Baby Names Revisited

Regular readers of this blog will remember that a colleague of mine has withheld the name she and her husband selected for their "baby-on-the-way" and guessing the name has proven to be a great source of excitement and amusement around my office these last months. Well, I am delighted to shout from the hilltops that the lovely ZOE ELIZABETH was born yesterday and the CBC team, which considers her one of our own, couldn't be happier with the name selection. We are all over the moon. Big, warm congrats to Kelly and Mark and Baby Zoe! We can't wait to meet her. I'm looking forward to hearing Kelly's stories as life with the new baby unfolds and suspect that many of the stories will make it into the blog. Stay tuned...

Today's book references come courtesy of another blog I happened upon today. Many thanks to Anna Reads for a list of what she considers to be the most unfortunate character names in books. Here's her list:

1. Thresh from Hunger Games: I'm sorry, and I know he was supposed to be an intimidating warrior, but all I could think was: "Trash? Rash? Thrash? What was that guy's name again?" And if his name stands out in a book of REALLY crazy names, you know how much it irked me.

2. Remus Lupin from Harry Potter: Gray wolf = Canis lupus. Remus = co-founder of Rome, was raised by a she-wolf. Could there BE a more obvious name for a dude who turns into a wolf?

3. Philip Pirrip aka Pip from Great Expectations: Pip? Seriously?

4. Padraig Seeley from Impossible: Is it just me or are fairies always named Seeley?

5. Angel Clare from Tess of the d'Urbervilles: Oh, I'm sorry, you wanted me to take him seriously as a romantic lead? Well, then don't name him the MOST GIRLIEST NAME EVER!

6. Any girl named Fanny in any Jane Austen novel: Maybe this name didn't have negative connotations back then, but that doesn't stop me from snickering...

7. Renesmee Carlie Cullen from Breaking Dawn: 'Nuff said.

8. Polyhymnia O'Keefe from Madeleine L'Engle's books: The daughter of my beloved Meg and Calvin. But why, oh why, did such a terrific couple have to do such a terrible thing to their daughter? Granted, her brother's name was Dennys so maybe odd ones run in the family?

9. Sookie Stackhouse from True Blood: Ugh. If you agree with me on this, watch this video.

10. Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games: Oh, sorry. I couldn't leave it with just one. Like everyone else, ALL I COULD THINK WAS "CATNIP!"

Meanwhile...create your own Hunger Games name (Mine = Riena H. Swingrose). Or your own Harry Potter name (Odila Lejeune). Or your own Jane Austen name (Lady Elizabeth King). And, of course, a fairy name (Gossamer Moonfly).

Thanks Anna!