Welcome to Tuesday Book Chat. This is where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week.
Today’s question is:
What’s your favourite fictional character name?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation by commenting on this post or on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group.
Let’s chat!
This is a tough question. One of my favourites came from a Lori Wick book and the character was Marshall Riggs. I identified so much with him. I know there have been others I have loved too but can’t think of them right now.
Your turn.
I look forward to reading your comments here or at the FB group. Remember all comments go into the monthly drawer for a gift voucher.
It’s hard to tell with classics like Lizzie or Jo if I love them because of the name, or I love the name because of the feelings evoked by the classic. “Jo” is a great name for Miss Josephine March because it embodies the tomboyish character (and can be shouted across from the neighbour’s yard). “Lizzie” is a cutesy diminutive for Elizabeth Bennett and suggests she’s playful and bright. Interestingly one of the modern adaptations uses “Bridget”, casting her as from an old world background. Bridget says alot more about the parents maybe.
Modern stories have more diversity in names, because they reflect a society that also has huge diversity. Victorian era authors maybe had to stick with Elizabeth, Jane, Margaret etc because they were commonly used names.
But you can’t go past Dickens for inventiveness. My favourite is Joe Gargery from Great Expectations. When you say it, your mouth makes an uncouth rolling shape, like chewing gum, and makes me think he’s a man who would be happy sitting in a corner chewing gum and observing the world.
Thanks for stopping by and your thoughtful comments.
It’s too hard to pick a favorite in books by others, but so I think I’ll list one of my characters, who’s based on a real person in history. If you were asking for the longest character name, this might be a contender.
Marcus Lollius Paullinus Valerius Saturninus, consul of Rome in AD 125, Urban Prefect (like Rome’s mayor and commander of its police force) from AD 124 to 136. He’s the commander of the lead characters in three of my novels, but they usually just call him Saturninus (to others) or Prefect (to his face).
Now thats a mouthful. A friend friend had a dog Kingo but kept adding names of favourite sports stars. I think it had about 6 names by the end.
Did it come no matter which one was used?
It was always Kingo first (I think it was Kingo, Imran, Steffan, Michael, and I forget the rest)
That is definitely a mouthful! I guess there’s a story behind that name.
No surprises–Elizabeth Bennet! From my own books, it would be Felicity Sherwood in my Monastery Murders.
Thanks for stopping by. I would have favourite characters but not necessary favourite names.
None that come to mind immediately as a ‘favourite’ name. I have a character name I hated, Buttercup from Princess Bride.
Sometimes its easier to find one you don’t like. Some of the ones I don’t like are ones that are too hard to work out how to pronounce.
Can’t go past Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables!
I love the name Gilbert but it came from another book where I also identified with him. don’t remember the last name.