Hey everyone! I’m back with a new Top Ten Tuesday for you all this week, courtesy of the Broke and The Bookish. This week’s prompt was a freebie, which means you can do whatever you want, which on the one hand yay, but on the other hand, what the hell do I do? I was going to do Top Ten Things I Enjoy Aside From Reading/Blogging, but I changed my mind and decided to do Top Ten Unfortunate Character Names, mostly because nearly all of the characters in my current read have rather weird names! So here we go, unfortunately named characters:
- Nearly all of Graceling’s characters-I would have picked particular characters, but most of them have stupid names. There’s Po (yes like the teletubby), Bitterblue, Ror (yes like what a lion does), Leck, Raffin, Oll……the list goes on.
- Mare Barrow-Red Queen-I’m sorry, all I could think of when I saw the name Mare was a female horse…..
- Peeta Mellark-The Hunger Games-It just makes me think of pitta bread and I know he’s a baker and it’s meant to be clever and all but seriously, I’m sure not even bakers would land their kid with a bread name.
- Otto Malpense-HIVE-I’m sorry, all I can think of when I see this name is otters……
- Artemis Fowl-Artemis Fowl-He’s named after a female goddess and his last name means birds……do I need to say more?
- Patridge Willux-Pure-He’s named after a bird…..not to mention that Partridge is just a nickname and his real name is Ripkard……who names their kid that?
- Dick and Fanny-Faraway Tree-Okay so I’m slightly cheating here by combining two characters but they’re both on the list for the same reason, so I thought I’d combine them. Yes I know these books were written a long time ago and they are actual names and probably didn’t mean the same things as they do now….but still, very unfortunate to be named Dick or Fanny and I probably don’t need to say why.
- Horace Slughorn-Harry Potter-The guy’s last name is Slughorn and then his parents had to give him the first name Horace……
- Montgomery Montgomery-A Series of Unfortunate Events-Having the same first and last name…..Ouch!
- Piggy-Lord of The Flies-Okay so I know this was a nickname but still…….
- Mundungus Fletcher-Harry Potter-This series is full of weirdly named characters, but I think Mundungus is a particularly unfortunate name!
- Glimmer-The Hunger Games-This series is full of characters with weird names, but I think this one was probably one of the worst!
- Effie-The Hunger Games-Okay so the name suits her because it’s weird and posh like she is, but it’s still a really unfortunate name.
- Four-Divergent-I know it’s a nickname, but still…….it’s a weird name.
- Puck Connelly-The Scorpio Races-Again, a nickname but it’s a really weird nickname and I couldn’t stop thinking about the character from Glee who also goes by this nickname….and he’s a guy whereas this character is a girl…..
- Quigley Quagmire-A Series of Unfortunate Events-This is just bad. Poor kid. Enough said.
- Frypan-The Maze Runner-This is just…..I can’t even.
- Chaol Westfall-Throne of Glass-I know you’re supposed to pronounce it Kay-all but it sounds so much like Kale…….
- Santi-Ink and Bone-Okay so this is his last name, but he’s referred to as this most of the time and I just can’t help but think of Santa!
- El Capitan and Helmud-Pure-I kept misreading El Capitan as Captain and Helmud…well Helmud is just strange and made me think of Helmets!
So I’m going to stop there before I go completely crazy, but the point is there are some weird names in YA. I really enjoyed this topic so I think I’m going to keep back Unusual Character Names That I Actually Like as a topic for another time! What’s the weirdest YA character name you’ve ever come across? Be brutal, I want to hear the weirdest of the weird! What did you do for the freebie topic? Let me know in the comments! Next’s week’s topic is Top Ten Books That Have Under 2000 Ratings On Goodreads That You Enjoyed, which I’m really looking forward to, as I like finding underrated books but in the meantime, I will hopefully have a new Wishlist Wednesday post, a new discussion post and a new review (of my latest read Graceling), all coming up for you guys in the next few days, so stay tuned for all of that!
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Oh my god, I couldn’t stand the name Chaol when I first started Throne of Glass. The amount of times I said “chall” in my head was inconceivable. I’m also honestly not a fan of Celaena – it sounds like one of those weird names that parents make up for their kids by shoving two names together, LOL.
Me either! I kept saying Chaowl in my head! I didn’t like the name at first but once I got used to it, I actually found it kind of pretty.
What a great topic! I agree with several names on this list. In my show I watch a mysterious character from the past shows up and keeps calling the MC “Death.” Apparently that was her nickname. I hate it. In regards to the same first and last name, there was a guy in our town who umpired a lot named Adam Adams. Seriously? Why would you name your kid that? Are you already thinking he’s stupid and can only write five letters in his lifetime? Mare + Barrow (wheelbarrow) makes me think of horse droppings…
Thanks! Wow Death is a very weird nickname. Adam Adams? That is terrible! Yup you are not the only one whose said that today!
I just love this topic! It’s super original! It makes me wonder what the author was thinking! INSANE! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks! Yes some of these names really do make you wonder what the author was thinking. No problem 😉
Great list and such a fun topic! I kept thinking “Mare Barrow” was “Wheelbarrow.”
Thanks! You are not alone in that, I’ve had a few people saying that this week!
You’re not alone in the Mare/female horse thing. Also, Mare Barrow is way too close to “Male Burrow” which just brings donkeys to mind.
Yes I’ve found a few people who’ve thought the same thing today! That is a new one, it appears there are many funny ways to interpret the name Mare Barrow.
Some of those are horrible! Though, I have known people who’s parents gave them their last name as their first. There are so many names in the world, why repeat yourself? Surely you can find a name you like!:P
I agree! I have no idea, it’s very strange. You would think so, but clearly not!
Very thorough list! I thought of Teletubbies when you said Po 🙂 Frypan?? And I saw and read The Hunger Games and thought Peeta sounded like a feminine name for a rather sweet but macho guy. Reminded me of Petra or Pita bread. Unless she meant it like Peter, who knows?
Thanks! Yup same here, when I was reading. Yeah it does sound like a rather feminine name. I think she did mean it like Peter, but in the movies it totally sounded like Pita bread, so I will forever associate him with that now!
Great topic, Jo! I’ve never minded Peeta’s name, but perhaps that’s because I like unusual names. It helps the character and the respective story world they belong in stand out. That said, some names do “bug” me so I totally understand associating something with the name that, for the reader, works against the character.
Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland.
Thanks! Fair enough, it doesn’t bother everyone. I agree, I do like some unusual names because you’re right it does help the world and the story, but sometimes they bother me. No problem 🙂
OMG! I totally remember reading about Dick and Fanny and the Faraway Tree. LOL!
Me too! I didn’t get how unfortunate their names were when I was a kid, but now I know and I can’t stop thinking about it!
I love the topic! You’re so right! Everyone in Graceling has a weird name! Santi wasn’t such a weird name for me cause I have a friend named Santiago and I call him Santi for short lol. Some weird names for me are Cress and Winter from Lunar Chronicles, Krestel from Winners Kiss, and a bunch from A Court of Thorns and Rose trilogy (Feyre, Rhysand, Tamlin, Mor, Nesta, Cassian, Amarantha … lol)
Thanks! They really do, it’s distracting. Yeah that makes sense, I guess it’s just me that finds Santi weird, my brain goes to some weird places! Yes, Cress and Winter are friends. Yes, ACOTAR does have some very weird names!
Haha yeah, some names are so weird but Po is on the top of my list.
Yes it is definitely very weird!
Wha ha ha!! Yup, some of these are really funny. Bitterblue…. breaking up is hard to do…. (I love Bonnie Tyler). Thanks for visiting Mareli Thalk ink!
Glad to hear you found them funny! I haven’t heard that song, but yes, Bitterblue is a funny name.
Haha I love your choice of topic, and I have to agree, Peeta, despite him being the cutest ever, didn’t have the greatest name haha
Thanks! Yeah he really didn’t!
DICK AND FANNY OMG!!!!…. swear to God, either that author was laughing throughout the whole book or omg omg omg.
I never thought of Peeta as Pitta bread but you got a point! And I soooo agree with you on Mare Marrow… also female horse+bone marrow!
I love the idea of this topic!!! one of the things I hate in books is when like characters have the same names? If there’s a John as a secondary character, why meet another John when the main protagonist goes to the bank? and why name the children the same as their parents? it confuses me!
I would have been if I was that author! But the books were written a long time ago and those were actual names back then, she couldn’t have known what they would come to mean! I didn’t until I watched the Hunger Games movies and everyone pronounced it like that and now I can’t stop thinking of it like that. Yup, her name can be misinterpreted in so many different ways, Bone Marrow seems to be a favourite this week. Thanks, I really enjoyed doing it. Oh I know, I hate that, it’s so easy to get confused when there are different characters with the same name.
HAHAHAHA! This is one of the most original posts out there! I LOVE it! Agreed, there are some seriously weird names out there. I love saying Mundungus Flecher though. It’s JUST SO FUNNY!
Lovely post!
Thanks! Yeah there really are. I have to admit, Mundungus Fletcher is a fun name to say.
Haha, I love this list. And it’s a lot of weird character names out there, I need some time to think what the weirdest one I heard is (but I’m kind of leaning towards Peeta. It’s just…no..). Thanks for sharing, and for stopping by my TTT earlier. 🙂
Thanks! Yeah there definitely are. Peeta is definitely bad! No problem 🙂
Love this! There are a lot of unfotunate names in The Hunger Games. And you’re totally right on Artemis Fowl–love those books but what a name! Haha. Thanks for stopping by my TTT earlier 🙂
Thanks! Yup there really are. I love those books too but that name is horrendous! No problem 🙂
Haha! loved the post! I feel the same way on a few names in there 🙂
Thanks! Glad to hear it 🙂
lol! I love this topic and I’m laughing so hard at these horrid names. I wish authors would stop with the kooky names honestly.
Thanks! Yeah I do too sometimes, but sometimes it does work with the story for the characters to have kooky names.
I can’t handle Chaol’s name at all hahaha! For one, I probounced it as Cow-Ol for the first book or so til I found out it’s Kay-all – but I just can’t do it! I mean my way sounds like the thing that monks have, but the leafy green vegetable is less attractive I think haha
Me either! I pronounced it as Chow-ol, equally unatrractive, sounds like a dog chewing on a bone. I don’t know, both are pretty unattractive!
I laughed so hard reading this list! I definitely can’t separate Graceling’s Po from Teletubbies Po, although admittedly I love that book regardless of the names. And I’m currently reading The Scorpio Races… and Puck just reminds me of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Not in a good way either. I can’t recall if it’s ever mentioned why she’s called Puck. 😛
Thanks! Nope me either. Well that’s good, I wasn’t so keen, but I’m glad you liked it. I did think of that one as well, but Puck from Glee was higher in my mind! I don’t think it is, though it’s been a long time since I read it, so I don’t know…….
This is a brilliant idea for a Top Ten Tuesday topic! I’m not sure if it’s just the genres I’m reading more of now, but there certainly seem to be more and more unusual names in books.
Thanks! I think maybe it’s a combination of both 🙂
I also thought Mare was a pretty lame name choice. One of the dumbest names in YA history in my opinion is America Singer from The Selection. I would’ve forgiven it if she wasn’t, in fact, a singer. It’s one of the smaller issues that add to the long list of problems I had with The Selection. And what kind of name is America? Great post! x
Yup it definitely was! That is a pretty dumb name. I have no idea! Thanks 🙂
There really are some weird character names out there! From your list, I agree that Peeta and Puck could have had better names.
Yes they definitely could have!
Haha, this was a great topic! I agree on the Peeta Mellark and Chaol Westfall. And even though I’ve learned how to pronounce Chaol’s name, when I first read Throne of Glass, I pronounced similar to how it’s spelled: Ciao-L 😀 And now I can’t stop. Those names from Graceling are very strange.
Thanks! Yeah they are both bad aren’t they? That’s kind of similar to how I pronounced it Chow-ol! It was so difficult for me to get out of the habit of calling him that. Yes they are 🙂
I love your topic – omg, I always the Graceling character names are too bad – whenever I read Po’s name I thought of the Teletubbies lol – coincidentally, Po was my favorite when I was little. lol
Thanks! They really are terrible 🙂 Ha, that’s quite hilarious!
Great topic! I actually laughed out loud at some of these 😀 I guess I’ve been pronouncing Chaol’s name wrong cause I say it like ‘Kale’ :p
Thanks! I’m glad, that was the hope! Yup, as I’ve found out from this topic, there are many ways to pronounce his name.
Firstly, I love this idea for a TTT! And secondly, talking about bad Harry Potter names – Pius Thicknesse. That’s one hell of a name.
Thanks! Oh yeah forgot about that one! It’s terrible 🙂
I always thought Frying Pan was a mean nickname lol
Maybe it is, it’s been a while since I’ve read the books!