I’ve really liked the name [name_u]Rue[/name_u] for a girl (or maybe even a boy) for a while.
I like that it’s short, sweet and spare, and has a pared-back, slightly melancholy vibe to it. I also really love the botanical connection. Unbelievably, I’ve only just read through the NB comments on it properly and twigged that it’s also a key Hunger Games character name.
Apparently the character is good, which is a bonus I suppose, but as the mother of a [name_f]Juno[/name_f] I don’t really want to go through the whole “No, not like the film…” thing again. I wouldn’t even have a good story for [name_u]Rue[/name_u] - I’m just really drawn to the name.
So, how much of an issue do you think this would be? I don’t really have a handle on how much of a “thing” Hunger Games is/was - would most people assume straight away that she was named after the character? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you immediately think “Hunger Games”?
I do think of the movie when I hear it, but it’s definitely not as bad as [name_f]Katniss[/name_f] or [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] as far as only being associated with one book in my mind (or [name_f]Juno[/name_f] with one movie!). I don’t think the Hunger Games series is going to stay big now that all the movies and books are done and there are about a million other dystopian future series out there to be made into movies. I would expect a few comments from big fans, but other than that I’d think you’d be safe!
I think a bigger issue for me would be the “regret” meaning… I don’t really care much about meanings, but I can’t get over that one for some reason. But I think it could definitely be a cute name, or maybe a nickname but I can’t think of any good long forms right now. Good luck!
It does make me think of The Hunger Games, but it’s not a bad thing! The character is a sweet and smart little girl.
However she’s not a major character, she’s only in the first movie (out of 4), even if she’s mentioned later on. I also agree with @shalexis, it’s nothing like [name_f]Katniss[/name_f] or [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], and while the name makes me think of the movie they’re not that closely related. (Keep in mind I’ve both read the books and watched the movies once they came out!)
[name_u]Rue[/name_u] makes me think of [name_u]Golden[/name_u] Girls before Hunger Games! I love it, short and sweet. Would be fab with [name_f]Juno[/name_f] too.
Unfortunately, being that the Hunger Games is a huge series and that [name_u]Rue[/name_u] was a prevalant part in at least the first two movies (she wasn’t alive in the second one, but the main character grieved over her throughout the movie + images of her were in that movie as well), your daughter would be bound to run into quite a few people who associate that name with the movie. So if you’re not so keen on the reoccurrence of the issues you faced with [name_f]Juno[/name_f], I’d steer clear of “[name_u]Rue[/name_u]” for a girl.
For a boy, however, because it is not associated with a male character in the movie, I don’t see it being much of a problem at all.
It is a lovely name and if you can get passed the “like from the Hunger Games?” thing, people will eventually grow to see it as your daughter’s name and not the name of a character in a movie.
Thanks, all. I’m really glad most seem to like it at least!
The film references haven’t actually been nearly as frequent as I’d anticipated with [name_f]Juno[/name_f], but I know Hunger Games was pretty big and more recent than the film “[name_f]Juno[/name_f]”. At least the character of [name_u]Rue[/name_u] is a positive one! Maybe I should do a little homework and actually watch/read it
Oh, and I’d actually use [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] if a family friend hadn’t beaten us to it, haha! Maybe I just have a thing for these “one character” names…
I think [name_u]Rue[/name_u] is a super cute name! I do associate it a bit with both [name_u]Golden[/name_u] Girls and Hunger Games, but I don’t think it’s so “out there” like calling your son Peeta or something EXTREMELY specific!
I think it’s a sweet name, if I met a little girl with the name my mind wouldn’t automatically go to the Hunger Games. I wouldn’t have thought about it if your title didn’t mention it. Besides, in the movie she’s just a sweet little girl, and not a lot of people dislike that movie the way they might dislike the movie [name_f]Juno[/name_f], so I think you’re fine even if there is an association.
The Hunger Games hype is still rolling, considering that the last movie came out not too long ago. However, I think [name_u]Rue[/name_u] is a name that can break away from the associations with the movie/book. The character with the name [name_u]Rue[/name_u] was only a major character in the first book, and it’s not like it’s a name that was completely unheard of before the series came out, like [name_f]Katniss[/name_f] or [name_f]Daenerys[/name_f].
In a few years, the memory of the character [name_u]Rue[/name_u] from the Hunger Games will probably be just a distant flicker for most people, so I think it’s safe to use. [name_f]Juno[/name_f] and [name_u]Rue[/name_u] would make an adorable sibset
