# Dark Side names for the Star Wars prequels. I'm a bit dissapointed. . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 20, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701 "2005-05-20T04:16:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/1 "2005-05-20T04:16:27Z")
I happened across the CNN “Faces of Star Wars” little popup, and noted something. . . Have you noticed the lack of creativity in the villains’ names in Episodes 1 -3? [ul] [li]You’ve got Darth Sidious - which is basically “in-sidious” without the ‘in’.[/li] [li]Darth Maul - like, what would you describe him doing to you?[/li][li]Darth Tyrannus - who is actually Count Dooku, which sounds like a kids cereal: “I’m Dooku for Vader Puffs! (With plans for the Death Star in every box!!)”[/li][li]General Grievous - Well, we all know there’s some sort of grieving in war[/li][/ul] Is it just me, or do these kinda sorta seem like last-minute name choices in the script? Tripler . . . “Oh shoot, we forgot to name this guy! He’s got a clone army, and he’s tyrannical. Wait, let’s call him Darth Fred!” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/2 "2005-05-20T04:19:31Z")
Well the “Darth” name is a name given by the Master. Sidious gives Anakin the name of “Darth Vader”, after all. So I’m not surprised that they would be ‘bad’ kind of names. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/3 "2005-05-20T04:24:11Z")
I like the Country/Western Sith singer. Darth Garth. And the Dark Side Family Circus dog. Darth Barfy. Warming themselves by the fire in their Darth Hearth. And that classic movie, _Darth Takes a Holiday_. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/4 "2005-05-20T04:42:00Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Well the “Darth” name is a name given by the Master. Sidious gives Anakin the name of “Darth Vader”, after all. So I’m not surprised that they would be ‘bad’ kind of names. The “Darth” notwithstanding, but when you compare the names (minus the title) to the Jedi with some fairly decent names like “Qui-Gonn Jinn, Yoda, Mace Windu” etc., it’s like, where’s the imagination? Hell, even the other bad guys have somewhat decent names: “Jango Fett” and “Palpatine” for example. What, did we just spaz out at the last minute and forget to name our top-echelon leadership for the new Empire or something? But then again, I like the old gunslinger who starred in “In Harm’s Way” and “Green Berets”: Darth Duke Or the shoe salesman from Chicago: Darth Bundy Tripler My favorite were those dudes from the 70s driving the ‘General Lee’: Darth Bo and Darth Luke. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/5 "2005-05-20T04:44:15Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > The “Darth” notwithstanding, but when you compare the names (minus the title) to the Jedi with some fairly decent names like “Qui-Gonn Jinn, Yoda, Mace Windu” etc., it’s like, where’s the imagination? Hell, even the other bad guys have somewhat decent names: “Jango Fett” and “Palpatine” for example. What, did we just spaz out at the last minute and forget to name our top-echelon leadership for the new Empire or something? You’ve mentioned Palpatine… all the “Darth” villans have real names which aren’t stand ins for something else. Tyrannus is Count Dooku. Though Darth Maul wasn’t given enough story for us to find out his real name. Same as General Grievous. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/6 "2005-05-20T04:56:43Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > You’ve mentioned Palpatine… all the “Darth” villans have real names which aren’t stand ins for something else. Tyrannus is Count Dooku. Though Darth Maul wasn’t given enough story for us to find out his real name. Same as General Grievous. Aaah, good point. Do we know what Palpatine’s ‘Sith’ name is? “Darth Clinton” or something? Tripler I make a bad political joke, but I’m serious in my query. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/7 "2005-05-20T05:09:07Z")
Of course there was the old, proud Lakota Indian Sith Lord, _Darth Swims With Trout in Brook_. And who could forget the effects of Title IX on Dark Side training policies? In retrospect, the Sithettes may have been a little more trouble than they were worth-- and an absolute PR nightmare-- but the Lady Darths 1978 lightsaber softball team? Went undefeated. 23 games, including playoffs. Not too shabby. > [@](#): > > Do we know what Palpatine’s ‘Sith’ name is? Isn’t it Sidious? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/8 "2005-05-20T05:22:57Z")
Yes, it’s Sidious for Palpatine. ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/9 "2005-05-20T05:42:53Z")
Well, the Sith names were picked (or bestowed) after the person joined the Dark Side. Of course their going to choose “mean” names. You don’t choose to become an agent of pure evil and rename yourself “Darth Harold”. It’s a little known fact because I just made it up that Maul’s mother originally named him “Horny Bunnykins”. This led to him being picked on in elementary school, so his fall to the dark side was inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/10 "2005-05-20T05:51:43Z")
> [@sciguy](#): > > Well, the Sith names were picked (or bestowed) after the person joined the Dark Side. Of course their going to choose “mean” names. You don’t choose to become an agent of pure evil and rename yourself “Darth Harold”. Darth Pooky Darth Sweetums Darth Schmoopie ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/11 "2005-05-20T06:25:12Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] I happened across the CNN “Faces of Star Wars” little popup, and noted something. . . Have you noticed the lack of creativity in the villains’ names in Episodes 1 -3? [list] [li]You’ve got Darth Sidious - which is basically “in-sidious” without the ‘in’.[/li][/quote] Vader is just “invader” without the “in.” [Yes, I know it’s also Dutch for father.] So this is not a new development. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/12 "2005-05-20T06:32:13Z")
The next Sith Lord should be **Darth Sensitive** (which is “Insensitive” without the “in”). Why break the pattern? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/13 "2005-05-20T06:51:04Z")
I still say [Kit Fisto](http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/kitfisto/&e=9707) sounds like a sexual kink. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/14 "2005-05-20T07:23:16Z")
Oh, come on, silly and obvious names are part of the _Star Wars_ “thing.” From the start, you’ve got a loner named “Solo,” a bounty hunter named “Greedo,” a hero named “Skywalker,” a hot princess named “Leia Organa,” Hell, by the time ROTJ rolled around, we had fish-head aliens that are of the Calamari race. How can you expect to be taken seriously as a Rebel Admiral when your whole species is named after an appetizer? You can’t, that’s how. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/15 "2005-05-20T07:45:48Z")
You had me at “I’m Dooku for Vader Puffs!” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/16 "2005-05-20T07:50:32Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Dooku, which sounds like a kids cereal… …after it’s digested, excreted, and pointed at in the potty. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/17 "2005-05-20T11:05:02Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > …after it’s digested, excreted, and pointed at in the potty. That’s what I thought also. “Palpatine, the Count made a dooku.” ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/18 "2005-05-20T11:49:01Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Hell, by the time ROTJ rolled around, we had fish-head aliens that are of the Calamari race. How can you expect to be taken seriously as a Rebel Admiral when your whole species is named after an appetizer? You can’t, that’s how. [Admiral Ackbar] IT’S A TRAP! [/Admiral Ackbar] ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/19 "2005-05-20T12:25:13Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > [Admiral Ackbar] IT’S A TRAP! [/Admiral Ackbar] Yes, a squid trapping pot. Come on here, ya little weasel! We need you for the next initiation. ::Admiral Ackbar runs away, acting suspiciously like Dr. Zoidberg:: “Wub-wub-wub” ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701/20 "2005-05-20T12:37:06Z")
You should see how other characters name sound very silly in portuguese ! I bet there has been a brazilian mucking around the Star wars prequel staff ! These names were actually changed in the subtitles in order to avoid problems: Panaka = Dumb guy or idiot Dooku = similar to “from ass” Sifo Dias = sounds like “used to be fucked up” Amidala = sounds like tonsil to us [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-side-names-for-the-star-wars-prequels-im-a-bit-dissapointed/304701.md?page=2)