Oscar Wilde Names

As an Oscar Wilde fan, I'm continuing my posts dedicated to my favorite names in his books and plays (as well as those of his two sons). You can check out my post about The Importance of Being Earnest here!

Dorian - The Picture of Dorian Gray
The twisted antihero of Oscar Wilde's only novel would make an interesting namesake for a child of readers: Dorian isn't much to aspire to. But his name is fantastic! The name comes from an ancient Greek tribe, and may have been first used as a name by Wilde himself. With its similarities to Damian, I think Dorian could be a great option.

Basil - The Picture of Dorian Gray
A personal name crush, but definitely has its cons: how many pesto jokes could one child handle? Older generations might also associate with early Sherlock star Basil Rathbone, though that reference is definitely decreasing. As for the pros: it means "regal", has quite a few saintly namesakes, and has the cute nickname Baz. And with other nature names moving up the charts - River, Forest, and Phoenix - it won't be too out of place.

Sibyl - The Picture of Dorian Gray
Another name with conflicts, but rising out of the negative shadows. While the multiple personality Sybil came out as a fake, fictional namesakes Sybil Trelawney of Harry Potter and Sybil Crawley of Downton Abbey make this name more desirable. It's also aurally close to Sydney, and has the excellent meaning of "seer" from ancient Greek mythology.

Rosalie - Lady Windermere's Fan
This name is trending up the charts quickly! And why not? It's got the popular -lee ending, three syllables, and a floral first part. Characters in Twilight and Grimm complete its trendiness. Yet Rosalie is an undeniable classic that won't result in eye-rolls. Wilde was more than ahead of his time!

Vera - Vera; or, The Nihilists
Another personal name crush, based on a dear friend. But my own bias aside, I think Vera is ready to come back in style. It's from the Russian for "faith", and has the same sound as Lena or Nora. Some great women working today are named Vera, including designer Wang and actress Farmiga. It also works well across cultures - Vera is currently trending in Sweden!

Salomé - Salomé
While it's a beautiful name that means "peace", the connotation with the seductress who was part of the death of John the Baptist might be a little much. If you can get past it, though, why not? Other similar alternatives include Simone, Selma, or Esme.

Cyril (Holland) Wilde - Oscar's older son
Not too far off from Cyrus or Silas, this name means "lordly". It's definitely got a pretentious air, but the right child could make it more friendly. Cyril was the favorite son of Oscar and his wife, Constance, who died in battle in World War I.

Vyvyan Oscar Beresford (Holland) Wilde - Oscar's younger son
While this name is definitely decadent, it's unusable quality stems more from Vivian's takeover by the female gender. Vyvyan's son Merlin would go on to be a major Wilde biographer, and Vyvyan himself published some memoirs on life with his notorious father.

Any names I missed, or mischaracterized? Let me know in the comments!

Literary Names #3: The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde, one of my favorite authors, was well known in his day for biting one-liners and quick takedowns of the pretentious London nobility. There is no play that illustrates his wit better than The Importance of Being Earnest. And with a pun on names central to the plot, how could I miss the chance to make it my newest installment of Literary Names?

Let's begin!

Jack "Ernest" Worthing..... Erno Terach
Since Jack has no problems with its popularity, I decided that deriving from Ernest would be more of a challenge. Erno is the Finnish version of the name, with the trendy trait of ending-in-O. Erno is also the first name of Erno Rubik, of the Rubik's Cube, and I thought a play with so many twists and turns would find it a nice homage. Terach means "silly old fool", which describes Jack's character perfectly. I also like the sound of a closed-end middle name with an open first.

Algernon Moncrieff..... Zephaniah Winslow
This is very much a stretch, but it was hard to find names related to Algernon - "mustachioed man" - and Moncrieff - "hill covered by trees". I decided that since both names related to something hidden (a face and a hill), I'd choose a name that meant hidden - Zephaniah, "God has hidden". Winslow means "friend's hill", which relates to both the original last name and the friendship between the two main characters.

Gwendolen Fairfax..... Gwynna Finley
With alternative spelling Gwendolyn rising up the charts (currently at #420), finding a unique version of this name wasn't too hard - I like the very Welsh version, Gwynna. Fairfax means "blond", as does Finley. The double "in" sound of the name is a bit silly, but so is Gwendolen's character - ditzy, romantic and funny.

Cecily Cardew..... Cecilia Darcy
While Cecily is very cute, I though going back to the long feminine version might be more fun for the naive young woman in Wilde's play. Both names mean "blind", another reference to the obliviousness of the character. Cardew and Darcy both mean "dark fortress", and the peppy Darcy livens up the classic Cecilia. I think this name could actually be found on a birth certificate!

Lady Bracknell..... Fernanda Grady
Lady Bracknell is a rather rich, pompous character, so I wanted a name that would fit both her age and relate to the original name. Bracknell means "where the ferns grow", so I decided on Fernanda. The name also means "bold voyager", and "bold" is spot-on. Grady means "noble", and I like the "gray" sound in it to match her old age.

Miss Prism..... Iris Rin
Immediately upon hearing the word prism, I think of rainbows. While Rainbow isn't an unheard-of name, I wanted something a little more mature and conservative, but still feminine. Iris fits the bill - it means "rainbow" and is currently at #245. I wanted a middle name that defined more about her character, and I found Rin, a Japanese name that means "dignified, severe or cold".

Rev. Canon Chasuble..... Prescott Churchill
For a many whose name refers to the religious clothes he wears, I thought going full-religious might be fun. Prescott means "priest's cottage", and Churchill means - you guessed it - "hill of the church". I think the two names together are also a little stuffy, like the reverend himself.

Tell me what you think in the comments! And be on the lookout for more Wilde posts in the coming weeks.