting to know voters. From his venture capital firm to his charitable foundation, his was a presence where J.B. was punctuated by periods. […]
A spokesperson for the governor said they “don’t think there was any specific reason, it’s just easier” to spell JB without the punctuation.
There’s also historical precedent, such as presidents known as JFK and LBJ. […]
Illinois’ first lady also goes by her initials, M.K. Pritzker, periods included.
The Pritzker Group spelling is here, the family foundation is here, the governor’s state website is here.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:25 pm:
Periods are overrated.
– MrJM
- Downstate Dave - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:27 pm:
Spelling Gate!
- Fax Machine - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:30 pm:
The proper punctuation is JB! or ¡JB! for Spanish media.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:31 pm:
J…B
Solved
- don the legend - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:35 pm:
“I agree with MrJM”. BVR
- BR - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:37 pm:
Don’t start dropping g G’s.
- a drop in - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:38 pm:
Either JB or J.B. just so long as it’s no longer BV.
- City Zen - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:46 pm:
How metric.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:48 pm:
I switch back and forth all the time. Meaningless.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:48 pm:
I noticed he took the oath as “JB” instead of “Jay Robert”.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:50 pm:
JB dropping his ……..
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:55 pm:
Seeing it officially listed on the website got me thinking that it’s actually kind of amazing how used to seeing “JB” as his first name I’ve gotten. I feel like they kind of eased us into it by having it be front and center on his campaign branding. As an official “first name” is quite unique.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 12:57 pm:
For “Oswego Willy”…
OW, “punctuationless” is the choice.
If “Oswego Willy” has other, some legal, entities, I may include and be “O.W.”
…
I have no worry towards that.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:01 pm:
What a phony way for a rich guy to pretend he is a regular guy just like us.
- olddog - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:07 pm:
=== What a phony way for a rich guy to pretend he is a regular guy just like us. ===
Like JP Morgan?
- What's in a name? - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:12 pm:
Rich,
I think we need to find you a hobby. Maybe take the Dog for a walk.
JK
- LXB - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:15 pm:
Does the famously period-friendly New York Times style guide honor this?
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:16 pm:
===What a phony way for a rich guy to pretend he is a regular guy just like us.===
Well there’s a flaming hot take. I’m not even sure what that means - regular people don’t use initials? They do? Heckuva a drive-by there
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:24 pm:
Personally, I would have just gone with McLovin.
- Ok - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:28 pm:
Probably has to do with Google searches and web addresses.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:29 pm:
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:24 pm:
Personally, I would have just gone with McLovin.
Can’t be topped!
- Ok - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:30 pm:
probably because people would put in the website:
www.j.b.pritzker.com
And that probably wouldn’t work.
- Anonish - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:33 pm:
Leave the periods, take the competent governance.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:37 pm:
If he was doing a bit for the rubes, he’d tell us that JB stands for Jim Bob, while riding around in an old cruddy van.
He’d probably also be wearing a barn jacket or a biker vest.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:45 pm:
No punctuation is a much cleaner look for graphics.
- workerbee - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 1:54 pm:
Wait - shouldn’t it be JR instead???
- Thomas Paine - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 2:14 pm:
JB is correct, I believe.
He was named for his uncles, Jay and Robert.
He couldn’t go by Jay because, well, too confusing.
but J.R. didnt make sense as a nickname because his uncle he was named for always went by Bob.
So they settled on “JB” as a nickname, a reference to Jay and Bob. But again, since they are not his initials, they should be sans periods.
As for his wife, the way JB says her nickname always reminds me of Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man , whom Peter Parker always refered to as “MJ”, and periods were never used. You can go either way I suppose, but when was the last time a disk jockey went by D.J.? DJ Jazzy Jeff didn’t. And over time Master of Ceremonies or MC came full circle as emcee.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 2:20 pm:
He’s just the governor. In my paper, he’ll get periods on his initials just like everybody else. M.J. too.
- A guy - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 2:28 pm:
Reading these responses make me want to break out the Jim Beam.
- Captain Obvious - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 2:33 pm:
So the B is for Bob? I like J Bob. Much more down hone sounding…
- Pick a Name - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 2:50 pm:
In about a year or two, he will go by Jay Robert so IL residents will be confused on who the guv is. While they look for loose change in the couch.
- sal-says - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 3:50 pm:
Slow news fday, amirite.
- RNUG - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 3:51 pm:
No big deal. I like JB as it is easier to type on the phone.
Personally, I probably sign 99% of my non-legal documents as first name, last initial that develops into a loop around the signature. It’s a lot cleaner than my long last name that other people tend to misspell.
- Mittuns - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 4:20 pm:
Our polling has shown that voters view punctuation marks as unfriendly, untrustworthy, and too definitive.
- Some political research group, probably.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Feb 7, 19 @ 5:11 pm:
===What a phony way for a rich guy to pretend he is a regular guy just like us.===
Well there’s a flaming hot take. I’m not even sure what that means - regular people don’t use initials? They do? Heckuva a drive-by there==
I guess the snark in comparing this to Bruce and all his phony attempts at being a regular guy, it just wasn’t obvious enough. My apologies.
- Rabid - Friday, Feb 8, 19 @ 2:06 am:
Looks more like a decimal point or micro dot