SLIDER

What's In A Name?

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic asked bloggers to list either the top ten character names they love or the top ten unusual character names. To be honest, I just didn't feel that inspired by the topic. I knew I'd have to spend a long time looking at my bookshelf or scouring Goodreads to come up with ten names. Why? Well, I think I usually find the character a lot more memorable than the name they're given. I know the two should go hand-in-hand, but they don't always for me.

Sometimes, I'll find myself working on a review with characters that I ADORED, but I'll still have to flip back through the book to make sure I'm remembering their name correctly. Isn't that terrible? It typically only happens when I've let too much time pass in between finishing a book and writing the review, but still... 

I did, however, start thinking about when parents name their kids after characters in literature. The inspiration for what to name your baby can come from anywhere, and I know that it's not uncommon for bookish people to reflect their literary love in the naming of their babies. No, I'm not pregnant, but I do have a lot of friends who have started having babies... And, what can I say, it's put babies on my brain!

Would I name a future baby after a character I loved? I'm really not sure! But here are a few I'd consider:


Anne - I probably wouldn't use this as a first name since my name is Hannah, and those are a little too similar to each other to be used as the first name for my future offspring. I would, however, consider using this for a middle name. I love classic, traditional names so this is obviously right up my alley. It also helps that this is one of my favorite characters ever written.

Blythe - As much as I love Gilbert, I just can't see myself giving a little boy that name. It's just a little too out-of-date for my taste. Plus, I'm pretty sure everyone and their mother would know exactly why I gave my baby that name. But I would love to use his last name for a girl's first name! The mister isn't a fan, so it's not likely to happen but in my imagination this would totally work.


William - Look, I can't use Fitzwilliam because of obvious reasons but I'd totally turn it into William for my future little boy. It's another classic, traditional name. I like that it's not obviously literary (like if you named a boy Gilbert) so it's not like everyone would immediately know that I'm nerdy enough to name my kid after a fictional character. Not that I mind being nerdy...

Elizabeth - Like Anne, this is another really popular and classic name. It's also one I'd be more likely to use as a middle name than a first name, but that's just because I'd prefer to pick something with a little more personal meaning for my future baby's first name. I also particularly love it shortened to Beth. 

Have you ever named something after a favorite fictional character?
What names would you consider for future babies or furbabies?

20 comments

  1. Funny to see you struggle with remembering characters names sometimes. I often do that too. I love seeing how much of a true "character depth" person you are the more you blog. :)

    LOVE the literary naming. Love it. I totally approve of Blythe for a name and will petition for you to the mister. ;) Super creative and unheard of. Sneaky way to go about being nerdy. I like it. Ever since I made Dan read Pride and Prejudice and he decided it was everything I talked it up to be, we've wanted to get a dog and name her Lizzy.

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    1. Haha! Yeah, I always feel bad about the fact that I can be terrible with character names, but I at least I remember my favorites :)

      Glad you also love the literary naming! And yay for another Blythe fan :) Plus, woohoo for puppy Lizzy!

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  2. I love Blythe. I'm Hispanic so I have relatives could never pronounce it but I love it.

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    1. Yay for another fan of that name! I wish my mister loved it!

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  3. I really like Blythe! And omg, just that picture of Anne & Gilbert... Makes me want to watch Anne of Green Gables all over again. My childhood!!
    Lovely names! I love your choices and applying them to possibly using as real names!

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    1. Hahah! Totally agree on the picture - I was dyinnggggg to pop in those DVDs after doing a Google image search for pictures of those two. LOVE.

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  4. I love William. It's so strong and classic and timeless. Though I have not named anyone or anything after book characters, I do hope to do so in the future. :D

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    1. Yeah, I love that William is so timeless and classic. It could have literary ties but no one else would necessarily know :) And yay for future lit babies!

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  5. I personally think Anne is a lovely middle name, but I may be a little biased, haha! ;) And it has to be Anne with an e of course, since it is "so much more distinguished." I seriously loved that about watching Anne of Green Gables when I was little, that we spelled our Annes the same way. And I also LOVE Blythe as a girl's name! One of the PTs that works at Kyle's company is named Blythe and I remember loving her name when I first met her!

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    1. Haha! Glad you support Anne ;) And OF COURSE it has to be with an "e"! That's not even a question. I love that Montgomery made that so important to her character. Such a fun little detail!

      And yay for also liking Blythe! Wish my mister was a fan!!

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  6. I'm with you in not remembering characters names after I read the book! The worst, we are.

    I did name my daughter Lucy partially after the CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia series, but also because my husband and I adore the name in general. So nerdy? Yes. But exclusively because of the book? Nah.

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    1. Haha! At least we're not alone :)

      Love that reasoning! I'd definitely have to love the name in general to use it for my future babies. Wouldn't want one just with nerdy meaning to me either. Love your pick - and that it's something you loved and also got ties to a series you love!

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  7. Anne's a good middle name....it's my middle name ;). My mom's middle name is Ann, but she liked Anne of Green Gables' "Anne with an E" so she picked that for me. My first name is from Melissa Gilbert, the actress on Little House on the Prairie, so I feel like I got a totally literary name!

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    1. Oh I love that story! Both that you got an "e" because of Anne AND that your first name comes from Melissa Gilbert. Too cool!

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  8. I agree that classic bookish names can be a good way to go! Especially William and Elizabeth!

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    1. YAY! So glad you agree with me on that one :)

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  9. I ADORE that you would pick Anne! I think it's a strong name for a girl, and I'd be delighted to use it as a middle name for one of my children. But my favorite name in this post would have to be Blythe! That's such a gorgeous name for a little girl. It's very different, but in a good way!

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    1. I'm so glad you love both of those picks! Now I just need to have babies so I can get to naming them haha!

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  10. For a while I wanted to name a daughter Tacy. I've since grown out of it, but even though we still have yet to have kids, but of me is still a little nostalgic for the name!

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    1. Awww! I just re-read that series over the summer and kept thinking that Tacy would be so cute to name a little girl!

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