JD Vance, the Republican senator from Ohio and Donald Trump’s running mate, has a name that’s more than just a label. It’s a story of family, identity, and reinvention. Understanding “What Is Jd Vance Real Name” requires delving into the senator’s past and the evolution of his moniker.
Vance introduced himself to the world with his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” under the name J.D. Vance – “like jay-dot-dee-dot,” he clarified, a shorthand for James David. However, as his book reveals, this wasn’t his original name, nor would it be his last. Over his life, Vance’s first, middle, and last names have undergone transformations, raising curiosity about his identity and the reasons behind these changes.
Born James Donald Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, on August 2, 1984, he shared his middle and last names with his biological father, Donald Bowman. However, his parents separated early in his life. When Vance was around six, his mother, Beverly, remarried, and his new stepfather, Robert Hamel, adopted him. Consequently, his mother renamed him James David Hamel.
The adoption process effectively erased the name James Donald Bowman from the public record. The only birth certificate on file for Vance in Ohio bears the name James David Hamel, state records confirm.
Beverly ensured that his initials remained the same, as he was commonly known as J.D. Vance explains in his book that he did not believe his mother’s explanation that he was named after his uncle David. “Any old D name would have done, so long as it wasn’t Donald,” he wrote.
For over two decades, Vance was known as James David “J.D.” Hamel. This was the name he used to graduate from Middletown High School, serve as a U.S. Marine in Iraq (officially, Cpl. James D. Hamel), earn a political science degree at The Ohio State University, and even blog as a 26-year-old student at Yale Law School. These details are supported by documentation from these institutions and confirmed by his campaign spokesperson.
This situation became increasingly unsettling for him, particularly after his mother and adoptive father divorced. “I shared a name with no one I really cared about (which bothered me already), and with Bob gone, explaining why my name was J.D. Hamel would require a few additional awkward moments,” he wrote in “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Driven by a desire to connect with his roots and honor his grandmother, Vance decided to change his name again. He chose “Vance,” the last name of his beloved Mamaw, the grandmother who raised him. The name change occurred in April 2013, just before his graduation from Yale, according to his spokesperson. Taking on the Vance name felt like the right decision as he was leaving the struggles of his early life behind and embarking on a new chapter.
“Throughout his tumultuous childhood, Mamaw — or Bonnie Blanton Vance — raised JD and was always his north star,” his spokesperson said. “It only felt right to him to take Vance as his last name.”
Adopting the Vance name also linked him to what he describes as “hillbilly royalty” on his grandfather’s side. A distant cousin to his Papaw, also named James Vance, married into the McCoy-hating Hatfield family and committed a murder that “kicked off one of the most famous family feuds in American history,” Vance wrote.
With his new name, Vance essentially started with a clean slate as he embarked on his career as a lawyer and author. It’s the name he used to register for the bar, get married, enter the world of venture capital in Silicon Valley, and become a father.
However, there was one more name alteration. When Vance entered politics in July 2021, he removed the periods from J.D., opting for the shorthand JD, which he had often used throughout his life.
When asked if this was a formal change or simply stylistic, his campaign stated that it was how Vance preferred to be addressed in print. He has continued to use this version as a U.S. senator, referring to himself as JD Vance on his Senate website, in press releases, and in certain campaign and business filings.
His legal name remains James David Vance. While the AP Stylebook generally advises using the name someone prefers, the Associated Press honors his preference to be known as JD without periods.
In conclusion, understanding “what is JD Vance real name” is a journey through the senator’s life. From James Donald Bowman to James David Hamel, and finally to James David Vance, each name reflects a different stage in his personal evolution. While his legal name is James David Vance, he is publicly known as JD Vance, a name that represents his connection to his family roots and his personal journey.
