# Favorite character names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678 "2009-03-16T22:27:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/81 "2009-03-19T00:36:45Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Clem Kaddiddlehopper and Freddie the Freeloader were Red Skelton characters > > Max Bialystock and Roger (Elizabeth) De Bris from The Producers I second both of these, and add: Mr. (Seth) Pecksniff (_The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit_) Buster Broadnax (_The Color Purple_), especially when I hear it as “Busta” in my head. Guitar Bains (_Song of Solomon_) First Corinthians Dead (_Song of Solomon_) Draco Malfoy, the _Harry Potter_ books ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/82 "2009-03-19T00:38:58Z")
A Doper’s username just reminded me of two more: Joe Buck Ratso Rizzo ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/83 "2009-03-19T01:09:38Z")
Seymour Glass Big Ern McCracken John Cocktoston (Fletch) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/84 "2009-03-19T01:35:04Z")
At the moment my favorite character name comes from **The Bone Doll’s Twin** , Tobin. It amuses me because I can’t help but think of the bridge in Boston, though it occurs to me that as a name it’s not _necessarily_ pronounced Toe-bin, but could instead be Tob-in. \ So…from this very interesting selection of names people actually like, are **Ready** (so called from the mangling of the nickname Teddy) and **West** not-to-irritating/out there names for child characters? They’re the ones I’m toying with for a project I’m brainstorming. If it matters, Ready would be a ten-year-old boy and West his four-year-old brother. I ask because I’m one of those people who finds twee names enough of a turn-off to stop reading something…\ ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/85 "2009-03-19T02:18:22Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > ETA: I forgot Percy Dovetonsils! He was Ernie Kovacs, though. ---
**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 19, 2009, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/86 "2009-03-19T12:27:22Z")
Hannibal Lecter. The name has crept into our lexicon. The O’Hara sisters all had names that described their personalities: scarlet woma Scarlett, sullen Suellen, and caring Careen. Krusty the Klown. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/87 "2009-03-19T12:31:55Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > He was Ernie Kovacs, though. Yes, I didn’t mean to imply that he was a Bob and Ray character. It just came to me while I was on the same post. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/88 "2009-03-19T15:07:23Z")
My favourite has to be the Kzin Speaker-to-Animals. ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/89 "2009-03-19T18:55:53Z")
No mention yet of Dr Who? Two from Asimov: R. Daneel Olivaw Ebling Mis Another Ian Fleming heroine: Galatea (Gala) Brand (supposedly named after her father’s ship _HMS Galatea_). Pratchett yet again : Cheery Littlebottom. (Is anyone keeping track of which authors are featured most here?) ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/90 "2009-03-19T19:01:22Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Alas, it’s true: [http://www.glyphweb.com/ARDA/t/teleporno.html](http://www.glyphweb.com/ARDA/t/teleporno.html) He also named a coastal city Tuna and a marshland Wetwang. :: cringe :: > > Hey, even Babe Ruth struck out once in awhile… Actually for about 30 years he held the record for the most strikeouts during a career. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/91 "2009-03-19T19:09:29Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > (Is anyone keeping track of which authors are featured most here?) Terry Pratchett and Simon Green both seem to be doing well. Both have this thing for great names. Speaking of Simon Green, I nominate just about every major player in the Nightside. And Owen Deathstalker, too. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/92 "2009-03-19T20:35:36Z")
Casanova Frankenstein ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/93 "2009-03-19T21:23:32Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Hiro Protagonist, from Neal Stephenson’s “Snow Crash”, was always one of my favorites. Seconded. A mate and I both agreed that it was the ultimate, untoppable character name. Except maybe for Dr. Evil, for obvious reasons. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/94 "2009-03-19T22:42:29Z")
General “Buck” Turgidson Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper Colonel “Bat” Guano Major T. J. “King” Kong President Merkin Muffley and, of course, Dr. Strangelove ---
**Author:** ![Ferd\_Burfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ferd\_Burfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferd_Burfel)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/95 "2009-03-19T23:18:18Z")
I’ve thought of some more. From **WKRP in Cincinnati** Les Nessman Dr. Johnny Fever Venus Flytrap From Dan Jenkins’ **Semi-Tough** Billy Clyde Puckett Jim Tom Pinch And it occurs to me that I appeared in a 3rd grade dental hygiene play as – Ken Careless ---
**Author:** ![The\_Batman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@The\_Batman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Batman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/96 "2009-03-19T23:21:07Z")
Kel Vartsen and Kosmo Kramer from Seinfeld The Dark Tower has some nice ones: Roland Deschain Mia, Daughter of None Detta Walker Alain Johns ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/97 "2009-03-20T02:10:45Z")
[quote=“MrDibble, post:31, topic:489678”] I’ve always been partial to **The Saint Of Killers** from _Preacher_. [QUOTE] You took my line! 😃 Raederle, the second most beautiful woman in the Three Portions of An. (actually, any of the character names in Patricia McKillip’s The Riddle-master of Hed trilogy – they all just sound _right_) Any of Cordwainer Smith’s names. Butterflies-are-free Peace Sincere St. Cyr, from eluki bes shahar’s ‘Hellflower’ books. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/98 "2009-03-20T07:20:17Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Casanova Frankenstein Oh my God, YES! My offerings- Lord Summerisle (The Wicker Man, the REAL one) Every main character name in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead Aimee Thanatogenous and Mr. Joyboy (Evelyn Waugh’s The Loved One) Howard W. Campbell, Jr., the last free American- Heil Hitler. (Vonnegut’s Mother Night) Montana Wildhack (Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five) ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/99 "2009-03-20T08:26:03Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Terry Pratchett and Simon Green both seem to be doing well. Both have this thing for great names. Well then, I may as well mention that I’ve always been amused by the name Bloody Stupid Johnson. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-character-names/489678/100 "2009-03-20T09:09:12Z")
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