# Fitting characters' names in tv, literature and movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593 "2015-03-09T13:03:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/41 "2015-03-09T22:46:12Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > The main character of Neal Stephenson’s _Snow Crash_ is named Hiro Protagonist. I guess Neal didn’t really have the creative juices flowing that day… The main character of [Erfworld](http://www.erfworld.com/erf_stream/view) is Parson A. Gotti. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/42 "2015-03-09T23:42:41Z")
Saul Goodman. ---
**Author:** ![Tara57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Tara57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tara57)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/43 "2015-03-09T23:48:45Z")
“There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/44 "2015-03-10T00:12:26Z")
[Ms. Choksondik](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_South_Park_Elementary_staff#Ms._Choksondik) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/45 "2015-03-10T00:24:26Z")
A counter-example, Arthur Conan-Doyle [deliberately avoided](https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pvE6R9IvsXUC&lpg=PA63&ots=g4FGX43OHk&dq=%22mr%20ferrets%20%22%20%20%22conan-doyle%22&pg=PA63#v=onepage&q=%22mr%20ferrets%20%22%20%20%22conan-doyle%22&f=false)doing this. “What should I call the fellow? I still possess the leaf of a notebook with various alternative names. One rebelled against the elementary art which gives some inkling of character in the name, and creates Mr. Sharps or Mr. Ferrets. First it was Sherringford Holmes then it was Sherlock Holmes” ---
**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 10, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/46 "2015-03-10T00:27:11Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > The main character of Neal Stephenson’s _Snow Crash_ is named Hiro Protagonist. I guess Neal didn’t really have the creative juices flowing that day… Which reminds me of Michael York’s character’s name in _Austin Powers_: Basil Exposition > [@RealityChuck](#): > > It was a common feature in early literature. [The School for Scandal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_School_for_Scandal#Act_I) is the same way. Among the character names are: [ul] Lady Sneerwell Sir Peter and Lady Teazle Sir Benjamin Backbite Careless Crabtree Mrs Candour[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/47 "2015-03-10T01:06:40Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > In the first adaptation of Harris’ novel **Red Dragon** his name is given as Hannibal Lektor. Not only is it spelled differently, but there’s no suggestion that he’s a Cannibal – they started calling his “Hannibal the Cannibal” in the second film to use the character, **Silence of the Lambs**. It’s been a while, but IIRC, Lecter isn’t described as a Cannibal in Harris’ original novel, either. Just a psychopath. > > So the name isn’t obvious appropriate, unless you think he resembles a Carthaginian general. > > Of course, “Hannibal the Cannibal” was too good to pass up, once you thought of it. When they remade the film _Red Dragon_, Lecter was definitely a cannibal. 😕 I never saw the film “Red Dragon” (or “Manhunter”, the first film version of the book), but I did read the novel in 1984 (during a WestPac), and I rather vividly recall that he was known as “Hannibal the Cannibal” among the staff of the institution to which he was confined. False memory on my part? I’m certainly not inclined to re-read the book; that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/48 "2015-03-10T01:14:34Z")
From _Lord of the Rings,_ there’s Grima Wormtongue. With a name like that, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be evil. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/49 "2015-03-10T01:18:55Z")
In the Matrix series, Thomas Anderson (aka Neo) has a name indicative of his status as a Christ figure in the pseudo-Gnosticism that forms the background of the movie’s universe. Thomas means ‘twin’ in Greek, and Thomas the apostle in Gnostic tradition was the twin of Jesus. Since Anders is derived ultimately from the Greek for a male person, ‘Anderson’ can be construed as ‘Son of Man’, a name Jesus used of himself. (Although it should be noted that in the Bible, the ‘Man’ in ‘Son of Man’ refers to mankind.) Just about every other name in the movies has meaning as well. Even the merely descriptive name ‘The Architect’ evokes another figure in Gnosticism, the Archon. ---
**Author:** ![Tread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Tread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tread)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/50 "2015-03-10T01:24:28Z")
In the Old Underdog series the evil villain was Simon Barsinister … Not just the sinister part which is appropriate , but Barsinister. bar′ sin′ister n. 1. a putative heraldic charge presumed to indicate illegitimate birth. He was a real Bastard ! ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/51 "2015-03-10T01:30:22Z")
Raquel Welch played one of the leads in _Mother, Jugs, and Speed_. Guess. ---
**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:** [March 10, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/52 "2015-03-10T01:38:37Z")
Basil Fawlty? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/53 "2015-03-10T12:38:47Z")
Honey Ryder, Pussy Galore, Auric Goldfinger, Oddjob, Mr. Big, Solitaire, Holly Goodhead, Xenia Onatopp, and Mr. Kil. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/54 "2015-03-10T14:16:31Z")
Lucas has Luke S. befriend Solo – kind of a loner, kills greedy Greedo – and confront Darth Vader, who sounds like _Dark_ and _Death_ and _Invader_ and _Father_. Freud woulda hadda field day. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/55 "2015-03-10T16:42:13Z")
Another one, which is probably just \*my \*interpretation; _The Talented Mr. Ripley_. He was very much a character whom you could believe _or not_. ---
**Author:** ![funky\_little\_lee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@funky\_little\_lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funky_little_lee)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/56 "2015-03-10T18:01:25Z")
I’m going with Oddjob and Pussy Galore (pretty self-explanatory), with two runners-up: Dudley Dooright, the rather thick Canadian Mountie, evil-foiling hero; and his arch-enemy Snidely Whiplash–IMO the best villain name EVER. In the town where I grew up, there was a doctor whose last name was Sickman, and a lawyer whose last name was Case. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/57 "2015-03-10T18:10:23Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Saul Goodman. Yes, but he changed his name because all his clients wanted a Jew, not an Irishman. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/58 "2015-03-10T18:11:51Z")
A lot of Tolkien’s character names, especially those of the Hobbits and Rohirrim, are descriptive, but because they come from Middle English or whatever, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. For example, Samwise Gamgee’s first name basically means “halfwit”, and Eomer (a name taken from _Beowulf_) means “horse-famous”. Fantasy is probably one genre in which descriptive names are common. A genre in which they sometimes seem almost mandatory is comics/cartoons (Popeye, Dick Tracy, Boris Badenov, Wile E. Coyote, etc. etc.). This is probably also true of children’s books… although Dr. Dolittle would seem to be an example of a name chosen to be opposite to the character. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/59 "2015-03-10T19:18:55Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > Raquel Welch played one of the leads in _Mother, Jugs, and Speed_. > > Guess. Well, it’s not as if her character’s name was Susan Jugs or Lisa Jugs! Her real first name was Jennifer, but her last name was never revealed. Bill Cosby was “Mother,” and his last name was Tucker (Mother Tucker! Get it?). We never learn his real first name. Speed (Harvey Keitel) was really named Tony Malatesta. ---
**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 10, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593/60 "2015-03-10T21:56:01Z")
Someone already brought up Remus Lupin in Harry Potter, but what about Sirius Black? When he decided to become an Animagus, did he pick the black dog form because of his name, or was it just a huge coincidence? Also, Wesley Mouch in _Atlas Shrugged_. There are a lot of other similar names in Rand’s novels, but that one’s probably the most apropos for this topic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fitting-characters-names-in-tv-literature-and-movies/714593.md?page=4)