# Character Names you love **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2025, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138 "2025-02-10T16:35:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/241 "2026-10-10T23:27:45Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > In the Tintin books: The Asterix books are filled with punning names, which are, I recognize, the work of the ones who translated the books into English. The Romans have names like Nefarious Purpus Varius Flavus Dubious Status Gracchus Armisurplus The Gauls have names that generally end in “-x”, like Asterix and Obelix, the heroes of the series. Geriatrix – the old man Fulliautomatix – the blacksmith Cacophonix – the bard They translated the DRuid’s name as Getafix, which I don’t like – it makes him sound like a drug pusher. I prefere his name from the original Franch, Panoramix The little dog that adopts Obelix is IdeeFix in French, but I can forgive them from translating it as Dogmatix for the English language editions. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/242 "2026-10-10T23:37:39Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Geriatrix – the old man > Fulliautomatix – the blacksmith > Cacophonix – the bard > > They translated the DRuid’s name as Getafix, which I don’t like – it makes him sound like a drug pusher. I prefere his name from the original Franch, Panoramix > > The little dog that adopts Obelix is IdeeFix in French, but I can forgive them from translating it as Dogmatix for the English language editions. In German: Geriatrix=Methusalix Fullautomatix=Automatix Cacopohonix=Troubadix And the fish merchant, Fullautomatix’ nemesis, is Verleihnix, which literally means “don’t lend anything”. The druid is Miraculix, and the dog Idefix, which works both in French and German. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/243 "2026-10-11T02:44:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > The Asterix books are filled with punning names, which are, I recognize, the work of the ones who translated the books into English. What you obviously mean to say is, “I recognize that the punning work of the ones who translated the books into English is, at its best, a pale imitation of the work of the inimitable genius René Goscinny.” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/244 "2026-10-11T07:25:44Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > And the fish merchant, Fullautomatix’ nemesis, is Verleihnix, which literally means “don’t lend anything”. In English, his name is “Unhygenix.” His wife’s name is “Bacteria.” The Egyptian who joined the Roman army in _ **Asterix the Legionary** _ was “Courdeténis” in French and “Ptennisnet” in English. The scribe with a shaved head was “Krukhut.” (“Crew Cut,” geddit?) Bell and Hockridge did a splendid job in coming up with English puns. I sometimes find them funnier than those of Goscinny and translators of other languages. [List of Asterix characters | Asterix Wiki | Fandom](https://asterix.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Asterix_characters) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/245 "2026-10-11T18:41:44Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > What you obviously mean to say is, “I recognize that the punning work of the ones who translated the books into English is, at its best, a pale imitation of the work of the inimitable genius René Goscinny.” I ciuldn’t say. I don’t know enough French to appreciate Gallic punning. . ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/246 "2026-10-11T19:07:54Z")
Natty Bumppo (and his sidekick Chingachgook) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/247 "2026-10-11T20:44:11Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t know enough French to appreciate Gallic punning. . Neither do I, but I’d like to know why the bard is called “Assurancetourix,” which I’m told translates as “Comprehensive automobile insurance.” Seems to me “Cacofonix” is a much better name for him. On the other hand, I think “Majestix” is a better name for the chieftain than “Vitalstatistix,” which I’ve read refers to his impressive girth. **Note:** Krukut was in _ **Asterix and Cleopatra** _, not _ **Asterix the Legionary** _. He was a slave of the Egyptian architects Artifice and Edifice. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/248 "2026-10-11T21:00:08Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Neither do I, but I’d like to know why the bard is called “Assurancetourix,” which I’m told translates as “Comprehensive automobile insurance.” Seems to me “Cacofonix” is a much better name for him. Perhaps, because “assurance” can refer to an insurance policy, but also mean self-confidence? He is quite confident in his musical abilities, come what may. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138/249 "2026-10-11T21:05:31Z")
**Over** confident, I’d say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-names-you-love/1014138.md?page=12)