# Naming your kid after a fictional character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049 "2010-07-17T18:21:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/161 "2010-07-24T01:02:52Z")
> [@Dumbguy](#): > > This. > > My first name is the name of both my grandfathers and the middle name of both my eldest uncles. It was also the most common male name in America for much of the 20th century. My middle name is the name of my great grandfather, and the middle name of my dad, and again one of the top twenty most common male names in America for most of the last century. Every first born male in my family has one or the other of these names as a middle name. I got both. At least my uncles and cousins got their own name and then a traditional family name as a middle name. I got double retreads. Based on my family history my name is literally _the single most obvious and predictable option_ of all the thousands of names out there. > > I always swore I wouldn’t do that to my kid. My mother is named after her mother and grandmother, my father is named after his grandfather and uncle, my brother is named after our father, and I… I got two names unique to our family, chosen simply because my parents liked the sound of them. I spent my entire childhood feeling left out by this; why wasn’t I worthy of carrying the name of a beloved relative? My middle name bothers me the most: It’s Leanne. Not only do I not care for the name but it’s their second choice after they realised their first choice (Anne) would have made my initials spell a word. It has no significance, no meaning and to my ears it is dated and bland (sorry to any Leannes!). I think it sucks - to have a name I don’t like, to know it was chosen as little more than filler, and not to even be able to justify it as special because of an association with someone else. I gave my daughter her own first name, unique to our family (Annabel) so she wouldn’t have to share it with anyone (chosen for the way it sounds, its meaning, its history and its nickname potential), and her middle name (Rose) was my grandmother’s name - hopefully, even if she doesn’t like her middle name for its own merits, she’ll appreciate that I gave her the name of someone I love. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/162 "2010-07-24T02:10:24Z")
> [@Dumbguy](#): > > My first name is the name of both my grandfathers and the middle name of both my eldest uncles. It was also the most common male name in America for much of the 20th century. My middle name is the name of my great grandfather, and the middle name of my dad, and again one of the top twenty most common male names in America for most of the last century. I’ve narrowed it down to Belvedere Jehoshophat, or John Michael. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/163 "2010-07-26T10:32:36Z")
> [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](#): > > > [@j66](#): > > > > There are thousands of lovely words out there; why should our children be stuck with the same old unimaginative recycled names that people have been using for centuries? > > There are thousands of lovely, rarely-used names … > > Felice is a lovely name. Sophie. Anastasia. Mathilda. Evangeline. > > For boys, Gerald. William. Arthur – a thousand times Arthur. Alexander – not rare, but wonderful. > > I’m cheesy, but I love Peregrine for a boy’s name. He can be Perry if he hates it. Peregrine Fool Of A Took Ninja. “William” is rarely used? Anyhow, even if I didn’t personally dislike everyone of the girls’ names, there is Flea, Sofa, and Nasty, not to mention myriad unfortunate literary connotations. (And they are not particularly easy to spell.) Of the boys’ names, all but William have unpleasant nicknames or would cause merciless teasing on the playground. As for Peregrine? One of my favorite names; I really like the sound, the nickname, and the association - birds of prey know they’re cool - but I would rather be names Beelzebub if I were male. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/164 "2010-07-26T11:56:56Z")
> [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](#): > > There are thousands of lovely, rarely-used names out there that have a history, a meaning, and a greater likelihood to be found on personalized pencils, notebooks, and bicycle license plates. > > Felice is a lovely name. Sophie. Anastasia. Mathilda. Evangeline. > > For boys, Gerald. William. Arthur – a thousand times Arthur. Alexander – not rare, but wonderful. Sophia is _very_ popular and Sophie is, too. So is William. Evangeline isn’t common but it’s had a little spike in popularity the last few years. There are plenty of great, non-trendy names out there, but not everybody goes for these kinds of 19th-century sounding names. > [@](#): > > I’m cheesy, but I love Peregrine for a boy’s name. What happened to “there are thousands of lovely, rarely used names out there?” 😉 I kid. Seriously though, fuck the pencils and license plates. Who cares about them? ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/165 "2010-07-26T13:25:11Z")
Here’s a sobering thought about “unique” names some kids are so thoughtfully given by their parents [here](http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/546018) My brother gave both his kids weirdo names, and only because he’s my brother could I say, “You’re not serious, are you?” Unfortunately he was. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/166 "2010-07-26T13:40:26Z")
Our three year old daughter is named Lucy – partly because we liked the name but also for Lucy Pevensie. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/167 "2010-07-26T14:30:23Z")
We gave our daughters the names Sabina and Claire. Sabina comes from Unbearable Lightness of Being, and Claire somewhat comes from Six Feet Under. Though in both cases we liked the name as well. We thought Sabina would be a totally unique name that no one else would have, but it turns out that there was another Sabina in her class at day care. Claire on the other hand is the only Claire in the day care center. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/168 "2010-07-27T02:16:25Z")
My second born is Maxwell, but we call him Max. I got the name from Get Smart, but if you ask my first born, he named his brother after Max of Max and Ruby. My first born is Lucas, a name my husband got from some one he worked with (just liked the sound). It was the name we agreed on the most. It suits him well. I’ve sworn off having any more children, but if I do, I reserve the names Oliver and Simon. I also love the name Oscar, but it just does not fit well with my last name. The poor boy would have a theme song. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/169 "2010-07-27T03:44:38Z")
So has anyone named their kid _Caprica Six_ yet? ---
**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:** [July 27, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/170 "2010-07-27T03:49:02Z")
> [@ShadiRoxan](#): > > I also love the name Oscar, but it just does not fit well with my last name. The poor boy would have a theme song. Meyer? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/171 "2010-07-27T13:33:06Z")
Oh yeah - my son wishes he had the middle initial T for Tiberius. I think middle names are a great option for more “unconventional” choices. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/172 "2010-07-27T14:23:37Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Be careful about naming **Dumbguy, Jr.** after pop fiction characters. If you don’t mind that the reference severely dates him, well, ok. Fictional names that have stood the test of time are cool in my book, though. YMMV. That’s how I see it. I’m naming my first daughter after a queen in a medieval story. Became quite a popular name for a while, but now isn’t seen too often. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/173 "2010-07-28T12:54:28Z")
I agree with snoopygal, this is an exercise in douchery. These sound like cat names. ---
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/174 "2010-08-11T07:44:55Z")
Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I couldn’t resist reporting the outcome. We named him **Noah Octavian**. Octavian is a family name for my wife, and Noah we just liked. Hopefully the name doesn’t seem douchey. If it does, please don’t say so 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/175 "2010-08-12T00:14:15Z")
Thanks for letting us know! I’d been wondering. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/176 "2010-08-12T02:05:59Z")
> [@Dumbguy](#): > > Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I couldn’t resist reporting the outcome. > > We named him **Noah Octavian**. Octavian is a family name for my wife, and Noah we just liked. > > Hopefully the name doesn’t seem douchey. If it does, please don’t say so 🙂 Noah Octavian … Noah O. … Hmmm … I think I would have used a more conventional first name with Octavian, but I do like the rhythm. So, did you name him after a fictional character? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/177 "2010-08-12T02:53:32Z")
> [@j66](#): > > So, did you name him after a fictional character? Uh, kind of. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/178 "2010-08-12T03:05:11Z")
> [@j66](#): > > I think I would have used a more conventional first name with Octavian, but I do like the rhythm. What’s ‘more conventional’ than Noah? Not sure where you’re from, but it was the ninth-most-common boys’ name in America last year. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/179 "2010-08-12T03:13:54Z")
> [@GilaB](#): > > What’s ‘more conventional’ than Noah? Not sure where you’re from, but it was the ninth-most-common boys’ name in America last year. Algernon. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049/180 "2010-08-12T05:27:35Z")
> [@Dumbguy](#): > > Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I couldn’t resist reporting the outcome. > > We named him **Noah Octavian**. Octavian is a family name for my wife, and Noah we just liked. > > Hopefully the name doesn’t seem douchey. If it does, please don’t say so 🙂 They’re good names. Noah is fairly popular, but it is a lovely name. Octavian is also cool - for a middle name, at least. I love the name Octavia for a girl, shortened to Tavi, but I’m not sure I’d ever use it. However, I hope your kid’s surname doesn’t start with B. NO-almost any letter spells out a word of some sort, but NOB would be unfortunate. NOM would just be mildly amusing - and NOT and NOW. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-your-kid-after-a-fictional-character/547049.md?page=10)