There is a big difference between seeing a regular name in a book and falling in love with it for a baby, and choosing a name exclusively from a fandom because you’re a huge fan.
The first is perfectly fine; I could name a baby Sophie or Dorian.
The latter I’m really not a fan of. It’s forcing your own tastes upon your baby before they’re even born. And limiting them in becoming their own person. They might like very different things, and resent being called Katniss, Arwen or Viserys.
I mostly agree about the latter as well. Just for the names that are very clearly from iconic media, like naming your kid Thranduil. My mom was a driving instructor and one of the students she taught was called Atreyu (Neverending Story.) When she heard that she gasped and went "oh! Like Neverending Story!" She said that in response the kid gave the tiredest, most unenthusiastic, most done sigh of "...yep." she's ever heard. That's why I wouldn't do that to my kid. Poor kid has heard that all his life, and I doubt he even enjoys the movie.
Arwen at least is a real Welsh name, isn't it? I feel like this is the one potentially usable one in your last paragraph, because she's a minor, non-villainous character and the name exists outside of just that work.
Edit: not just non-villainous but no negative associations I think is relevant here. A name strongly associated with a character best known for doing something stupid, being victimized, etc., is also one I’d avoid giving to a person.
Most of these I can see because the “yes” names are common enough that people wouldn’t tag it as a fandom name (though Edmund is not the most positive character so I wouldn’t personally do that one) but… Draco??
That's totally valid as lit crit and as a personal reaction to a work, I just wouldn't name a whole human baby after the one child who needs redemption. I know I wouldn't like to be named after a fictional character who sold out his siblings for some (pretty underwhelming) candy, redemption arc or no.
Those names would be Pan (Pan's Labyrinth), Gregg (Mighty Boosh), Ludwig (Team Fortress), Thranduil (Hobbit), Squawk (Dawn of the Croods), Raymond (Noel's Luxury Comedy), Dara (Tale of Crowns), Jareth (The Labyrinth), and Tadeusz (Darkwood).
I think I'd be okay with everything but Squawk, Gregg, and Thranduil. hahaha
Not sure if I would personally but it depends. Also don't name your kid after a character because you think they're hot.
The only character I could actually see myself naming my child after is Hazel Levesque from Heroes of Olympus but it's really close to my little sister's name so probably wouldn't do that.
Yes. I would have named my child Lyra, after the protagonist of His Dark Materials books. Unfortunately the tv series was on while I was pregnant and I was too snobby to name my I’d after a TV show character.
I didn't want to go all the way and name my child Lyra but check out my user name. I adore His Dark Materials. The show was decent but nothing hit the way the books hit me.
The only character I’d intentionally name my kid after is Keladry of Mindelan from the Protector of the Small series. Any other character name would be a happy coincidence.
(Also I don’t ever plan on needing to name a person, so I’m good either way)
Alanna made my baby name list for the same reason! Kel is another one of my favorites from Tamora Pierce's books but I am not sure I would name a kid Keladry.
Fun fact, Tamora Pierce definitely qualifies as a name nerd. I remember reading an interview excerpt where she was describing walking around with a baby name book to find new character names but she swapped the dust cover to something else so she would not get so many odd looks. 😂
When I was pregnant i considered to name my son Castiel, but decided not to bc i had a cat named Castiel and he died, so i was a little hesitant bc of that, not bc of the name itself.
I named my daughter and son names from Adam Sandler movies, kind of not on purpose. But if I had another baby by surprise I plan to keep the theme going lol
I did. Oliver as in Oliver Queen the green arrow in Smallville, and then again has his own series Arrow and my son has met the actor that plays Oliver in the latter series. But he’s not into DC universe and that’s ok by me. He has grown into his name but not the character I named him after, if that make sense? Totally uncoordinated and nerf guns are his choice of weapon, not bow and arrows.
I would if my husband would stop denying every name I’ve tried that is low key inspired by figures in my childhood:
-Mandy (Moore)
-Hilary (Duff)
-Violet (Baudelaire)
-Melody (Little Mermaid II)
-Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
-Molly
-Lucy
-Daphne (Scooby Doo)
-Ginger (As Told By Ginger)
-Phoebe (Hey Arnold)
But he hates all those names so if yall wanna use them go right ahead, I’ll just spend them on Sims.
Josephine nn Jo has been on my list since I read Little Women.
But I would want to stick to names that aren't too fandom. Like, I love the name Jadzia. But it is super attached to Star Trek, so I wouldn't use it for a human. On the other hand, I also love the name Annika, because of Trek (it's 7 of 9's birth name). I would absolutely be open to using that. It's not super popular, but it is a name people use, and the character I know it from doesn't even show up when you Google it. (Jadzia from Trek is literally the only search result on the first page when you Google it )
Only if I liked the name and didn’t think it would make my child uncomfortable (whether because the name is virtually exclusively associated with the character or was invented for the character) So, I’d use Harriet, Peter, Claire, Marsali, Luke, Hermione, or Severus (the character was mainly called Snape, so imo Severus is ok) but not Draco, Lando, or Jabba
There is a big difference between seeing a regular name in a book and falling in love with it for a baby, and choosing a name exclusively from a fandom because you’re a huge fan.
The first is perfectly fine; I could name a baby Sophie or Dorian.
The latter I’m really not a fan of. It’s forcing your own tastes upon your baby before they’re even born. And limiting them in becoming their own person. They might like very different things, and resent being called Katniss, Arwen or Viserys.
I mostly agree about the latter as well. Just for the names that are very clearly from iconic media, like naming your kid Thranduil. My mom was a driving instructor and one of the students she taught was called Atreyu (Neverending Story.) When she heard that she gasped and went "oh! Like Neverending Story!" She said that in response the kid gave the tiredest, most unenthusiastic, most done sigh of "...yep." she's ever heard. That's why I wouldn't do that to my kid. Poor kid has heard that all his life, and I doubt he even enjoys the movie.
Arwen at least is a real Welsh name, isn't it? I feel like this is the one potentially usable one in your last paragraph, because she's a minor, non-villainous character and the name exists outside of just that work.
Edit: not just non-villainous but no negative associations I think is relevant here. A name strongly associated with a character best known for doing something stupid, being victimized, etc., is also one I’d avoid giving to a person.
I don’t think it is. Maybe u/StopItchingYourBalls can tell us :)
In my region (Britanny, France), Arwen is a normal name. I've met several of them.
It REALLY depends on the book/movie, the character and the name.
Edmund or Lucy (Narnia) - yes
Severus (Harry potter) - no.
Sara (Little Princess) or Jo/Meg (Little Women) - yes
Draco (Harry Potter) - yes
Katniss- no
Most of these I can see because the “yes” names are common enough that people wouldn’t tag it as a fandom name (though Edmund is not the most positive character so I wouldn’t personally do that one) but… Draco??
Edmund has a redemption arc, easily the most interesting of the characters
That's totally valid as lit crit and as a personal reaction to a work, I just wouldn't name a whole human baby after the one child who needs redemption. I know I wouldn't like to be named after a fictional character who sold out his siblings for some (pretty underwhelming) candy, redemption arc or no.
I like the name.
Those names would be Pan (Pan's Labyrinth), Gregg (Mighty Boosh), Ludwig (Team Fortress), Thranduil (Hobbit), Squawk (Dawn of the Croods), Raymond (Noel's Luxury Comedy), Dara (Tale of Crowns), Jareth (The Labyrinth), and Tadeusz (Darkwood).
I think I'd be okay with everything but Squawk, Gregg, and Thranduil. hahaha
Gregg is a normal name but knowing that it’s specifically after Old Gregg in Mighty Boosh definitely changes it for me 🤣🤣
Precisely, LMAO. Would be a horrible inside joke for that kid
Not sure if I would personally but it depends. Also don't name your kid after a character because you think they're hot.
The only character I could actually see myself naming my child after is Hazel Levesque from Heroes of Olympus but it's really close to my little sister's name so probably wouldn't do that.
Leon - ( Leon Kennedy from Resident evil ) : that’s my favourite boy name at all but unfortunately I can’t use it.
Clementine - ( Clementine from The Walking Dead ): Yes and No, I can use similar name “ for boy” with similar meaning. Yusuf 🍊.
Qaiser - From an old book I read as a child., YES AND YES I HOPE I CAN USE IT.
Lara - ( Lara Croft from Tomb Rider ): Yes again, I would love to use it.
Arthur - ( Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 ): can’t use it but I adore the name.
Tamim - same as Qaiser, I would LOVE to use it too.
Dean - ( Dean Winchester from Supernatural): can’t use it but I love it.
Edward - ( Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ) : LOVE LOVE EDWARD, can’t use it AGAIN 💀.
Amicia - ( Amicia De Rune from A plague Tale ): adore the name but I can’t use it.
All the names I can’t use are just too Western for me.
Yes. I would have named my child Lyra, after the protagonist of His Dark Materials books. Unfortunately the tv series was on while I was pregnant and I was too snobby to name my I’d after a TV show character.
I didn't want to go all the way and name my child Lyra but check out my user name. I adore His Dark Materials. The show was decent but nothing hit the way the books hit me.
The only character I’d intentionally name my kid after is Keladry of Mindelan from the Protector of the Small series. Any other character name would be a happy coincidence.
(Also I don’t ever plan on needing to name a person, so I’m good either way)
Alanna made my baby name list for the same reason! Kel is another one of my favorites from Tamora Pierce's books but I am not sure I would name a kid Keladry.
Fun fact, Tamora Pierce definitely qualifies as a name nerd. I remember reading an interview excerpt where she was describing walking around with a baby name book to find new character names but she swapped the dust cover to something else so she would not get so many odd looks. 😂
Between my love of the name Keladry, and the literal 4 names I put on my cat’s adoption paperwork, I should NOT be trusted to name a human XD
When I was pregnant i considered to name my son Castiel, but decided not to bc i had a cat named Castiel and he died, so i was a little hesitant bc of that, not bc of the name itself.
The Console (Hyperion Cantos) - No
Darrow (Red Rising) - Yes
Yeah Faramir is an awesome name
[deleted]
🐀
I named my daughter and son names from Adam Sandler movies, kind of not on purpose. But if I had another baby by surprise I plan to keep the theme going lol
I did. Oliver as in Oliver Queen the green arrow in Smallville, and then again has his own series Arrow and my son has met the actor that plays Oliver in the latter series. But he’s not into DC universe and that’s ok by me. He has grown into his name but not the character I named him after, if that make sense? Totally uncoordinated and nerf guns are his choice of weapon, not bow and arrows.
Yes, if I have a son I want to name him Tobias, from Animorphs.
I would if my husband would stop denying every name I’ve tried that is low key inspired by figures in my childhood: -Mandy (Moore) -Hilary (Duff) -Violet (Baudelaire) -Melody (Little Mermaid II) -Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) -Molly -Lucy -Daphne (Scooby Doo) -Ginger (As Told By Ginger) -Phoebe (Hey Arnold)
But he hates all those names so if yall wanna use them go right ahead, I’ll just spend them on Sims.
Josephine nn Jo has been on my list since I read Little Women.
But I would want to stick to names that aren't too fandom. Like, I love the name Jadzia. But it is super attached to Star Trek, so I wouldn't use it for a human. On the other hand, I also love the name Annika, because of Trek (it's 7 of 9's birth name). I would absolutely be open to using that. It's not super popular, but it is a name people use, and the character I know it from doesn't even show up when you Google it. (Jadzia from Trek is literally the only search result on the first page when you Google it )
Yes but my favorite novel characters are all from Jane Austen novels so pretty classic, common English names that no one would assume is from a book.
The exception is Darcy or Fitzwilliam, neither of which I really like so wouldn’t use.
Only if I liked the name and didn’t think it would make my child uncomfortable (whether because the name is virtually exclusively associated with the character or was invented for the character) So, I’d use Harriet, Peter, Claire, Marsali, Luke, Hermione, or Severus (the character was mainly called Snape, so imo Severus is ok) but not Draco, Lando, or Jabba