--- title: Man Named Darth Vader Doesn't Actually Like Star Wars description: A Tennessee man named Darth Vader in real life reveals what it's like to have an out-of-this-world name in real life. canonical: https://time.com/4767712/man-named-darth-vader/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-04T22:25:14.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:44:34.487Z og:title: This Man Named Darth Vader Doesn't Even Like Star Wars og:description: The Sith Lord now works at a hospital in Tennessee og:url: https://time.com/4767712/man-named-darth-vader/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt409202942e3811c9/6988cc1acd1bbaf4a4705110/man-named-darth-vader-in-memphis.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" - European Film Premiere - VIP Arrivals og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: This Man Named Darth Vader Doesn't Even Like Star Wars twitter:description: The Sith Lord now works at a hospital in Tennessee twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt409202942e3811c9/6988cc1acd1bbaf4a4705110/man-named-darth-vader-in-memphis.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Darth Vader Is Now an Orthopedic Surgical Tech In Case You Didn't Know > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=b6bbf4e0-a4a0-47bc-8a0d-71b09e1d046b&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang May 4, 2017 10:25 PM UTC  LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Darth Vader and Stormtroppers attend the European Premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" at Leicester Square on December 16, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Darth Vader and Stormtroppers attend the European Premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" at Leicester Square on December 16, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) Dave J Hogan—Dave J Hogan/Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang May 4, 2017 10:25 PM UTC Contrary to what you may have seen in the movies, [Darth Vader](http://time.com/4603719/star-wars-darth-vader-rogue-one-scene/) is alive and well and living in Tennessee. He’s also not a fan of the [_Star Wars_ franchise](http://time.com/4745528/may-the-fourth-star-wars-original-script/) and spends his days working as an orthopedic surgery tech at Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett outside of Memphis. According to an interview with [_Esquire_](http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a54890/good-darth-vader-surgical-tech/), this 39-year-old man, who was born Darth Vader Devon Williamson but now goes by Darthvader or Darth, has little interest in the Force or the Dark Side, but had a father who was a _Star Wars_ enthusiast. “They came up with the best plan to ruin their child’s life,” he said. With a _Star Wars_ buff for a dad and a mother under the effects of anesthesia, she would agree to anything. When she realized what she had done afterward, she was like ‘Uh, what have we done?’ (My dad) was like ‘No no, it’s cool, he’ll be OK,’ and it just stuck.” That doesn’t mean, however, that it hasn’t presented some problems for Darth. “If I’m conducting business, or I’m on the phone and tell them my name, they’ll hang up,” he said. “When I introduce myself, I’ll call myself Darth Williamson. They’ll be surprised by the name and go into a spiel about the movies.” Despite his lukewarm interest in the films, Darth does have a favorite villain from the series — and it’s not who he’s named for. He’s a fan of bounty hunter Boba Fett; specifically, Fett’s brevity. “Darth Vader is always talking,” he said. “Boba doesn’t do much talking. 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