# Characters in novels with ridiculous names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088 "2009-12-13T07:44:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/21 "2009-12-13T20:52:01Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Major Major Major, _Catch-22_. Don’t forget that he got promoted to Major, so he was Major Major Major Major. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/22 "2009-12-13T20:53:32Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > …and Mustrum Ridcully, and Havelock Vetinari, and Nobby Nobbs… “Nobby” is just a nickname based on his last name, though. Nobby’s real first name is Cecil. Cecil Nobs is a pretty ordinary name, although his full name is a bit sillier: Cecil Wormsborough St. John Nobbs. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/23 "2009-12-13T21:22:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I hardly notice it now, but Hieronymous Bosch is a pretty ridiculous name for a cop (Michael Connelly’s series character). It was the real name of a 15th century Dutch artist, though. One of my faves (I’m sick). I think that L. Ron Hubbard naming the hero of _Battlefield Earth_ **Johnny Goodboy Tyler** ought to get him some sort of prize. I kinda like **Wolfgang Asmodeus Mogart** from Jack L. Chalker’s _And the Devil will Drag You Under_, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/24 "2009-12-13T21:37:22Z")
Horatio Hornblower HORNBLOWER!!!, come on ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/25 "2009-12-13T21:49:52Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > One of Harry Turtledove’s Great War novels (either American Front or Walk in Hell) had a Canadian army officer named Pierre Lapin. Which is pretty ridiculous if you know a bit of French. I know almost no French (hablo Español), but I’m guessing that in English this is Peter Rabbit? I’m usually tolerant of odd names, and have used plenty in stories myself, but I almost stopped reading Anne Tyler’s **Back When We Were Grownups** because of the names: NoNo, Patch, Biddy, Min Foo…these would be embrassing nicknames for preschoolers, and they’re middle-aged women! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/26 "2009-12-13T21:50:35Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Charles Dickens was known for this. Here is a listing of some of them: [List of Dickensian characters - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dickensian_characters) Missing from that list is Uriah Heep from Dicken’s David Copperfield. Good 'ole Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/27 "2009-12-13T22:24:46Z")
Zaphod Beeblebrox! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/28 "2009-12-13T22:26:46Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Horatio Hornblower > HORNBLOWER!!!, come on You’re not the only one. I’ve always thought that name was more appropriate for a character played by Groucho Marx or W.C. Fields. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/29 "2009-12-13T22:49:22Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I know almost no French (hablo Español), but I’m guessing that in English this is Peter Rabbit? Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/30 "2009-12-13T23:05:29Z")
From the Ebeneezum and the Wuntvor trilogies: Plaugg ( a god ), Ebeneezum ( a wizard ), Wuntvor ( the Eternal Apprentice ), the Grand Forxnagle ( a spell ), and the Urracchat ( spelling approximate; a cult named after the last sound their victims make ) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/31 "2009-12-14T00:52:17Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > …and Mustrum Ridcully, and Havelock Vetinari, and Nobby Nobbs… And Constable Visit-The-Infidel-With-Explanatory-Pamphlets. > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > From the Ebeneezum and the Wuntvor trilogies: Plaugg ( a god ), Ebeneezum ( a wizard ), Wuntvor ( the Eternal Apprentice ), the Grand Forxnagle ( a spell ), and the Urracchat ( spelling approximate; a cult named after the last sound their victims make ) And Guxx Unfufadoo. As for a new venue, even serious fantasy is replete with silly names for the characters, but Modesitt’s _The Spellsong War_ series has a particularly egregious example. The heir to the throne of this totally alien world where they don’t even speak English is Lord _Jimbob_. No joke. It pulled me out of the story so abruptly and completely on his first appearance it was like someone had turned on one of those junkyard electromagnets and I was made of iron. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/32 "2009-12-14T01:04:22Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And Constable Visit-The-Infidel-With-Explanatory-Pamphlets. :smack: How could I forget the Omnians? Also: the witchfinders in _Good Omens_. ETA: It took me quite a while to get Visit’s name. Then one day I realized that it was a play on visit as in visit-the-heretic-with-plagues. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/33 "2009-12-14T01:04:26Z")
> [@ghardester](#): > > Missing from that list is Uriah Heep from Dicken’s David Copperfield. > > Good 'ole Wikipedia. It’s under H for Heep, not U for Uriah. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/34 "2009-12-14T01:06:28Z")
Also: Bilbo Baggins. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/35 "2009-12-14T01:08:35Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Horatio Hornblower > HORNBLOWER!!!, come on Except that Hornblower was a genuine surname. Real people do have strange names sometimes. > **[Hornblower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornblower)** > > Hornblower may refer to: Speaking as someone whose genuine surname was used for a very well known cartoon family, I got very sick of having to explain that yes, it’s my real name, and no, it’s not particularly funny. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/36 "2009-12-14T01:32:41Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Also: Bilbo Baggins. His mother’s name was Belladona, his father’s name was Bungo, and his father’s siblings were Belba, Bingo, Longo and… Linda? But is it fair to count Middle-earth or other creations of high fantasy and sci-fi? In large part, the names aren’t supposed to sound like anything in our world. The ones like Sam and Rosie are the exceptions. If we are going to include _The Hobbit_ and _The Lord of the Rings_, we can at least be thankful for the names he could have used but _didn’t_, such as [Nerwen](http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/n/nerwen.html) and [Teleporno](http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/t/teleporno.html). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/37 "2009-12-14T01:44:00Z")
All of the Hobbit names were translations, actually. For instance, Meriadoc Brandybuck’s untranslated name is Kalimak Brandagamba. Peregrin Took is actually Razanur Tuk. Names that are identical to real-world flowers and such, like Belladonna or Daisy, are most likely supposed to be translations from the Hobbitish. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/38 "2009-12-14T02:21:36Z")
Nitpick: Westron, or Adunaic (which is of course the Westron word for Westron). Hobbits don’t have their own language, aside from a few novel words of their own like “mathom”. > [@](#): > > Genghis Cohen. (This has to be the winner, I would think.) Genghis Cohen, AKA Cohen the Barbarian, is also a recurring character in Pratchett’s works, though of course it’s supposed to be silly there. He’s 80-something years old, and people often underestimate him because of his age, not realizing that in his line of work, you don’t live to be very old unless you’re very, very good at what you do. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/39 "2009-12-14T02:39:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Nitpick: Westron, or Adunaic (which is of course the Westron word for Westron). Hobbits don’t have their own language, aside from a few novel words of their own like “mathom”. It is Westron, but an old-fashioned and “ruralized” Westron, more akin to the language of the Rohirrim than that of Gondor. It’s definitely meant to be a separate dialect of Westron. The whole thing has added complications in that the words that Tolkien uses in the primary story aren’t the words that the characters actually use, because of the conceit that Tolkien was “translating” from the Red Book of Westmarch. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/40 "2009-12-14T02:47:27Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Except that Hornblower was a genuine surname. Real people do have strange names sometimes. > > [Hornblower - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornblower) > > Speaking as someone whose genuine surname was used for a very well known cartoon family, I got very sick of having to explain that yes, it’s my real name, and no, it’s not particularly funny. I don’t know, I think I’d wear ‘Flintstone’ with a certain pride. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088.md?page=3)