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.
