One story often told says I.A.L. stood for Interscholastic Algebra League because Diamond was a tri-state winner when he was in high school. Another says that he chose the three initials when the editors of the Columbia humor magazine, The Jester insisted he write under the name Ian because his Anglicized name 'Isidore' was too Jewish-sounding. Iz was always his nickname. Izzy was something he was called by people who did not know him well.