|
14 December 2010
A Rose by any other name …
In novels, especially romantic ones, heroines almost always have names that evoke beauty, style and elegance, or depending on the audience cute, fun and feisty. From Annabel de Vere, Georgiana Grange and Cassandra Castleton in the Barbara Cartland type romances to brash Tash, cute Pansy, Tansy and Hattie and the unlikely Pandora from the Jilly Cooper stable.
Their nemeses too, have names that suggest a lack of warmth and a haughty demeanour. Helen, Lucretia and Leticia and there are anti-heroines whose names are the epitome of meanness and cruelty. Cruella de Ville (would she be Cruella de Villiers in the South African version?) for example.
Look at Little Women and how their names perfectly denote their characters. Gentle Beth, practical Meg, spirited Jo and endearing Amy. Although names change with fashion and evolve with language, many of Shakespeare’s heroines’ names endure. Miranda, Juliet, Olivia, Katharine, Rosalind and Portia for example. There has been a smattering of Hermiones and Cordelias (the name Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables so coveted) but Hermia and Desdemona have never really made it in the popularity stakes.
Gertrude (my dear Granny’s name), Mildred (although Millie is newly fashionable), Joan and Paulina suggest sturdy and sensible. Can you see a Gertrude or Joan in Jimmy Choos? And I would have a huge problem persuading clients that the man of their dreams could be Walter Wank (pronounced Volter Vonk) or that Petronella Poggenpoel is a sylphlike beautiful dreamer.
I was so disappointed when interviewing personal assistants for the Kingdom of Hearts. A lady called Valentine had a voice like a blocked drain and XXXX Cupido stank of smoke and did not appear educated beyond Grade 3. So I employed divine Clare Pepper whom my daughter Clare insisted had to be called Pepper as there are already too many Clares in our family. I could always say that she added spice and zing to the Kingdom of Hearts but there was a lingering regret that I could not get a Valentine Cupido as an assistant until a client started referring to Pepper as my good sergeant. Now I am normally quite sharp but it was only when he sent a picture of the Beatle’s record cover that I twigged. Sergeant Pepper of the Lonely Hearts Club Band. What could be more perfect than that?!?!
Sometimes the solution is to hand but we are unable to see it. Sometimes the right person is right there, under our noses and we are unable to realise it and it takes a fresh and outside eye to point out the obvious. Wake up and smell the roses!
