Making a name for themselves

This "modern" trend for giving children ludicrous or unique names is hardly new, despite what they tell us.

Admittedly not many people in times past would have come up with LaFawwnduh, but some poor kids were landed with Fear-God-and-Be-Thankful, Armagil and Notwithstanding - and that doesn't include the very frequent use of surnames as first names. Or the trend to name kids after places, saints or Roman senators. Uncumber, anyone?

What all this is leading to (finally!) is a celebration of the most unusual names in fiction. They are an art-form in themselves. Charles Dickens and Ian Fleming, in particular, are responsible for some of the most melodious and appropriate names in the English language. Who could forget Wackford Squeers, Uriah Heep and Pussy Galore? Terry Pratchett is another. I personally love Windle Poons.

In fact, I discovered there's even a word for a name that matches a person's character, like Squire Allworthy, Mistress Malaprop and all those other characters from eighteenth-century literature. It's an aptronym, or charactonym.

Learn something every day.

Here's a list to roll off your tongue in a dull moment. Have fun - and see if you can remember any more.

Eponymous Clent - Fly by Night and Twilight Robbery

Atticus Finch - To Kill a Mockingbird

Nymphadora Tonks - Harry Potter series

Augustus Gloop - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Thursday Next - Lost in a Good Book

Moist von Lipwig - Going Postal and Making Money

Euphegenia Doubtfire - Alias Madame Doubtfire

Hat Bowler - Dalziel and Pascoe series

Zaphod Beeblebrox - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Claude Cattermole "Catsmeat" Potter-Pirbright - Jeeves and Wooster series

Oswald Chester Cobblepot (aka the Penguin) - Batman series

Lemuel Gulliver - Gulliver's Travels

Bilbo Baggins - The Hobbit

Abiatha Swelter - Gormenghast

Cruella de Vil - 101 Dalmatians

Jemima Puddle-Duck - The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck 

What's your favourite?