Character names and their meanings

POSTED BY: AnimalM0ther
UPDATED: Friday, March 16, 2007 15:50
VIEWED: 10753
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ASARIAN

Friday, April 14, 2006 3:16 PM

n/m

ANIMALM0THER

Friday, April 14, 2006 10:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by seryn:
So i'm just going to paraphrase and say that Kaylee literally means 'Shiny'

I didnt think there was a possibility of me liking Kaylee anymore, but I see now I was wrong.

I love these responses guys. Very insightful.

I'll be in my bunk.

AGENTOMEGA

Wednesday, January 3, 2007 11:29 AM

GEEKMAFIA

Wednesday, January 3, 2007 11:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
Quote:
Originally posted by aussay:
Found some name meanings
Simon
Origin: Hebrew
- One who hears

Tam
Origin: Veitnamese
- heart

Wow, how appropriate is that? For the guy who heard when none of the rest of his family would... "One who hears with his heart".

I think I might cry.

To me "one who hears" and "heart" just conjures up a stethoscope.

http://midknight.wilson.googlepages.com/home

SABRI3L

Wednesday, January 3, 2007 12:38 PM

Jayne

I couldn't find the meaning of the word but I know it was one of the most prominent vicious clans in Scotland around 1300.

Cobb

Cobb is a topographical name derived from Old English cobb meaning 'a rounded mass' (also a clan in Scotland)

So maybe his name is Hindu and Scottish. If Badger still has an English accent 500 years in the future, its not so hard to believe that maybe Jayne's home had settlers of Scottish decent.

Knitter of Cunning Jayne Hats

http://www.myspace.com/gazthegloomy

MLGSTUDIER

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 4:37 AM

I don't know if anyone is even still reading this thread, but I thought it was interesting. Jayne's name may be tied to Aian/Middle eastern roots as well. The name Jain is connected to a religous philosophy in India and around the world. Jainism traces its roots to a succession of 24 Jinas ("those who overcome", or conqueror) in ancient East India. The first Jina is traditionally believed to have been a giant who lived 8.4 million years ago. The most recent and last Jina was Vardhamana (a.k.a. Mahavira, "The Great Hero") He was born in 550 BCE) and was the founder of the Jain community. I think the connection could be made considering the "A Man Called Jayne" Jayne is the great hero. Of course this speculation and would be highly ironic if true because Jainists are pacifists.

YINYANG

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 4:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by aussay:
Wash - couldnt find any but WASHI is Japanese and means 'Eagle'

Perfect. Incidentally, his last name is supposedly a variant of "Washburn," and means "flooding stream." Eagle flooding stream... odd. I'm just doing standard baby name searches, so if somebody with a better sense of language could try to figure this out...?

The closest I could find for Alleyne (that is how you spell Zoë's maiden name, no?) is "precious." Apparently it's a variant of Alan. Taken with her first name, which means "life," this could possibly be a reference to her desire for children, or perhaps that she is a protector of life on the ship? I think I'm reaching.

But, it's a curious thing - good art follows the rules of short stories, because every word counts, and there always seems to be a hidden meaning.

The only thing I always find myself thinking is, "Wow! Their parents were smart to name them that."

Edit: Just thought of something else. Patience. She "endured," as her name suggests, long enough to have a large stake in Whitefall. She also has a significant backstory with the crew, plus (the obvious) she's old.

Monty means "powerful," and it's obvious that he's a powerful man. Zoë said something about "if those two (Monty and Mal) had gotten into a fight, it's the captain's teeth we'd be picking up off the ground."

According to what I found, the name Badger means complicated, which I see as ironic, considering that I don't find him to be that complicated a person. Although, he does tend to complicate Mal's life when he's around... Hmm.

Whew! That's all I can really remember as far as characters go (couldn't find anything for Fanty, Mingo, or Niska

).

Rules and voting: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=22892

AGENTROUKA

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 8:44 AM

"Serra" - It's also a not too uncommon last name, from the Portuguese "mountain range".

Also, the name of a Greek dance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serra

"Cobb" - from th Anglo-Saxon, meaning a "large, strong man".

http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/cobb-family-crest.htm

"Alleyne" - from the name Alan, apparently, "little rock or headstone"
http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/alleyne-family-crest.htm
Might also be: "a corruption of Ælianus, which signifies sun-bright. From the same we have Allen, Allin, **Alleyne**. In the Gaelic, Aluinn signifies exceedingly fair, handsome, elegant, lovely; Irish, Alun, fair, beautiful."
http://www.last-names.net/surname.asp?surname=Alan;Allan

"Frye" - from the Anglo-Saxon "free" or "small person, child".
http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/frye-family-crest.htm

Heh. :)

PONYXPRESSINC

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 8:52 AM

I stumbled over this by accident and found it amusing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamesis

ZZETTA13

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:56 AM

I always assumed that Jayne may have been named in amusement from his father, you know like in the Johnny Cash song "A boy named Sue". A way to toughen him up as a child being ridiculed because of his name. We see him really get irritated when River points out in the TRASH eps that jayne is a girls name. "Well Jayne ain't a girl!!"

It is interesting about Inara's name. In the Serenity pilot eps she states,

"Sihnon isn't that different from this
planet. More crowded, obviously, and
I guess more complicated. The great
city itself is... pictures can't
capture it. It's like an ocean of
light."

So that could be a little hint as to her names meaning.

Seems there was considerable time spent on character names. I'm impressed with Joss and company. They did go the extra mile(s) on the show and the names fit so well.

Lastly I always thought that River Tam had gotten her name from the Tam river in England. Like "Tarzan,The Legand of Greystoke" Tarzan was from and upstanding educated English family but was turned into a beastman raised in the wild after his parents were killed in a plane crash in an African jungle.

Z

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