When Ginger presents Gilligan with a coconut cream pie at his coming out party, he complains that he hates coconut cream pie. Yet, he has eaten several since being on the island, and will eat several more in future episodes.
The name-number combination "Gilligan Thurston Howell IV" makes no sense in the given context.
The only name that Mr. Howell knows him by is Gilligan. He wishes to pass on his lineage via his name. He is Thurston Howell III; therefore, Gilligan becomes Gilligan Thurston Howell IV. The Howells are rich enough they can flaunt the supposed conventions of "name-numbers." Additionally, there are no laws governing the naming of children, whether adopted or not. It makes perfect sense to the Howells, and they are the only ones who have a say in it, no matter the unconventional nature of it.
The only name that Mr. Howell knows him by is Gilligan. He wishes to pass on his lineage via his name. He is Thurston Howell III; therefore, Gilligan becomes Gilligan Thurston Howell IV. The Howells are rich enough they can flaunt the supposed conventions of "name-numbers." Additionally, there are no laws governing the naming of children, whether adopted or not. It makes perfect sense to the Howells, and they are the only ones who have a say in it, no matter the unconventional nature of it.
According to the late Sherwood Scwartz and the late Bob Denver, "Gilligan" was the character's last name. His first name was William or Willie. Therefore, his adopted name should be "W. Thurston Howell IV".
The SS Minnow is used as the stakes in a card game, even though the wreck utterly disintegrated way back in Goodbye Island (1964).