My Name Is...

Heard a news report on the radio a couple of days ago. A woman named Icantina Turner was arrested for trying to smuggle drugs into the country from the Carribean. And yes, Icantina Turner was the name she was given at birth. For those of you who don't understand where I'm going with this, Ike and Tina Turner was a very popular group in the 60's and up until Tina Turner left Ike and went solo. Ever heard of Proud Mary? Great song. Google it. Anyway, this woman was named after them.


People come up with the strangest names. I can't talk. My son has five. As far as my son's name goes, he was the first male grandchild. All the grandfathers wanted him named after them. I wanted to name him after my grandfather. My hubby also wanted to give a him a completely different identity. And so, to satisfy everyone, Lawrence Xavier Sterling Randolph Smith made his way into the world. Yes, he was named after grandfathers and great grandfather.


My book characters have names that I'm sure some readers aren't sure how to pronounce. But the names came with the characters. The reader can pronounce them any way they want. I had a favorite character. She was Lucky Santangelo, a character written by Jackie Collins. I botched her name in my mind until the movie came out and I got to hear what it was suppose to sound like. It didn't change the way I felt about the character. Still loved her.


What's the wackiest name you've ever heard for a fictional character? For me, it was Pussy Galore in Octopussy. She was also one of by favorite James Bond heroines. Have you ever given a character a weird name? Did they come with it, or did the name come later? I'd love to hear the responses to this one!

Comments

  1. I'm with you on Pussy Galore. I'm a super-priss when it comes to words and that'd just not one i particularly like. I thought Fleming could have tried a little harder. I'm still laughing over Icantina--if I were her, I'd want to drop the Ike part of it!

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    1. lol, liz! If I were her, I would have changed my name as soon as I legally could.

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  2. I love reading weird names...but my characters have 'normal' names, I think. I'm trying to think of something really outrageous but I think you nailed it with PG!

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    1. I always wondered if the writer of Octopussy was on drugs or something.

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  3. I saw that report about Icantina and wondered about it. I think it's right up there with some of the monikers that celebrities stick on their kids. North West?

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    1. I wonder why celebs do that. One of them (can't remember who)named their kid Pilot Instrukter.

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