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Meaning & History
Possibly used in reference to the word ransom, meaning money paid or delivered in exchange for the release of something or someone. Used most often in the 19th-century it has since fallen out of use. Notable bearers include L.A. city council member Ransom M. Callicott, writer Ransom Riggs, automobile businessman Ransom E. Olds (for whom Oldsmobile was named), and University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Ransom Asa Moore.The name has also been used for numerous fictional characters, from books such as C.S. Lewis' 'Out of the Silent Planet' and films such as 'Knives Out'.