Questions tagged [names]
For questions about names: of characters, including titles, nicknames, and honorifics; of in-universe locations, e.g. countries or planets; or of objects, e.g. vessels, weapons, etc. Questions can be in-universe or out-of-universe, about topics such as origins, meanings, usage and pronunciation. For questions about the title of a work of sci-fi or fantasy, use the [title-explanation] tag instead.
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What inspired the name Shrek?
Simple question: is there any information about the inspiration or thought process behind the creation of the name Shrek for the eponymous film and franchise?
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Star Trek story (possibly a Blish or Foster novelization) in which Kirk refers to Spock's aunt and gets the name right by accident
For some reason, I'm thinking of a moment in a Star Trek book quite possibly something added by Blish or Foster to an episode novelization. Kirk and Spock are having a mildly heated discussion and ...
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Was each turtle's name meant to have a significant meaning?
When the TMNT creators named the turtles after Renaissance artists, was each name meant to say something about the turtle it was given to, or where they more or less chosen randomly?
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Did Frank Herbert explain why he used the word Harkonnen for his antagonists?
I learned to speak Finnish and, watching the current version of Dune, thought it was interesting that Herbert used the word for his antagonists. You see, Finnish can convert words from verbs to nouns ...
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Did Asimov ever comment on whether the name of this Foundation character was a deliberate clue?
In Second Foundation the mysterious First Speaker leads the backup Foundation first against the Mule and then against the First Foundation. In the final pages of the book, we learn that this ...
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Is there any evidence on whether "Balrog" from Street Fighter is named after the Balrogs in The Lord of the Rings?
In the original Japanese version of Street Fighter II, Balrog is a claw-wielding Spanish ninja/assassin. When the game was localized for the US, this character's name was changed to Vega.
In the US ...
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How is the name "Took" pronounced?
After hearing someone pronounce "Took" (as in "Fool Of A...") the same as the English word "took", I wondered to myself: Have I been pronouncing it wrong this whole time? ...
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Origin of the name "Boof" in Teen Wolf?
In the 1985 version of Teen Wolf Scott's close friend is named "Boof" (though IMDB does refer to her as "Lisa 'Boof' Marconi"). Is the origin of that nickname given anywhere in ...
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Why does everyone call Hagrid by his last name?
Throughout the Harry Potter novels, Rubeus Hagrid is the only character consistently addressed by his last name in a friendly manner. While the trio do frequently address their enemies by their last ...
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Did L. Ron Hubbard write about a planet called Trantor?
In an article about the '80s video game Trantor: The Last Stormtrooper, the author, Nick Bruty, says he got the name "Trantor" from "a planet in an L. Ron Hubbard book."
Trantor is ...
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How or when is the name Esteban first introduced as a name for Overkill?
In The Tick (2016 Amazon TV series), Miss Lint refers to Overkill as Esteban (or maybe Estefan) during the torture scene of episode 1-11. But the reference is very in passing (as if the name had been ...
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Why is Sauron's name similar to the Greek/Latin word for "lizard"?
The name Sauron is spelled like, and sounds very similar to the Greek word σαῦρος, or the corresponding Latin word saurus, which means lizard.
Is this just a coincidence, or is there a (known or ...
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Origin of the name Gallifrey (out of universe)? [duplicate]
Where does the name Gallifrey come from, out of universe? When was it first used in the show, who came up with it, and what inspired the name? Does it have any connection with Galileo, perhaps?
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Why does Sauron not permit his followers to use his name?
From The Two Towers, chapter 1, "The Departure of Boromir":
Upon their shields [the orcs] bore a strange device: a small white hand in the centre of a black field; on the front of their ...
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In the title of 'Mia and Me', who is 'me'?
The children fantasy franchise Mia and Me (2012) revolves around the eponymous girl Mia who can travel to the parallel world of Centopia by means of a magical bracelet and an (ever-changing) ...
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