# Punny character names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982 "2017-10-04T20:30:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/21 "2017-10-05T00:48:09Z")
A Spider Robinson story (don’t remember which one) had a character named “Fleming Ennis”. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/22 "2017-10-05T01:26:38Z")
80s and 90s wrestling had tons too ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/23 "2017-10-05T01:44:50Z")
I’ll bet there are a few on this board who remember the [National Lampoon 1964 High School Yearbook Parody](http://gonzotoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/National_Lampoon_1964_High_School_Yearbook_Parody_1979.pdf) which was to name puns as _Airplane!_ was to every other type of pun. Just a handful of examples: Dwight Mannsburden Charles Ulmer Farley (“Chuck”) Franklin George Furter Maria Teresa Spermatozoa Amana Pepperidge Ray D. Aider Clark Barr Terry Dactil Tupper Ware Derry Queen Gale Warning A. Delweiss And literally hundreds more. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/24 "2017-10-05T02:02:14Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > > True. Like the _Harry Potter_ series, the names were meant to be meaningful. I’m looking for names that are ‘cute jokes’ (like Mr. Atoz), but not so ‘cute’ as the _James Bond_ names. > > Arrgh, I just got that! :smack: Mr. Atoz? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/25 "2017-10-05T02:07:37Z")
A revolutionary political figure in the Honor Harrington series is named “Rob S. Pierre”. Which I thought was a bit much. ---
**Author:** ![Donegal\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Donegal\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donegal_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/26 "2017-10-05T02:15:00Z")
Some of my favorites from Beany and Cecil Tear Along the Dotted Lion and their destination the No Bikini Atolls ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/27 "2017-10-05T02:22:54Z")
One of the bad guys in the Star Wars prequels is called “Nute Gunray”. This is a two stage pun and reference to Ronald Reagan. First “Knute Rockne, All American” was Ronald Reagan’s most famous film (with the whole “Win one for the Gipper!” line). Second, Gunray is a reference to the nickname “Ronnie Raygun” for Ronald Reagan, they just reversed Raygun into Gunray. The reason for this is apparently George Lucas really hated Ronald Reagan, not only for his conservative politics but didn’t like how the media named Reagan’s “Strategic Defense Initiative” as “Star Wars” as he hated the association. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/28 "2017-10-05T02:22:59Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Thomas Pynchon used them a lot: Mucho Maas, Genghis Cohen, “Bloody” Chicklitz **The Crying of Lot 49** is jammed with them: Dr. Hilarius, Manny DiPresso, Koteks, Driblette… ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/29 "2017-10-05T02:30:27Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Since manga/anime is being mentioned, there is Sailor Venus, also called Sailor V, which in Engrish is [pronounced exactly like c’est la vie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV_jqVPxx1k). And in the English dub, Usagi’s name was changed to Serena which is a nice two stage pun, first after her Princess Serenity title she gets later in the series, and also after the Sea of Serenity on the Moon (which is where she later inhabits in the future) In addition, in the Japanese version her daughter is named “Chibiusa” which basically translates to “Little Usagi”. In order to try to keep the referential name thing going in the English they named her “Rini” which is short for Serena. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/30 "2017-10-05T02:34:05Z")
Dixie Normous _Austin Powers in Goldmember_ ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/31 "2017-10-05T04:40:18Z")
\*\*\*MAD Magazine \*\*\* used to do this all the time. (Still does, as far as I know.) The feature I remember best had ads for correspondence courses or special training schools for people who wanted to find a career that suited them. The school/course for parking attendants had testimonials from Nick Adore, Randy Batterydown, Leif Rubber, Gundy Motor, and other satisfied alumni. They also did posters for movies drawn from everyday situations. One was a horror film based on office life called _ **The Thing at the Reception Desk** _ that no one could ever get past, no matter how hard they tried. It starred Ava Seat and featured Ophelia Sorebutt. Another based on life under the sea starred Tuna Louise. One about plumbers featured The Trapp Family Singers. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/32 "2017-10-05T04:46:30Z")
> [@Donegal\_Dragon](#): > > Some of my favorites from Beany and Cecil Tear Along the Dotted Lion and their destination the **No Bikini Atolls** That’s almost as good as New Greenpernt in Rocky and Bullwinkle. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/33 "2017-10-05T04:49:08Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > One of the bad guys in the Star Wars prequels is called “Nute Gunray”. This is a two stage pun and reference to Ronald Reagan. First “Knute Rockne, All American” was Ronald Reagan’s most famous film (with the whole “Win one for the Gipper!” line). Second, Gunray is a reference to the nickname “Ronnie Raygun” for Ronald Reagan, they just reversed Raygun into Gunray. Oooh, and that reminded me: one of Nute Gunray’s fellow Neimoidians is Senator Lott Dod, who was named after two U.S. Senators: Trent Lott and Chris Dodd. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/34 "2017-10-05T05:01:11Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The school/course for parking attendants had testimonials from Nick Adore, Randy Batterydown, Leif Rubber, Gundy Motor, and other satisfied alumni. Crap, I forgot Skip Braking! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/35 "2017-10-05T05:40:42Z")
The New Testament has a few punny names. David Fitzgerald pointed this out in his book “Nailed”. “Richard Carrier has shown that [Joseph of] Arimathea is an Aramaic pun: ari- (best) mathai- (disciple) –a (town/place). Carrier confirms that the ari- prefix, meaning “best,” appears in such words as aristocracy (rule of the best), aripikros (best in bitterness, hence bitterest), arideiketos (best in display, hence glorious), as explained in standard Greek lexicons. The math- root forms the verb mathein, to teach, and the nouns mathê, lesson or doctrine, and mathêtês, disciple. The -aia suffix as town or place appears for such regions as Galilaia (Land of the Galiyl) and Judaia (Land of the Jews), and such actual cities as Dikaia (Justice Town) and Drymaia(Thicket Town). Could it be mere coincidence that this follower of Jesus comes from Bestdiscipleville, Judea?” Also, the name Jesus a.k.a. Yeshua means “Yahweh Saves.” Another one is, “We could call the apostle Simon Peter ‘Rocky,’ since that is what his nickname Cephas (in Greek Petros) meant. Matthew has Jesus making a pun when he tells Peter ‘upon this rock I will build my church’” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/36 "2017-10-05T06:17:56Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I’ll bet there are a few on this board who remember the [National Lampoon 1964 High School Yearbook Parody](http://gonzotoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/National_Lampoon_1964_High_School_Yearbook_Parody_1979.pdf) which was to name puns as _Airplane!_ was to every other type of pun. Just a handful of examples: > > Dwight Mannsburden > Charles Ulmer Farley (“Chuck”) > Franklin George Furter > Maria Teresa Spermatozoa > Amana Pepperidge > Ray D. Aider > Clark Barr > Terry Dactil > Tupper Ware > Derry Queen > Gale Warning > A. Delweiss > > And literally hundreds more. More than a few of us remember it, I hope. It was published in 1973 and I still have my copy. My long-time faves are: **Amanda B. Reckonwith** and … drumroll … **Theophilus Punoval**. It’s a treasure, can be read cover to cover almost like a novel, with dozens of little storylines running simultaneously. And while I’m here, a fave from my childhood (although I was in college before I got the joke): Rocky and Bullwinkle’s **Boris Badenov**. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/37 "2017-10-05T08:48:36Z")
Not character names exactly, but there’s a quest in The Witcher 3 in which you have to defeat the wicked **Defensive Regulatory Magicon** (DRM) by using a book entitled **Gottfried’s Omni-opening Grimoire** (GOG). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/38 "2017-10-05T10:45:51Z")
> [@](#): > > The New Testament has a few punny names. Don’t forget Judas [Iscariot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicarii). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/39 "2017-10-05T11:50:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Mr. Atoz? I didn’t get this until several years ago when looking at plans for a measuring system with its “A to D” (Analog to Digital) Converter, where they ran the letters together to form “AtoD”. I suddenly realized that “Mr. Atoz” from that old Star Trek episode was “Mr. A to Z” – that is, essentially, “Mr. The Entire Alphabet”. Appropriate for a Librarian. It’s a good thing that the pun worked in EverybodyTalk as well as in English. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punny-character-names/797982/40 "2017-10-05T11:50:57Z")
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