Why do Sherlock Holmes and Watson refer to each other as Holmes and Watson?

Question

I mean, wouldn't it be better if they referred to each other as John (or Jack) and Sherlock?

Answer 1

Holmes and Watson sound more literary than Jack or Sherlock. In journalism, last names are always used throughout an article after the first identifier using both the first and sir name. Some times the use of first names is more personal, and since they outnumber last names, this can cause some confusion. Finally, I guess it's simply a matter of the writer's preference.

Answer 2

Keep in mind that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the stories in a time when there were certain rules of civility. It wasn't proper to call someone by their first name unless given express permission to do so. The proper way of speaking would be to say "Mr. Holmes..." Sir Arthur, by having Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes call each other by their last names, is showing the informality that is only to be found in family and with intimate/best friends. Calling each other by their last name is a style that some people, even today, use...as in calling someone Mac if their last name is MacDonald. It's both informal and could almost be considered a nickname. It's also more normally a "guy" thing.

Answer 3

They were written as professional people who worked as colleagues. It would have been quite unprofessional for either one of them to refer to the other as anything but a surname.

As GLDJNS said in her post, first names become very personal and misleading. You have to remember that the Holmes series were written in a time when common courtesy was almost demanded. Therefore, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his works just as he saw them in real life.

Here's a picture of him as a matter of fact:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Conan_doyle.jpg

Now, doesn't he look like a man you would call sir?

Answer 4

Why did Fox Mulder and Dana Scully call each other Mulder and Scully? lol

It's just the way that whole partner thing works. You call each other by their surname.

Why? I don't know. Sounds better. I have a friend who is an agent and she calls her partner by his last name... But oddly enough, he doesn't call her by her last name...

I don't know. Good Question!

Answer 5

Quite common and considered "manly" when men refer to each other by last names. Pax - C

Answer 6

who is jack and who is john??? and the point.... who is holmes and who is watson??? and also sounds better in that stories dear holmes or dear watson than dear jack or dear john lol

Answer 7

Mutual respect and affection much like football players, coaches and the like. Even though they are fictional characters they are better known as their last names.

Answer 8

Quite common practice in their time and circumstances.