Message: "Lovely names from a resplendent novel"

Lovely names from a resplendent novel

by Wordsmith

7/22/2014, 12:36 PM

I just finished reading Possession: A Romance (by A.S. Byatt), which won the illustrious Man Booker Prize in 1990 and features a wondrously dizzying potpourri of fictive poems, letters, fairy tales, and narrative that cohere to chronicle the ventures of two contemporary academics researching two Victorian poets. I recommend it wholeheartedly; one if its manifold virtues is a litany of lovely names:

Ariane
Beatrice
Blanche
Christabel
Ellen Christiana
Euan
Fergus
George
Hildebrand
Joan
Leonora
Maia Thomasine "May"
Maud
Melusina / Melusine
Mortimer
Paola
Patience
Priscilla
Randolph Henry
Roland
Sabine
Sophia "Sophie"
Sybilla

Replies

- faelsean

7/22/2014, 8:34 PM

Glad to see another Posession-enjoyer! I think Roland, Leonora and Christabel should definitely get a resurgence. Closely followed by Maud, Euan/Ewan and Fergus.

- lac

7/22/2014, 5:46 PM

I love Blanche, Patience, Sophia, and Priscilla.

- Bear

7/22/2014, 5:43 PM

Resplendent indeed. It would be worth the trouble of writing and entire novel just to use these names. My dream job is orphanage baby-namer and these are exactly the names I would choose. The ones that most set my heart atwitter:

Blanche (a new GP of mine), Christabel, Fergus (my cat!), Hildebrand (Hildy is sooo cute), Joan (my favorite aunt), Thomasina, Maud, Melusine, Mortimer, Paola, Patience, Roland, Sabine and Sybilla (prefer Sibylla).

OK. So pretty much the whole list. :0)

This message was edited 7/22/2014, 5:44 PM

- Kinola

7/22/2014, 2:38 PM

I like Ariane, Beatrice, Blanche, Christabel, Ellen, George, Joan, Leonora, Mortimer, Patience, Priscilla, and Randolph.

- Pie

7/22/2014, 1:54 PM

Ellen Christiana is a great combo, and Maia Thomasine is very striking. Most of the others are nice too.
Also, you forgot Valerie :)

View Message

Replies