Today I learned that you can search the 1911 census of England and Wales online. I am finding it fascinating. First I looked up my old relatives, then I found Virginia Woolf (which is to say Adeline Virginia Stephen), then I got into looking for misspelled names. Fans of Terry Pratchett will be happy to learn that there are eight Magrats listed, though no Note Spellings.
This comes up because we are currently stuck for a middle name. On the one hand we have an assortment of serious options, all about equally as appealing as the next, all carrying a distinct risk of being all too trendy, blah blah et cetera. On the other hand we have
Zucchini
"It's popular in Japan!"
Vlurma
Fresh from the biography of America's oldest senator, Robert Byrd.
Facility
"It's a virtue name!"
Any other bright ideas?
Danger!
Posted by: Cecily | 01/03/2010 at 04:07 PM
Veronica.
Posted by: The Modesto Kid | 01/03/2010 at 08:16 PM
how could you leave out that vlurma's husband was named titus!
Posted by: finn | 01/03/2010 at 08:31 PM
"Danger" sounds unlucky to me. How about the traditional alternative, "Trouble"? Like "Smith" and "Baker," it allows for single-word business cards.
I always thought "Fidgets" would be a beautiful name for a girl.
And speaking of "Titus", Shakespeare's always an acceptable source, and "Lychorida" and "Volumnia" don't suffer from overexposure.
Posted by: Ray Davis | 01/04/2010 at 10:31 AM
"Danger" and "Trouble" are both rather Cory Doctorow, no?
Posted by: redfox | 01/04/2010 at 12:15 PM
I actually kind of like Facility.
Posted by: LizardBreath | 01/04/2010 at 09:03 PM
Orchidissa
Posted by: Edward M. | 01/05/2010 at 03:16 PM
Helvetica?
Posted by: The Modesto Kid | 01/05/2010 at 04:02 PM
I like Facility as well.
Posted by: ben | 01/05/2010 at 11:34 PM
I see my attempt helpfully to close Edward's tag booted nothing.
Posted by: ben | 01/05/2010 at 11:35 PM
How long is the list of serious options? If it's shorter than, say, eight, I recommend using them all. Why have three names when you can have ten?
Posted by: TED | 01/06/2010 at 10:17 AM
There we go. Sorry to have left that tag gaping open for so long.
Posted by: redfox | 01/06/2010 at 02:59 PM
Say, here's a late contender: What do you think of Blimunda?
Posted by: The Modesto Kid | 01/11/2010 at 08:53 AM