As others have noted, while I think there's some element of sexism to some of it, I think a lot of the use of first names or nicknames has to do with making as few keystrokes as possible, especially if you're typing from a phone or iPad, combined with people being unsure about spellings (I think that's part of what's happening with "Ivo" (is his last name one word or two words?) and I have to confess I sometimes write "Audra" because I can't remember if it's McDonald or MacDonald). Also, the first name has to be unique so people know who you're talking about (I think that's part of what's motivating "Stro," and that's part of the reason why actors get first-named more than directors -- if you start saying, "Michael would have directed this better," I wouldn't be sure whom we were talking about. Michael Mayer? Michael Greif? Michael Blakemore?
If Lear deBessonet was named deBessonet Lear, I don't think people would be writing "deBessonet" nearly as much as they are currently writing, "Lear." |
