Weekly Geeks-Character Names

For this week's edition of Weekly Geeks, we're going to take a closer look at character names. What are some of your favorite character names?

Go to Google or a baby name site like this one or this one, and look up a favorite character's name. What does their name mean? Do you think the meaning fits the character? Why or why not?

If you'd like, look up your own name as well and share the meaning.

When it came to thinking of favourite character names I drew a complete blank, so I thought I'd pick a selection of characters from a favourite series. So here are some character names from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. I actually didn't finish this series, I lost interest slightly after Memnoch the Devil, but I may get to the rest one day!

LESTAT I couldn't find this name on any name sites but I did find this on Wikipedia from Anne Rice.

"Lestat was inspired by Stan, and then I became Lestat."[3] The name 'Lestat' was a misspelling of "Lestan," which Rice believed to be an old French name"

Stan Rice obviously being her husband. This doesn't tell us a lot about the character, but does imply that she felt a personal connection with Lestat.

Louis Louis apparently means 'Famous warrior'. Again this is really the antithesis of Louis as he is one of the more peaceful vampires in the series. It was however a very regal name, used by sixteen kings of France, and Louis sometimes has to have an air of regality and aloofness about him.

Claudia Depending on which site used, Claudia either means 'lame or 'disabled'. Although she is portrayed as a beautiful child, she is disabled by Lestat and Louis as they turn her into a five year old vampire, doomed to never mature physically, although she does emotionally. She is also disabled in a more physical sense, as she is eternally five, so can never live alone. She will always need to be dependent on someone to provide her a home.

Armand This one simply means 'soldier'. I don't think this really fits that well with the character, but it is a beautiful name, for a character portrayed throughout the series as beautiful.

I could go on for ever simply listing characters but I think I'll leave it that! I did look up mine and my children's names though, just because I couldn't resist whilst I was looking up names!

Joanne This is derived from the female form of John, and literally means 'Grace of God'. Hmmm!

Dylan This is Welsh, meaning 'man of the sea'. I knew it was welsh because that's the reason we chose it. His dad is Welsh and wanted a Welsh name, and I thought I could always say he was named after Dylan Thomas! Lol. He does love being in water though!

Christina This simply means 'follower of Christ'. Again, Hmmm! She was actually named after her Dad's first employer who took on a substitute father role when it was needed most, and is her Godfather. Thats the Chris part, and the Tina comes from my childhood babysitter, who I was close to and who died very young. Bit of an amalgamation but we thought it was a pretty name.

I really enjoyed doing this and I think it will make me think a bit more about character names in the books I read.