Well for all that played U3, we were introduced to many clues into Drake's past. We know he was an urchin thief by his pre-teens, possibly a runaway of some sort. We know that Drake is apparently not his real last name, bringing confusion about his claim to be a Francis Drake descendant. The game leaves this wide open for speculation about how Drake came to be who he is.

Well I think I stumbled across an interesting find...

I was just playing Uncharted:Golden Abyss on my Crushing playthrough and just happen to zone in on a small piece of dialogue. Chase, the girl, makes a side remark about the fact Drake is so damn good at climbing and scaling things. She says "Must have been raised in a Circus, I swear...." Thats when it dawned on me. What if he really was? Lets examine that possibility....

-Drake has made it very clear, at the end of the 2nd game and into the 3rd, that he is terrified off Clowns. This isn't all that unique seeing as many people are put off by their pale faces and creepy smiles. Yet he seems to have a strong pschological fear of them. Could this be from a childhood trauma dealing with them from his stint with the Circus?

-It would definitely explain his profound skill in acrobatic climbing and the like, not to mention his uncanny ability to evade iminant danger. It would almost seem magical if we  were not watching him do it in front of us. We have seen him scale huge structures, walk across wire thin beams, and swing from rope to rope like he is fucking Tarzan. All skills innate in any Trapeze Artist. What if he is a child of a Trapeze family? Think Robin(Batman) and the Flying Graysons. Seeing as "Carnies" are always traveling, their families usually do too. By default they also become integrated in acts for a profession because what else could they do?

-Carnies are also seen as modern day gypsies/theives. Drake shows exceptional sleight of hand in the begining of U3. A skill any Circus worker would know. This might seem a bit typecasting but for the sake of generalities we will go with it.

-It would also explain his disposition to become someone else. When you have a screwed up childhood sometime you just want to assume a different identity and start over. Maybe he liked to read about the crazy adventurers in history, seeing as if he traveled with a Circus he would of had to be home schooled. He may want to escape his reality so he actually runs away and takes on that persona.

I think this is entirely plausible withing the Uncharted Universe. Thoughts and ideas on this?

No, carnies are just dipshit methheads who swindle money from marks with their crooked ball games. Now, it has been made pretty clear that Drake was previously raped by a clown (possibly more than one), but to assume that any of this means he was actually in the circus is a bridge too far.

Its more likely hes a relative of Desmond and taps into the parcour abilities of assassins before him.

I have a theory. Nathan drake is shia lebeufs character from indy 4 grown up.
He learned climbing from the monkeys.

Oh and for the 2nd game's reference to Clowns, beware of ULTIMATE SPOILERS!!!!....

I wonder if this means Sweet Tooth will be Drake's rival in PSABARSRBARASARwhatever.

so his real name is robin?

that is a terrifying thought but possible lol. Clowns would of had unlimited access to him if he lived with a Circus >_>......... lets just say one was mean to him when he was a small child and that is it...for my peace of mind lol.

But seriously, think about my points and say he doesn't sound like someone with training in Acrobatics? I mean he was either a gymnast or a trapeze artist/ or maybe the escape artist.

Drake also makes the comment that he taught Sully and Dante(U:GA) how to scale stuff like him, hinting at he knew how before he even met Sully (made more apparent at his skills as a child in U3). That means he was 15 or younger with that kind of skill, no way he just fell upon such abilities with so few years on earth.

.....yes.

PS. Is your Avatar Carley Rae? Love her! :D