Names from Children’s Literature – Veruca

Veruca Salt doesn’t have a whole book named after her (as Matilda does), but she surely would have wanted it that way.

Veruca is a minor (but memorable) character in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). She is spoiled, demanding, and prone to temper tantrums.

Dahl named Veruca after a wart medication. (Indeed, verruca is the Latin word for “wart” or “blemish.”)

The name Veruca (just like Jethro, 30-some-odd posts ago) also happens to be associated with music: the alt-rock band Veruca Salt, which formed in the early 1990s, was named after the character.