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Poorly thought out names in Fantasy/Sci-fi
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<blockquote data-quote="Dragonblade" data-source="post: 1447553" data-attributes="member: 2804"><p>I'm surprised no one mentioned "Pug" from Raymond Feist's series. One of the most powerful Sorcerers to ever walk Midkemia and his name is PUG!!!?!?</p><p></p><p>I love the books but hated that name.</p><p></p><p>Also, Robert Jordan's names are all carefully chosen to reflect famous literary, historical, or mythological people from the real world.</p><p></p><p>If you have the time, read through the Wheel of Time FAQ. A search on Yahoo or Google should pull it up. Its absolutely fascinating and more proof to me that Jordan's work is brilliant. A worthy successor to Tolkien. Despite all the Jordan bashers that hang out in this forum.</p><p></p><p>Here is some interesting info and speculation from the Wheel of Time FAQ regarding the origins of Jordan's names (this is only a small sample. The actual FAQ is very extensive and covers more of Jordan's obscure references to all sorts of myths, cultures, literature, etc):</p><p></p><p>Asmodean: A demon described in the Old Testament book of Tobit, which is included only in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canon of scriptures (you won't find it in Jewish or Protestant Bibles; it's considered apocrypha in those circles). In the book of Tobit, Sara had been married seven times, but Asmodeus had slain all of them before they could consummate their marriage (Tobit 3:7-8). Sara eventually married Tobias, the son of Tobit, who was able to banish Asmodeus by burning the heart and liver of a special fish given to him by the angel Raphael in their bedchamber (Tobit 6:16-17, 8:2-3). Asmodeus fled to Egypt, where Raphael caught up with him and bound him up. [Rafael Sevilla] </p><p></p><p>Ba'alzamon: Ba'al, Baelzebub, or Ba'al Shamin (literally, "the lord of the heavens," an appellation of Ba'al). Baelzebub, Lord of the Flies, was an ancient Canaanite fertility deity that competed with worship of Yahweh in Old Testament times. Later became a euphemism for the devil from the time of Christ on (see Matthew 10:24, 12:24-27, Mark 3:22, and Luke 11:15-18) from its similarity to the Aramaic word beeldebaba ("enemy"), and from the fact that many ancient pagan gods were demonized in Christian times anyway. [Rafael Sevilla] </p><p></p><p>Be'lal: Belial, literally means "worthless" in Hebrew; "sons of Belial" is used throughout the Bible to denote evil men. Eventually becomes the name of a demon in Medieval times. [Rafael Sevilla] Belial was often noted as commanding legions, and has been referred to as the general of Hell. Be'lal was one of the noted generals of the Shadow. [John Novak] </p><p></p><p>Lews Therin/Lord of the Morning: Lucifer, "the morning star". The literal translation of Lucifer is "bringer of light" [Matthew Forrester]. </p><p></p><p>Lothair Mantelar (Founder of The Children of the Light): Martin Luther? </p><p></p><p>M'Hael: Michael the Archangel who was Lucifer's chief opponent. The derivation of Michael is "Mikha'el" from the Hebrew meaning "who is like god". [Michael Schmidt] Michael was the great prince of all angels and leader of the celestial armies. [Encyclopedia Mythica] Amnon Wenger adds that the Hebrew word "m'nahael" means "principal" or "person in charge". </p><p></p><p>Sammael: A member of Lucifer's host, often incorrectly identified as another name for Lucifer himself. Jeremy Yoskowitz tells us that "Samael" is an earlier name for Uriel, the angel of death from the Kabbalah. Some versions of the Lilith legend name Sammael as her husband (after Adam spurned her), and general of the army of demonspawn they birthed together. Their goal was to replace Eve's children with Lilith's. </p><p></p><p>Shayol Ghul: Sheol: Hebrew for hell; Ghul: Gol or Gul, Arabic for Demon </p><p></p><p>Tarmon Gai'don: Armageddon </p><p></p><p>Amyrlin: Merlin/Myrddin, Arthur's chief advisor/magician, etc. </p><p></p><p>Moiraine: Morgaine/Morgan Le Fay </p><p></p><p>Morgase: Morgause </p><p></p><p>Tigraine: Ygrainne, King Arthur's mother, seduced by Uther Pendragon with Merlin's aid. </p><p></p><p>Egwene al'Vere: Guenever/Guinevere </p><p></p><p>Artur Paendrag: Arthur Pendragon </p><p></p><p>Callandor: Excalibur, the sword in the stone </p><p></p><p>Galad: Galahad the Pure </p><p></p><p>Gawyn: Gawain </p><p></p><p>Green Man: Green Knight or Green Man </p><p></p><p>Sa'angreal: San Greal (Holy Grail). An alternate spelling, Sang Real, translates to "holy or royal blood" [Robert Mee]. </p><p></p><p>Nynaeve: Nyneve/Vivian: who was Merlin's lover and cause of his imprisonment in the enchanted cave in Cornwall. </p><p></p><p>Perrin: Perceval? </p><p></p><p>Merrilin: Merlin again (advisor to a Queen). </p><p></p><p>Lan: Launcelot? </p><p></p><p>Damodred/Demandred: Mordred? Mordred was Arthur's bastard son by his aunt Morgawse, and his slayer. </p><p></p><p>Elayne: Elayne/Elaine: The first Elayne is sister to Queens Morgawse and Ygrainne (King Arthur's mother). Another version of Arthurian legends (not Malory) asserts that she is one of the three women in Arthur's funeral boat to Avalon... The second Elaine is Sir Galahad's mother, by Sir Launcelot. </p><p></p><p>Luthair Paendrag: Uther Pendragon (Now Artur's son, instead of his father) </p><p>Tar Valon: Avalon </p><p></p><p>Caemlyn: Camlaan (where Arthur fought his final battle against Mordred) or Camelot. </p><p></p><p>Ji'e'toh: Bushido</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dragonblade, post: 1447553, member: 2804"] I'm surprised no one mentioned "Pug" from Raymond Feist's series. One of the most powerful Sorcerers to ever walk Midkemia and his name is PUG!!!?!? I love the books but hated that name. Also, Robert Jordan's names are all carefully chosen to reflect famous literary, historical, or mythological people from the real world. If you have the time, read through the Wheel of Time FAQ. A search on Yahoo or Google should pull it up. Its absolutely fascinating and more proof to me that Jordan's work is brilliant. A worthy successor to Tolkien. Despite all the Jordan bashers that hang out in this forum. Here is some interesting info and speculation from the Wheel of Time FAQ regarding the origins of Jordan's names (this is only a small sample. The actual FAQ is very extensive and covers more of Jordan's obscure references to all sorts of myths, cultures, literature, etc): Asmodean: A demon described in the Old Testament book of Tobit, which is included only in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canon of scriptures (you won't find it in Jewish or Protestant Bibles; it's considered apocrypha in those circles). In the book of Tobit, Sara had been married seven times, but Asmodeus had slain all of them before they could consummate their marriage (Tobit 3:7-8). Sara eventually married Tobias, the son of Tobit, who was able to banish Asmodeus by burning the heart and liver of a special fish given to him by the angel Raphael in their bedchamber (Tobit 6:16-17, 8:2-3). Asmodeus fled to Egypt, where Raphael caught up with him and bound him up. [Rafael Sevilla] Ba'alzamon: Ba'al, Baelzebub, or Ba'al Shamin (literally, "the lord of the heavens," an appellation of Ba'al). Baelzebub, Lord of the Flies, was an ancient Canaanite fertility deity that competed with worship of Yahweh in Old Testament times. Later became a euphemism for the devil from the time of Christ on (see Matthew 10:24, 12:24-27, Mark 3:22, and Luke 11:15-18) from its similarity to the Aramaic word beeldebaba ("enemy"), and from the fact that many ancient pagan gods were demonized in Christian times anyway. [Rafael Sevilla] Be'lal: Belial, literally means "worthless" in Hebrew; "sons of Belial" is used throughout the Bible to denote evil men. Eventually becomes the name of a demon in Medieval times. [Rafael Sevilla] Belial was often noted as commanding legions, and has been referred to as the general of Hell. Be'lal was one of the noted generals of the Shadow. [John Novak] Lews Therin/Lord of the Morning: Lucifer, "the morning star". The literal translation of Lucifer is "bringer of light" [Matthew Forrester]. Lothair Mantelar (Founder of The Children of the Light): Martin Luther? M'Hael: Michael the Archangel who was Lucifer's chief opponent. The derivation of Michael is "Mikha'el" from the Hebrew meaning "who is like god". [Michael Schmidt] Michael was the great prince of all angels and leader of the celestial armies. [Encyclopedia Mythica] Amnon Wenger adds that the Hebrew word "m'nahael" means "principal" or "person in charge". Sammael: A member of Lucifer's host, often incorrectly identified as another name for Lucifer himself. Jeremy Yoskowitz tells us that "Samael" is an earlier name for Uriel, the angel of death from the Kabbalah. Some versions of the Lilith legend name Sammael as her husband (after Adam spurned her), and general of the army of demonspawn they birthed together. Their goal was to replace Eve's children with Lilith's. Shayol Ghul: Sheol: Hebrew for hell; Ghul: Gol or Gul, Arabic for Demon Tarmon Gai'don: Armageddon Amyrlin: Merlin/Myrddin, Arthur's chief advisor/magician, etc. Moiraine: Morgaine/Morgan Le Fay Morgase: Morgause Tigraine: Ygrainne, King Arthur's mother, seduced by Uther Pendragon with Merlin's aid. Egwene al'Vere: Guenever/Guinevere Artur Paendrag: Arthur Pendragon Callandor: Excalibur, the sword in the stone Galad: Galahad the Pure Gawyn: Gawain Green Man: Green Knight or Green Man Sa'angreal: San Greal (Holy Grail). An alternate spelling, Sang Real, translates to "holy or royal blood" [Robert Mee]. Nynaeve: Nyneve/Vivian: who was Merlin's lover and cause of his imprisonment in the enchanted cave in Cornwall. Perrin: Perceval? Merrilin: Merlin again (advisor to a Queen). Lan: Launcelot? Damodred/Demandred: Mordred? Mordred was Arthur's bastard son by his aunt Morgawse, and his slayer. Elayne: Elayne/Elaine: The first Elayne is sister to Queens Morgawse and Ygrainne (King Arthur's mother). Another version of Arthurian legends (not Malory) asserts that she is one of the three women in Arthur's funeral boat to Avalon... The second Elaine is Sir Galahad's mother, by Sir Launcelot. Luthair Paendrag: Uther Pendragon (Now Artur's son, instead of his father) Tar Valon: Avalon Caemlyn: Camlaan (where Arthur fought his final battle against Mordred) or Camelot. Ji'e'toh: Bushido [/QUOTE]
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