JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee from Ohio, is known for using his initials, but the full meaning of “JD” is less commonly known. Throughout his life, Vance has gone by three different names: James Donald Bowman, James David Hamel, and James David Vance. He was born James Donald Bowman in 1984, sharing a name with his biological father. After his parents’ divorce, his mother remarried and changed his name to James David Hamel. He kept this name throughout his education and military service. In 2013, he legally changed his last name to Vance to honor his maternal grandmother. When he entered politics in 2021, he removed the periods from his initials, so he is now officially known as JD Vance. This detail is noted in his U.S. Senate biography. JD Vance’s name change journey reflects his personal and family history and the importance of his maternal grandmother to him.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com