The change of surname was caused by the opportunity to take on the tour engagements of fellow Canadian wrestler, Winnett Wallingford Watson, whose ship had been delayed by bad weather in the Atlantic; the original Watson later changed his ring name to Pat Flanagan. Watson received the "Whipper" nickname from his usage of the "Irish Whip", which involved hurling an opponent into the ropes before throwing him over his back, though sources differ on whether the name was acquired in Canada or the United Kingdom.
The surname change was due to assuming Winnett Wallingford Watson's wrestling commitments, whose vessel faced bad weather in the Atlantic; the original Watson later changed his ring name to Pat Flanagan. Watson earned the "Whipper" nickname from using the "Irish Whip," which involved throwing an opponent into the ropes before flipping them over their back, although sources vary on where he acquired this moniker.