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       By Jim Knippenberg
       The Cincinnati Enquirer

        Question: What the heck is with the name Fifth-Third Bank? Shouldn't it be the One and Two-Thirds Bank? Reducing fractions to lowest terms, you know. Where did they get that name?

Answer: The Stupid Desk gets this question about 25 times a year. They usually begin, “I just moved to Cincinnati and don't quite understand the name Fifth-Third.”

        We've answered this before, but in the interest of all those newcomers, here goes:

        The name is the result of a 1908 merger between Fifth National Bank and Third National Bank. Apparently Fifth National had the upper hand, or it would have been Third-Fifth.

        If you have a stupid question, send it to Ask a Stupid Question, Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati OH 45202; fax: 768-8330.

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