What's in a character name?

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

What are your thoughts about Trek character names?

Having a doctor named Crusher, for instance...

Ensign: (reading the sign outside sickbay) "'Dr. B. Crusher'...what does the B stand for, "Bone"? Yikes."

What went into naming Trek characters? Did anyone ever hear anything regarding this? (beyond the in-jokes, that is)

 

[Sgt_G]

That's the hardest thing for me when writing fiction: coming up with names.

 

[SPCTRE]

Having a doctor named Crusher, for instance...

how 'bout a doctor named The Doctor

 

[MacLeod]

how 'bout a doctor named The Doctor

Well it's worked as a character name for over 53 years.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

how 'bout a doctor named The Doctor

He had an excuse, at least. Being as he was an emergency measure to be shut down upon relief coming, and not considered a sentient life-form or friend by anyone until Voyager...

 

[Tenacity]

"'Dr. B. Crusher'...what does the B stand for, "Bone"? Yikes."

Balls Crusher.

 

[scotpens]

It's well-known that Gene Roddenberry repeatedly used the name Wesley because it was his own middle name. Lots of writers have little quirks like that. For instance, many of Samuel Fuller's movies have a character named Griff. Griff was the name of a soldier who served with Fuller during WWII who was killed overseas, and that was Fuller's way of remembering him.

 

[Forbin]

"The color of your shirt and the object nearest your right hand = your next character's name."
At least it seems that way some times.

 

[Timewalker]

What are your thoughts about Trek character names?

Having a doctor named Crusher, for instance...

Ensign: (reading the sign outside sickbay) "'Dr. B. Crusher'...what does the B stand for, "Bone"? Yikes."

What went into naming Trek characters? Did anyone ever hear anything regarding this? (beyond the in-jokes, that is)

The TNG character names are so convenient for parody stories. Back in the '80s and '90s I co-wrote a TNG parody (multiple chapters) for our club newszine. So we had Captain Jacquard, Bill Biker and his girlfriend Hellana of Troi, Doctor Smasher and her obnoxious son Eastley, not to mention the endlessly patient Kilometres O'Brien, who was usually stuck down in the transporter room...

He had an excuse, at least. Being as he was an emergency measure to be shut down upon relief coming, and not considered a sentient life-form or friend by anyone until Voyager...

That's a Doctor Who reference.

"The color of your shirt and the object nearest your right hand = your next character's name."
At least it seems that way some times.

Pink Mouse...

No, I don't think I'll be using that... but I am currently involved in the July Camp NaNoWriMo contest and am going to need some names suitable for a Fighting Fantasy campaign (it's an RPG similar to D&D but published in the UK).

Thank goodness for name generator websites.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Pink Mouse

Bare Mouse...we must be related.

 

[Timewalker]

Wouldn't everyone posting in this thread who is right-handed have the same last name?

 

[Michael]

Having the android be called “Data” is kind of on-the-nose, too, if you think about it. As is naming the newly-added Russian ensign Chekov and a group of alien terrorists “Suliban”.

 

[Farscape One]

The Suliban were named and produced months before 9/11. It is quite prophetic, though, just as so much of STAR TREK has been. (And scifi in general.)

 

[Michael]

The Suliban were named and produced months before 9/11. It is quite prophetic, though, just as so much of STAR TREK has been. (And scifi in general.)

But still, their name is inspired by the Taliban, according to Rick Berman.

 

[Paul Weaver]

The Suliban were named and produced months before 9/11. It is quite prophetic, though, just as so much of STAR TREK has been. (And scifi in general.)

Remember the Sulibon were part of the Cabal, the Taliban were in Kabul. Big difference.

As for names, a farmer named Moore shot the Klingon. According to admirals/cmdrs Forrest, Leonard and Williams. Lots of names in Broken Bow, but it felt rather clumsy including Moore's name.

 

[scotpens]

"The color of your shirt and the object nearest your right hand = your next character's name."
At least it seems that way some times.

Pink Mouse...

No, I don't think I'll be using that...

At least it sounds better than Plaid iPhone!

 

[Spot261]

naked keyboard.....

oh, sorry

 

[Paul Weaver]

At least it sounds better than Plaid iPhone!

I assume that's Welsh - and you have a "Party iphone"? Awesome.