Characters' First Names in the Books

[Belly]

Just wondered if the names of the characters were generally 'of the time'?

Darrell Rivers, surely must have been considered most unusual at the time of publication? (I realise it was a name inspired from Enid's second husband).

Darrell wouldn't be unusual now ( it seems quite 'American') in the same way as Cassidy, Bailey and Addison for girls aren't unusual but surely then it would have been?

Darrell Rivers sounds more like an American Serviceman in the 40s than an English public schoolgirl?

The other names in the Malory Towers series didn't strike me as particularly unusual but wonder if they were typical of the time, Alicia, etc. 'Gwendolen Mary Lacey' was a great name which exactly conjured up the sort of person she was to my mind.

Some of the other names seemed quite old fashioned, even for the time? Thinking of Wilfred in the Famous Five, etc.

Loved 'Lucas' as a name for a boy ever since reading Enid Blyton's foreward in 'Five Have a Mystery to Solve' - then it was runied by Mick Jagger's girlfriend using it for her son.

Similarly always loved Lucy-Ann for a girl, but as an adult wouldn't choose it for my daughter although I vowed to do just that as a child. Similarly Lucian in the Ship of Adventure for a boy.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Hi Belly,

I don't know for certain, but I expect that many of the names used by Enid Blyton were "of the time" although she did use some more unusual names as well, eg. Melisande in the Six Cousins books. The only other place I've encountered a Melisande is in a short story by E. Nesbit. And what about Yolande in The Put-em-Rights? Darrell Rivers is special, since it was (as you said) inspired by the name of Blyton's second husband, Kenneth Darrell Waters.

Personally I love the name Lotta (Galliano's Circus) and, as a young child, I gave that name to one of my dolls. Other favourites are Dinah (Adventure series) and Barney ("R" Mysteries), though I've yet to meet either a Lotta, a Dinah or a Barney in real life.

Anita

[Belly]

Hi Anita

I'd forgotten Melisande!

Barney is a great name. Currently expecting my second child and Barney (Barnaby) is hot favourite if a boy. I too have always loved that name, perhaps subconciously from the Barney Mysteries?

[Anita Bensoussane]

Wishing you all the best with the pregnancy, Belly. So, perhaps I may get to hear of a real-life Barney after all!

Anita

[Topsy-Turvy]

I love Barney in the books too However the only Barney I can think of (personwise) these days is that purple dinosaur....

Why wouldn't you give Lucy-Ann as a name though?

What wonderful news Belly on your soon-to-come baby Is that why your nickname is Belly?

Talking about names, it particularly rankles me when the new editions have changed the names of characters (for what reason I can't imagine). It seems really pointless to me. "Penny" in the new edition of The Family at Red-Roofs cannot conjure up the equivalent of spoilt "Prudence" I had in my mind when I first read the book, though I suppose it really depends which version you read first! Though the influence of reading EB is if I had children, I would never call any of my daughters "Prudence"!

[Belly]

Hello, Topsy-Turvy.

I hadn't realised they'd swapped 'Prudence' for 'Penny', somehow 'Penny' is far more innocuous and doesn't conjure up quite the same person! Why on earth would they do something like that?

Also those old fashioned names do seem to be making a come back, so EB names may be in vogue again fairly soon. A friend of mine teaches a couple of 'Mabels', which I was surprised about and a 'Daphne' (Thinking Malory Towers).

Yes, the purple dinosaur - I am hoping he will soon be a thing of the past! Friends have asked me also about connections with 'Barnaby the bear' but only our generation seem to remember him!

Belly - no, not nickname due to pregnancy although it certainly could be!

[Kirrin]

what about tinker I love that name and would love to be called it!
also Julian but alas this is sopiled by that julian clary 'homosexuality is still a crime and as well you know it' julian in five go mad in dorset

[Miranda]

A friend of mine has a dog called Barney - that's the only time I've heard it outside the books!

[Stephen]

My mother (b 1947) is called Daphne. She LOATHES the name and never uses it unless on official documents.

Of my age group, I went to school with an Alicia, and I've worked with a Felicity. Apart from that, I've never really come across Enid's "old-fashioned" names unless they are from that generation. But apart from Darrell, the name that I think seems totally out of place is Mary-Lou! Sounds like something out of an American cartoon.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

One of my sisters friends was called Darrell after Malory Towers!

I'm surprised that Gwendoline Mary had that second name (presumably to imply a sense of spoilt bratness), since Blyton and both daughters had it too!

best wishes

Viv

[Paul Austin]

(carried over from surnames thread)

What was so wrong with Prudence?

Darn Bowdlerisers.

[Domino]

Just ask any kitten. (Sorry. You've got to be old to understand that.)

Dave

[Anita Bensoussane]

Talking about names, it particularly rankles me when the new editions have changed the names of characters (for what reason I can't imagine). It seems really pointless to me. "Penny" in the new edition of The Family at Red-Roofs cannot conjure up the equivalent of spoilt "Prudence" I had in my mind when I first read the book, though I suppose it really depends which version you read first! Though the influence of reading EB is if I had children, I would never call any of my daughters "Prudence"!

What was so wrong with Prudence?

I don't like it either when characters' names are changed as part of an update. Prudence is an old-fashioned name, but many names go in and out of fashion so if editors alter them they'll eventually become old-fashioned once more! Besides, it's clear that The Family at Red-Roofs is not set in the present day. The descriptions of the house, the domestic staff, father's trip, mother's convalescence, schooldays, the full-time jobs taken by school-leavers, the part-time jobs done by schoolchildren, financial woes, etc. are all very mid 20th century. The characters' original names are perfectly in tune with the story.

Prudence isn't a name that appeals to me, I must admit, and I think that does have something to do with reading about Sour-Milk Prudence in Enid Blyton's St. Clare's series and another unpleasant Prudence in Rumer Godden's The Diddakoi (televised as Kizzy). Prudence in The Family at Red-Roofs is spoilt and snobby too (though she turns out to have some good in her) and there's a haughty, selfish Prue in the short story 'Santa Claus is Surprising'. There's also the fact that the shortened form (Prue) reminds me of prunes with their shrivelled skins, and that the name suggests someone who is cautious and sensible (and perhaps rather unexciting to know).

Of course, if I ever meet a Prudence in real life and she's a lovely person, my feelings about the name may well change!

Personally I love the name Lotta (Galliano's Circus)... Other favourites are Dinah (Adventure series) and Barney ("R" Mysteries), though I've yet to meet either a Lotta, a Dinah or a Barney in real life.

More than ten years later I'd say that Lotta, Dinah and Barney are still three of my favourite Blytonian names. I've since met a lovely dog called Barney, but I haven't personally encountered any people with those names.

[Moonraker]

There was a lovely old donkey called Prudence close to where I lived up to the age of 8. I remember her so well. Clouds of dust rose from her back when I patted her!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Reading that, the name Prudence is starting to sound nicer already!