You write for a television show that’s watched by tens of millions of people every Wednesday night. Next week, two new characters will be introduced. These characters will become integral to the plot, have tons of screen time, and be played by two young, good-looking actors (one male, one female). It’s your job to name both characters.
Knowing that the names of all the other main characters have become trendy baby names, and that whatever boy and girl names you choose are almost guaranteed to belong to thousands of newborns by this time next year, what names will you choose? Why? (Because you love them? Because they commemorate someone or something? Because the thought of newborns actually getting these particular names cracks you up?)
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I’d choose names that were already up and coming that I didn’t like myself like Scarlett and Felix, or choose names people have so many negative associations with that they wouldn’t consider them at all unless I’d used them, like Herman and Ethel/Thelma (I really like these!!!)… That way I’d do the least damage and not ruin the rarer names for those who love them… :)
Art and Mae. I think the world needs more 3 letter names. And I love old fashioned ones. Roy and Bea could be their neighbors.
I would go with something that is a nice, legitimate name but not something that I would personally use. That way nice names are spread around but my favorites aren’t smeared by an overly strong association with something in pop culture. So, let’s say, Cynthia & Gerard.
I would pick names that were appropriate for the character’s ages and era, because it always bugs me when show have a 6 year-old Gordy and a 45 year-old Jordyn.
So, I would pick Eli or Vincent for a male and Audrey or Meg for a female But I would love it if the name like Bronwen, Danae or Walter would become more popular.
I would choose Ciarán or Malachy for male names in the hopes that Americans would learn to pronounce those names.
For a girl I’d choose Penelope or Aurora. I probably would not name a child of mine either of those but they were my favorite names when I was about 6 or so.
I think I would do something similar to what CN Heidelberg would do — pick traditional (maybe even unstylish) names that I wouldn’t consider for my own kids.
Maybe Harvey for the male character and Sally for the female.
(And I think Julie makes a good point. If this were something serious, an “appropriate” name would definitely be the way to go. But I’m envisioning this as one of those TV dramas you watch only to see pretty people, so, for this, you can pick any name you want.)
I’m thinking… Smithson (I just like how it sounds, but I wouldn’t name anyone that) for the boy and Tabatha for the girl (because a friend of mine has that name).
Wait a sec, wait a sec. I know I’m kinda late to the party, but nobody’s even mentioned my kind of take? I’d totally popularize the names I HATE! Agh! Darn you TV watchers, stay away from MY names! Take something obnoxious like Jessica or something, just leave me my beautiful names…=)