# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/61 "2009-12-15T22:56:00Z")
R. A. Salvatore. He has a male assassin named Artemis Entreri, a heroine named Cattie-Brie, and a black panther named Gwenhyfar (sp?). I find them all wildly innapp)ropriate. (Brie is a cheese, Artemis was a virgin goddess, and Gwenhyfar comes from the Welsh for “white lady.” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/62 "2009-12-16T08:54:47Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > Pussy Galore anyone? Yeah, I’m still waiting for a villainess named Nockers Nuclearè. And her sidekick Cox Blocer. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/63 "2009-12-16T19:44:33Z")
> [@Dr.Rieux](#): > > R. A. Salvatore. He has a male assassin named Artemis Entreri, a heroine named Cattie-Brie, and a black panther named Gwenhyfar (sp?). I find them all wildly innapp)ropriate. > (Brie is a cheese, Artemis was a virgin goddess, and Gwenhyfar comes from the Welsh for “white lady.” Guenhwyvar is the welsh version of Guenevere, the wife of King Arthur. And while Artemis was originally a Greek goddess, it’s [also](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artimus_Pyle) a [man’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artimus_Parker) [first name.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_Fowl_series) I do not, however, have a defense for Cattie-Brie, much less the most egregious offender in the series, Drizzt Do’Urden. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/64 "2009-12-16T19:52:44Z")
I’d just like to point out that Genghis Cohen is (or was) the name of a kosher Chinese restaurant. And from Catch-22, how about General P.P. Peckem? ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/65 "2009-12-18T22:27:54Z")
As my user name might indicate, I’m a David Foster Wallace fan. Wallace did wonderful things with character names; to wit: **The Broom of the System** Judith Prietht Mindy Metalman Candy Mandible Rick Vigorous, partner of publishing firm Frequent & Vigorous **Infinite Jest** Hal Incandenza, tennis/lexical prodigy and son of famed filmmaker James Orin Incandenza Ortho “The Darkness” Stice, fellow tennis academy student The assorted names of the kids who attend the Enfield Tennis Academy: LaMont Chu, Petropolis Kahn, Idris Arslanian, Ann Kittenplan to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/66 "2009-12-19T02:26:24Z")
Nobody’s mentioned Bonanza Jellybean yet? ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/67 "2009-12-20T06:23:34Z")
**Robert Anton Wilson** , in the _Illumuinatus!_ Trilogy, introduces us to characters bearing such names as Danny Pricefixer, Markoff Chaney, Atalanta Hope, Epicene Wildeblood, and Marvin Gardens. In his long-running newspaper comic strip _Dick Tracy_, **Chester Gould** practically made a trademark of bizarrely named characters – besides all those descriptively-named villains like Pouch, Piggy, Matty Square, Measles, and Gargles, the strip was also peopled by folks with names like Vitamin Flintheart, B.O. Plenty and Diet Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/68 "2009-12-20T06:42:37Z")
> [@DLuxN8R-13](#): > > **Robert Anton Wilson** , in the _Illumuinatus!_ Trilogy, introduces us to characters bearing such names as Danny Pricefixer, Markoff Chaney, Atalanta Hope, Epicene Wildeblood, and Marvin Gardens. Marvin Gardens is in the Schroedinger’s Cat books. Definitely a ridiculous name, though. And come to think of it there is a Nazi zombie named Hanfgeist (hemp ghost). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/69 "2009-12-20T19:53:35Z")
Not to mention a track star named Juan Tootrego and another character named Natalie Drest. And _Gravity’s Rainbow_(I think) gives us a character named Joaquin Stick. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/70 "2009-12-20T20:42:18Z")
> [@DLuxN8R-13](#): > > In his long-running newspaper comic strip _Dick Tracy_, **Chester Gould** practically made a trademark of bizarrely named characters – besides all those descriptively-named villains like Pouch, Piggy, Matty Square, Measles, and Gargles, the strip was also peopled by folks with names like Vitamin Flintheart, B.O. Plenty and Diet Smith. I can remember the day I gave up reading Dick Tracy. “Roloc Bard? What kind of stupid name is Roloc Bard? Oh, it’s “Drab Color” backwards. Wait… what? Fuck this.” I don’t know why that pushed me over the edge, but I think it must have followed a series of inane strips. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/71 "2011-03-14T14:03:59Z")
May I reanimate this zombie thread? Geoffrey Rush’s evil-genius character in _Mystery Men_ is named Casanova Frankenstein. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/72 "2011-03-14T14:14:34Z")
Hannibal Lecter. What are the odds that he would turn out to be a cannibal? ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/73 "2011-03-14T14:26:24Z")
Another nod to Vonnegut in Breakfast of Champions; Harry LeSabre, a Pontiac salesman. It is even mentioned in the book his boss did not hold his name (LaSabre) against him, even though it was the name of a competing Buick auto. And has anyone mentioned Kilgore Trout? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/74 "2011-03-14T14:28:12Z")
If I may be forgiven for citing another SF novel, I’ve always loved that Philip K. Dick translated his own name for the _VALIS_ character Horselover Fat. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/75 "2011-03-14T16:32:44Z")
In one of Toni Morrison’s novels, perhaps Song Of Solomon but I’m not certain, there’s a character called First Corinthians Dead. Remarkably, that’s a perfectly reasonable name for her, in the context of the story. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/76 "2011-03-14T20:08:23Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Guenhwyvar is the welsh version of Guenevere, the wife of King Arthur. And while Artemis was originally a Greek goddess, it’s [also](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artimus_Pyle) a [man’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artimus_Parker) [first name.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_Fowl_series) > > I do not, however, have a defense for Cattie-Brie, much less the most egregious offender in the series, Drizzt Do’Urden. I’ve had two students called Brie. Neither of their parents seemed - how can I put this politely - like the reading type, so I doubt they were named for the book. Or the cheese, for that matter; the parents didn’t seem like the Brie-eating type either. As mentioned upthread, sometimes real people have odd names. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/77 "2011-03-14T20:25:31Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > I can remember the day I gave up reading Dick Tracy. “Roloc Bard? What kind of stupid name is Roloc Bard? Oh, it’s “Drab Color” backwards. Wait… what? Fuck this.” I don’t know why that pushed me over the edge, but I think it must have followed a series of inane strips. Somewhere, I can imagine **Trihs Der** either rolling up shirtsleeves to beat you bloody, or cowering in a corner, crying. [Note: I have had practically ZERO interaction with **Trihs Der** , and will not speak to their state of mind and/or actions. I was merely commenting on the fact that you mentioned that someone’s name backwards “pushed [you] over the edge.” In other words, it was a joke.] What about Prince Humperdinck? I realize it was a reference to Englebert Humperdinck, and also to the composer of _Hansel und Gretel_, but it’s still a weird name. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/78 "2011-03-14T20:43:44Z")
A lot of the looter characters in Ayn Rand’s novels have ridiculous or ineffectual names. For the most part you can tell who’s “good” and who’s “bad” by their names. Some examples: Wesley Mouch, Ellsworth M. Toohey, Balph (not Ralph, he hastens to correct) Eubank, Cuffy Meigs, and Kip Chalmers. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/79 "2011-03-14T20:45:21Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Geoffrey Rush’s evil-genius character in _Mystery Men_ is named Casanova Frankenstein. Mystery Men is a super-hero comedy…if half the characters didn’t have ridiculous names, it wouldn’t be on-theme. (‘Serious’ real names for supervillains include Roy G Bivlo (the Rainbow Raider), Johnny Onn (the Spot), Edward Nygma (the Riddler - latter retconned to Nashton, but I refuse to accept that), Mitchell Mayo (the Condiment King)…) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088/80 "2011-03-14T21:03:03Z")
These types of names, incidentally, are called _charactonyms_–and I can’t believe no one has yet brought up Sinclair Lewis! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-novels-with-ridiculous-names/521088.md?page=5)