I just finished a book called All the [name]Lovely[/name] Bad ones, by [name]Mary[/name] Downing Hahn. In the book, a woman named [name]Ada[/name] Jaggs does horrible things to people on a poor farm, hangs herself, and gets taken away by the devil. I like this name, but don’t think its usable because of the character. I know not many people would think of her if they met an [name]Ada[/name], but this woman, even though shes fake, is terrible. Does anyone else have names ruined by books?
Some other intresting names from the book-
[name]Travis[/name]
[name]Corey[/name]- for a girl
[name]Edna[/name]
[name]Ira[/name]
[name]Uriah[/name]. I would love the name - I love -iah names is general - but [name]Uriah[/name] Heep in Dickens totally wrecked it. He was such a creep.
But I could get over it, probably. If I love the name enough.
I’ve also had names introduced to me through books, and that’s the only reason I really like them. [name]Fitzwilliam[/name] comes to mind. Oh, [name]Darcy[/name]…
The first time I came across the name [name]Adelaide[/name], it was in a book and she was an awful character. It was a few months later that I found Nameberry and I couldn’t understand why everyone loved the name! I can now see why one would like the name but it still seems sour to me.
I have to say [name]Dolores[/name]. I used to love that name, but after reading [name]Lolita[/name] I can’t think of anything else when I hear the name.
You should read Cold Mountain, there’s a character in there named [name]Ada[/name] or [name]Adah[/name]. It might change your mind!
Oh yes [name]Bellatrix[/name]. She also used [name]Draco[/name] which I love, and [name]Lucius[/name] ([name]Lucius[/name] has so many other nice associations though, so it’s ok). J. K. Rowling really used a lot of nice names…
[name]Rosalie[/name] from Twilight! I think the name is so beautiful and while I don’t have a bias against the actual character, I wouldn’t want Twilight to be the first thing that pops into someones head when meeting my daughter.
[name]Reading[/name] “A Room with a View” has tainted [name]Charlotte[/name], but not beyond use. I also used to really like [name]Lolita[/name], but that’s still too connected to the novel. [name]Jasper[/name] too. I can’t get past Twilight. Oh! And Hermione is so connected to [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] that should I ever use it, I’d just get Hermione [name]Granger[/name] refrerences.
I also have to second [name]Willoughby[/name]- such a handsome name, yet such a putz…
Oh yes, I forgot [name]Rosalie[/name]. But for me it’s [name]Agnes[/name] [name]Grey[/name] by [name]Anne[/name] [name]Bronte[/name] that ruined it. And [name]Matilda[/name], a bit- [name]Rosalie[/name]'s sister.
I love that book- you’re right that makes [name]Rosalie[/name] pretty “bleck” too- [name]Matilda[/name] not so much. Those younger children from the first house were demon seeds.
Hmm, I’m not sure, really. Most of the books I read don’t have super-awful people in it, haha, but I write stories, and some of the bad-guy names get ruined for me for a long time. There is this awful bad guy in this one story I wrote, his name was [name]Liam[/name] [name]Henry[/name], and he was basically this terrorist associated with the [name]IRA[/name] (the Irish [name]IRA[/name], not the tax company, lol!) and al-Qaida, and he targeted American soldiers, etc., he was just pure evil, so I was put off of [name]Liam[/name] for the longest time. I sort of like it again now, but it’ll always seem a bit sinister to me because of that.
I think some names can be ruined not because it’s a bad character, but just because it is associated with that character too much, like [name]Hermione[/name]. [name]Hermione[/name] is a lovely character, but she is all anyone would think of.
[name]Anastasia[/name], and [name]Christian[/name] from 50 Shades Trilogy.
[name]Draco[/name], although I’m a fan of HP, I think it’s a bit much to use. Same with [name]Sirius[/name] although I love the character.
[name]Cato[/name] I feel is a bit tainted due to the Hunger Games.
Umm, I haven’t read any novels in so long that I can’t think of any!
I love the name [name]Grey[/name] or [name]Gray[/name] especially as a boy’s middle name but I really don’t think I can use it now after the 50 shades mania. Wouldn’t want people to think I was naming my son after [name]Christian[/name] [name]Grey[/name] or that I’d thought of the name because of the book. Perhaps in a few years it will be useable but not right now as baby was conceived right in the middle of all the hype.
[name]Barbara[/name] Kingsolver’s book The Poisonwood Bible ruined the name [name]Nathan[/name] for me. But I prefer [name]Nathaniel[/name] and it made me like the name [name]Adah[/name], so it’s OK.
I still mourn the loss of that one. And [name]Ophelia[/name].