As to the origins of the name itself, "Heller admitted in later years that the name 'Yossarian' was derived from the name of one of his Air Force buddies, Francis Yohannan – an Assyrian – but that the character of Yossarian himself was 'the incarnation of a wish' (Now and Then 175-6).
Nime päritolu kohta tunnistas Heller hilisematel eluaastatel, et nime "Yossarian" tuletas ta ühe oma õhujõu tuttava, Francis Yohannani nimest, rõhutades, et Yossarian ise oli "soovi kehastus" ("Now and Then" 175-6)."