Aptronyms: What if Your Name Suited You
Pecksniff and Scrooge are aptronyms.*
Mr. Seth Pecksniff is a main character in “Martin Chuzzelwit,” a Charles Dicken’s novel. Pecksniff is a sanctimonious hypocrite you love to hate. Scrooge, the miser in “A Christmas Carol,” is such an appropriate name it needs no explanation.
What if your name suited you?
Aptronyms in literature:
- Luna Lovegood – J.K. Rowling. Luna has a kind and loving nature.
- Severus Snape – J.K. Rowling. Severus is stern.
- Sandor Clegane (The Hound) – George R.R. Martin uses nicknames. The Hound is loyal and tenacious.
Real life aptronyms:
- Usain Bolt holds the world record for the 100 and 200 meters.
- Tiger Woods uses golf clubs that are called woods.
- Dr. Richard Chopp is a urologist in Austin Texas. I wonder if he does vasectomies.
If your boss’s name was an aptronym:
- Glenda Goodheart cares for people.
- Randy Rallymore knows how to fire up the team.
- Nancy Nit loves nitpicking.
- Gordon Grumbleking hasn’t heard a good idea since Ronald Regan was president.
If your name was an aptronym:
My real-life aptronym is Glumdan on some days. I’d love my aptronym to be Sammy Springbreeze.
What aspirational aptronym would you love to have?
What aptronym would you give your boss?
*Definition source: Aptronym – Wikipedia
Breaking the Glum-Leader Syndrome – Leadership Freak
Order The Vagrant:
….when our name is our brand.
Interesting concept that causes one to pause.
A little pause can make a big difference. Thanks, Gerald.
Naga GoGiver. an aptronym for myself
I had to look up, Naga. Seems that Nagas are often depicted as symbols of water and abundance. Goes well with GoGiver. Thanks CV.
My boss would be Tara Tenacious, she is such a supportive go getter.
Not sure what mine should be, although I like to think that I am shaping those around me to be a better version of who they want to be.
Thanks for sharing, David. I wonder if some of your aspirational words might be liberator, motivator, encourager, teacher? Shaping reminds me of pottery. Cheers
Dr. Richard Chopp absolutely does vasectomies, and you get a t-shirt that says “I’ve been Chopped” when you are done!
I should have known! 🙂
Guess I fit right in. Nancy English the librarian. 😎
Perfect!!
On my bad days, I can be Skippy Flitterman – disordered and anxiously chasing things like results, information and my schedule. On my best days, I can be Phil Grandview – confidently rallying the team around our values and the big picture.
Love it, Matt. Great names. I immediately identify with Skippy Flitterman!!
I had to laugh at the urologist example. My late husband’s urologist was Dr. Richard Boxer…and yes, he did vasectomies.
Thanks, SSB. I don’t want to go to a urologist whose name is Boxer. I think I would prefer Tenderhand.
I’m good with my name. But it’s tough trying to live up to making everything better…
I understand the pressure you must feel. But making things better is a good thing. Glad you jumped in Mr. Bacon.
My last name is a Germanized form of a Slavic name roughly translating as “‘to comfort, to console.” I will let others determine if it fits.
Thanks S. What a wonderful and aspirational name. Cheers.
My aspirational name is Grace. Oh, to have that describe me!
What a fun column for today. I wonder if Mr. Bacon could visualize himself “sizzling with zeal.”I also loved Matt’s “Skippy FLitterman”as my desk seems to pile up whenever a project is in my mind. Thanks as always for your creative zip. We can always trust you to give us a foundation built of rock on which to dwell with energy and enthusiasm. Positively, Pauline