One day, while John Train was a graduate student in comparative literature at Harvard University, he encountered in an issue of Collier’s magazine the name of a man that would inspire a lifelong interest: Katz Meow of Hoquiam, Wash.

Mr. Train reported the discovery to friends and they began telling him about other unusual names, including Melissy Dalciny Caldony Yankee Pankee Devil-Take-The-Irishman Garrison, of Tryon City, N.C.