Who would want a sword placed next to your neck, even if you'll be called Sir after that? Plenty of accomplished figures, according to new British government records (PDF) showing a list of 227 people who declined honors—such as knighthood—from the queen between 1951 and 1999, and who have since died. Here are 20 (supposedly) modest souls who are on the list—or they are not, God bless the queen, because they are still alive. Why doesn't David Bowie want to be Sir David, and Doris Lessing the alliterating Dame Doris?