Names

[vilakins]

We haven't seen season 4 of Farscape yet, but Sky is showing season 1 again, so I'm watching it for the third time. Last night was 'DNA Mad Scientist'. I suppose this is common knowledge in the FS community, but I just realised during the ep that Namtar spelled backwards is Ratman. Shades of poor Timov in B5. Namtar, by the way, is a seriously cool alien; I wonder how the actor walked with those goat legs. And I do hope poor Kornata managed to reverse her own changes. A hand as big as your head would be a right pain not to mention hard to type with. Was she named Kornata because of the first of the squicky eye scenes which later become such a feature? [shudder]

I do love that last scene with D'Argo and Pilot.

While on names, at work the convention is to write to customers using just their initials and surname. Yesterday I came across someone called I M Bent. You'd think parents would consider this sort of thing before naming a kid, wouldn't you? But no--today I found as S Weller.

Comments

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

I just watched "Back and Back and Back to the Future" and grinned at the name "Matala". In Finnish, it means "low" (as in how a fence can be low, how blood pressure can be low etc). I'm sure there were lots of other names that meant something in Finnish but can't remember them now...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

There are companies that you can consult to ensure you don't use a brand-name that's a rude word or inappropriate in another language, but there are still slip-ups. Esso changed to Exxon when esso turned out to be a flat (as in tyre) in Japan. I think 'Pajero' means wanker in Spanish or Portuguese, but that's entirely apt. :-)

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

I came across someone called I M Bent. You'd think parents would consider this sort of thing before naming a kid

It'd be worse if they actually did and still chose that name, neh?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I thought that was unlikely, but I did know a Mark Clark, and see Trixie's comment (http://www.livejournal.com/users/vilakins/61058.html?thread=386946#t386946) below.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine once offered to make me a sign with all three of my initials to put over my door on my college dorm room, until I pointed out that I really didn't want to live under a sign that said "BAR." :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Pity. Vila might have visited.

[trixieleitz]

I was at university with a guy named Richard Head. Yes, really. I heard a rumour that his parents (specifically, his father) did it deliberately.

He went by Richie.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Eh? Didn't he want a kid, then? I've heard of a Sydney H Bridge (and yes, the H was for Harbour) and other similar names--after all, some people name their kids after entire football teams--but that's evil.

In another category, I've worked with Sharon Tate and Nick (sic) Kershaw, both programmers, and Margaret Thatcher, a receptionist. And very nice she was, too.

[trixieleitz]

Don't know - all I really know for sure is that my fellow-student had this particular name.

I don't think I've met anyone with a famous name, but there are Downing St and Coronation St just around the corner from me :)