Yes, there truly is a person named Marshall Brain. I was born Marshall David Brain, and that is what's on my birth certificate. If you are ever up in the Springfield, Ohio area you will find a place called "The Brain Lumber Company." Both of my parents are from Springfield, and the lumber yard was started by my great grandfather Willard Brain.

Brain is a funny name to have. In school it meant I got a lot of kidding, but as an adult it is not so bad. It is a great conversation-starter.

I do not know the origin of the name -- it's funny that the How Stuff Works guy doesn't know how his own name works, but that's how it is (isn't there a saying about the cobbler having no shoes?). If you look it up in one of those "where your name came from" books it will say, "from a town in the south of France." And perhaps that is it. If any of you are big into geneology and would like to offer your thoughts, I'd welcome them!

Thank you for visiting How Stuff Works - I hope you enjoy it!