So, this may seem like a dumb question to some of y’all. I’m probably just over thinking it.
Many of you are probably familiar with the young adult author John Green (and know you have some strong opinions on his books). I haven’t read many of his books, but I have an issue. I happen adore names used for main characters in two of his books: Augustus “Gus” and Margo (for reference, from The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns respectively) (he’s also used Ben in Paper Towns, which I have on my list, but he’s a minor character so I don’t think that’s a big deal. John Green needs to stop using my favorite names okay). These characters are not the reason I love these names (Margo wasn’t even a nice character, she was a bit of a b!tch).
So, in the future, if I were to name my children Gus and Margo, or Augustus and Margo (I have both in my siggy), would that be weird? Would people make that connection? I think Gus and Margo especially sound amazing together in a sibset and don’t want to give it up because of an author, but I also don’t want my future children to be always associated with the books. These books are pretty popular in my age group, so I want to hear your opinions.
My concern is that Margo & Gus & Augustus are not widely used names. I’m worried they’ll scream “John Green fan”. It’s not the same as, for example, if someone used George and Harry (Harry Potter) because those names are widely used now.
I’d love to hear your ideas on this. I bet some of you berries have this same problem with other book series/movie series/tv show too, feel free to share here as well.
I honestly wouldn’t make that connection. [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] and [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]? Maybe. [name_m]Quentin[/name_m] and [name_f]Margo[/name_f]? Maybe. I say go for both. They’re great names!
I don’t think there are going to be too many people making that connection. I mean really, I can’t remember all the name combos of characters in books I read when I was a teenager, at least not off the top of my head. Maybe after knowing these kids for awhile, it would hit me, but I seriously doubt I’d notice. Of course, some people have a much better memory than I do.
I’d never make the connection either. Maybe as his popularity grows it’ll become more apparent to the masses but I don’t think it would be an issue currently. It may help that the names are gaining popularity on their own.
Eh, I think you’re safe using them. I didn’t draw the connection…granted I only read the book a long while ago and have never seen the movie. As someone else said, [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] and [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], yeah that’d be completely obvious. Like [name_m]Jack[/name_m] and [name_f]Rose[/name_f].
I think that by the time your hypothetical [name_u]Gus[/name_u] and [name_f]Margo[/name_f] are born, no one will connect them to [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u], even more so because they weren’t in the same book.
I’ve only read one [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u] book, not one of the ones you listed, and I haven’t seen the movie(s). But I will say that I never would have made the connection - as far as I know, these names haven’t permeated the collective consciousness (at least so far) in the way that, say, [name_m]Edward[/name_m] and [name_f]Bella[/name_f] from Twilight did - I have never read any of the Twilight books or seen any of the movies, but I do know that those were the two main characters’ names because the whole phenomenon was huge.
If you’re super anxious about it, you might consider an alternate spelling for [name_f]Margo[/name_f] ([name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Margaux[/name_f]) or [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] with the nickname [name_f]Margo[/name_f], or else [name_u]August[/name_u] instead of [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] since it still gets you to the nn [name_u]Gus[/name_u].
I think you’re safe. I wouldn’t make the connection and I honestly think that in the future the books won’t be so popular, so people will think about it even less.
As a fan of [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u] and someone who owns both of these books I would make the connection, but I doubt many other people would. I think they’d work just fine together, especially since it’s not intentionally influenced by [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u]. They sound nice together, they weren’t love interests - they weren’t even in the same book. I know a [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_u]James[/name_u] sibset and although it has been mentioned occasionally it’s not an issue.
You’d have to really be a huge fan of his to make that connection. I had no idea at all what you were talking about. I didn’t even know who [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u] was til you referenced the fault in our stars, which I only thought was a movie. (yes I live in a hole sometimes)
I don’t think it would matter because they aren’t characters from the same book. I know I wouldn’t have thought of it and I’ve read both books. Also, he isn’t as popular off the internet then he is on it (though I suppose if you’re a gen y or younger, you’d probably spend a bit of time online).
If it still bothers you, you could always change [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] to [name_u]August[/name_u] or [name_f]Margo[/name_f] to [name_f]Margot[/name_f].
Since, as your signature says, you are still a teenberry (like me!), you’re likely a few years off from having children. 5 years from now, [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u] books are not going to be as popular - they’re incredibly popular now (I think?), but they’re certainly not cult classic novels or wildly successful movie franchises that will span a 10 year period. I see where you’re coming from, but really, I doubt it’ll be that big of a deal in 5-10 years. They’re a bit of a fad, like Bop-It toys, crop tops and blue eyeshadow, they aren’t necessarily going to have a lasting effect on society. You may have one or two people who do realise it - but what’s the harm in that? There are certainly worse things to be named after/share a name with.
Besides that, [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] is in the US top 1000 currently, and [name_f]Margo[/name_f] was in Despicable Me - so it’s not as if either name is heavily connected to just those two books. [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] is somewhat of a classic, and [name_f]Margo[/name_f] is often used as a nickname for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], I know several who are my parents’ age or older who go by [name_f]Margo[/name_f] rather than [name_f]Margaret[/name_f].
As other people have said… [name_u]Gus[/name_u] and [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]? Maybe. [name_u]Gus[/name_u] and [name_f]Margo[/name_f]? Definitely not. They’re great names, don’t let that keep you from using them.
I’m a teen and have heard of the characters, but I wouldn’t make that concection. [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] and [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] definitely, but I wouldn’t make the connection between [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] and [name_f]Margo[/name_f]. I guess it helps I love the names too.
I’ve read both books, and I don’t think I would make the connection if I met 2 kids names [name_m]Augustus[/name_m]/[name_u]Gus[/name_u] and [name_f]Margo[/name_f]. Like someone else said, if it were [name_m]Quentin[/name_m] & [name_f]Margo[/name_f], or [name_m]Augustus[/name_m] & [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] I might make the connection. I like both of them, and I agree with you that they make a great sibset.
As much as he would like to think it (he’s so painfully self indulgent and pretentious), [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u] has reaaaally not made a lasting impression on literature. Lol. Honestly, no need to worry.
At the very worst they’ll experience a boost in popularity as our generation use them on their own kids.
The only [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]Green[/name_u] book I’ve read is The Fault in Our Stars, so I probably wouldn’t think too much of it if I met a [name_f]Margo[/name_f] and [name_m]Augustus[/name_m]. (Though I am aware one of his books does have a [name_f]Margo[/name_f].)