# Was Darth Vader named after the Dutch for father, or for "invader"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-darth-vader-named-after-the-dutch-for-father-or-for-invader/996167>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** movies\
**Created:** [January 16, 2024, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-darth-vader-named-after-the-dutch-for-father-or-for-invader/996167 "2024-01-16T14:33:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-darth-vader-named-after-the-dutch-for-father-or-for-invader/996167/41 "2024-01-19T17:57:02Z")

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Hehe, I’ll think about it, but I really like the Booty portion of Darth No-Booty.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-darth-vader-named-after-the-dutch-for-father-or-for-invader/996167/42 "2024-01-19T18:49:57Z")

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> [@scabpicker](#):
>
> I really like the Booty portion

That’s a common opinion.

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**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-darth-vader-named-after-the-dutch-for-father-or-for-invader/996167/43 "2024-01-20T18:32:58Z")

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> [quote=“wevets, post:1, topic:996167”]  
> “Vader” is traditionally explained as being from [Dutch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_language) _[vader](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vader#Dutch)_ (“father”). However, the idea of Vader’s fatherhood was only developed for _[The Empire Strikes Back](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Empire_Strikes_Back)_ (after the character was introduced), making this improbable. It is more likely a shortening of _[invader](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/invader#English)_ or from the surname _[Vader](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Vader#English)_ .[[1]](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Darth_Vader#cite_note-1)

This part bothers me. Either Lucas is lying or this is a really weird coincidence. It occurred to me he might have gotten the idea of making Vader Luke’s father from the name, but I’m highly skeptical.

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