History MeaningfulName / Literature

** Helsing's surname could mean multiple things and various origins (in Swedish, Finland and Denmark though it is thought to derived from "hals" which means "neck" which obviously is key point of the novel with Helsing being the first to notice the neck wounds on Lucy and understand what it means. Helsing is connected to "Helsingborg" which can mean "stronghold" which is what Van Hellsing essentially builds for Lucy and later forms the stronghold group that takes Dracula down.

* ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' has a good amount of this with the main cast. Christine means "Christian" or "Follower of Christ" befitting her pure good-natured disposition and reflecting her devote and superstitious beliefs (initially believing the "Angel of Music" really came from Heaven) and ties into her being led astray by SatanicArchetype Erik aka the Phantom. Her surname is often thought come from Hans Christian Andersen's tale, "The Wind Tells about Valdemar Daae and His Daughters" (it can also sound similar to "day" which fits the darkness and light themes of the novel). Raoul' name can mean "wolf-shield", "Shepard" or "God shall pasture" which ties into his protective SupportingProtagonist role in the story. Erik's name means "eternal ruler" which ominously reflects the nigh-absolute dominion he has over the Opera House and Christine herself.

* ''Literature/{{Impossible Creatures|2023}}'': Mal is short for Malus. She says it means "mischeif", which fits her personality, but Christopher swears it means something else. [[spoiler:It also means "apple" -- as in the apple of the Glimourie Tree -- a hint that Mal is the Immortal.]]

* In ''Literature/FlowersForAlgernon'', the mentally retarded main character Charlie has parents who desperately want him to be normal. So what do they name his little sister? Norma.

* Practically invented by Creator/CharlesDickens. He's responsible for dozens of immortal names that sum up the characters perfectly, like [[Literature/AChristmasCarol Ebenezer Scrooge]], [[Literature/GreatExpectations Pip, Jaggers]] (jaggery = also a type of cheap brown rock sugar from India), [[Literature/DavidCopperfield Steerforth, Uriah Heep]], and headmaster Gradgrind. He probably pushed it too far when he named a harsh schoolteacher Mr. M'Choakumchild.

* In the ''Literature/VitaNuova'' and ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'', [[Creator/DanteAlighieri Dante]]'s muse is named Beatrice, a fact known to all who meet her because they realize their beatitude by contemplating her beauty. Yes, Dante goes so far to say that his lady's beauty offers a glimpse of the eternal beatitude of {{Heaven}}, a praise that only becomes more apt after she passed into that world.

* ''Literature/TheCrimsonShadow'': Brind'Amour (love in French) and Belsen'Krieg (the name of a death camp plus "war" in German). The former is the BigGood of the series, the latter the commander of an enemy army from a species that is [[AlwaysChaoticEvil all evil]]. Not subtle.

* Literature/TheCampHalfBloodSeries:

* ''Literature/DonQuixote'': Doctor Pedro Recio (could be translated as "Doctor Hard Rock"), a doctor who insists that Sancho, as a governor, must have a very strict diet. Sancho even lampshades it: "he is called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Doctor Pedro Recio]], and is from Tirteafuera; ''so you see what a name he has to make me dread dying under his hands''." Tirteafuera sounds like "tirarte afuera", "throw you outside".

** TheHero Jonathan Harker’s first name of Jonathan means “God gave” which ties into the HolyBurnsEvil and almost divine luck he has escaping Dracula and defeating him while his surname Harker can mean to “listen” or “eavesdrop” which is exactly what Jonathan does when trapped by the count, it can also mean “busybody” which befits his job as a solicitor. Stoker took the surname from his friend and stage builder Joseph Cunningham Harker.
** Wilhelmina is derived from the Germanic wil, meaning "will, desire" and “determined protector” which fits her inner bravery, TeamMom role and protective love of Jonathan letting Dracula force her to drink his blood to prevent the count from killing him. Mina can also mean “love” befitting fitting her role as Jonathan’s beloved fiancé turned wife as well as being TheHeart of good guys. Her maiden name Murray is quite clever as it means “settlement by the sea” which appropriately is a place Mina spends a good portion of the novel in Whitby with Lucy and encounters Dracula drinking blood from Lucy’s neck by the coastline.
** Lucy’s name means “light” befitting her HairOfGoldHeartOfGold nature but is also darkly ironic when she becomes a vampire who’s WeakenedByTheLight.
** Dr. John “Jack” Seward’s surname means “victory guardian” or “sea guardian” which alludes to him being Lucy’s primary caretaker and protector against Dracula alongside Van Helsing. Though it can be seen as a ironic surname since he is not victorious in marrying Lucy nor saving her from becoming a vampire and getting staked and beheaded.
** Quincy’s name literally meaning “the fifth” is fitting as he’s the fifth male hero introduced in the book after Jonathan, Jack, Van Helsing and Arthur. [[spoiler:He’s also the fifth character to die in the climax after the Brides and Dracula.]]
** Helsing’s surname could mean multiple things and various origins (in Swedish, Finland and Denmark though it is thought to derived from “hals” which means “neck” which obviously is key point of the novel with Helsing being the first to notice the neck wounds on Lucy and understand what it means. Helsing is connected to “Helsingborg” which can mean “stronghold” which is what Van Hellsing essentially builds for Lucy and later forms the stronghold group that takes Dracula down.

* Similar to the above ''Codex Alera'', ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' is ''full'' of examples. Makes sense, since both are written by [[Creator/JimButcher the same author]].

** [[invoked]] [[TheDreaded Queen Mab]] of the [[TheFairFolk Winter Court of Sidhe]] has an official title calling her "the Queen of Air and Darkness". Not only is it a ShoutOutToShakespeare (specifically ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''), but it's an allusion to her mastery over the colder months of the year and her expertise at working from the shadows (with her probably being the best [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] in the series aside from the ArchangelUriel himself). Similarly, the origin of her name "Medb(h)" is Celtic for "She who intoxicates"; not only is she [[EvilIsSexy inhumanly beautiful]], but she's ''excellent'' at [[ManipulativeBastard convincing people to follow her orders and wishes no matter what they so desire]].

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'':

** ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'' gives us the English Grail expert Sir Leigh Teabing. He's pretty stereotypical for an Angle- down to a slight obsession with Earl Grey tea. In addition, first name is the last name of one of the authors of ''Holy Blood, Holy Grail'', Richard ''Leigh'' and his last name is anagram of that of the other, Michael ''Baigent''.
** ''[[Literature/AngelsAndDemons Angels & Demons]]'', the Dean of the College of Cardinals is Cardinal Mortati, whose surname appears to be something to do with death? Creepily appropriate, given what happens in the book.

* Anyone in the ''Literature/ThursdayNext'' series who isn't a PublicDomainCharacter or just has a PunnyName has a Meaningful Name. The Hades gang's first names all relate to their personalities and powers. In ''Literature/TheEyreAffair'', Thursday is partnered with two {{Redshirt}}s named Khannon and Fodder, who don't last long. They're replaced by two more named Dedman and Walken. And there's two ironically identical thugs called Chalk and Cheese. The grand prize winner, though, has to be recurring villain Jack Schitt.

* In ''Literature/{{Momo}}'', the custodian of Time goes by the name of Secundus Minutius Hora, which is Latin for "seconds, minutes, hours".

* This pops up all over the shop in works by Creator/JohnConnolly. Many characters are explicitly stated to have meaningful names, usually rooted in religious texts.
** The eponymous cancer-transmitting villain of the short story "The Cancer Cowboy Rides" has no memory of his real name. After reading a textbook on cancer and its many causes, he gives himself a name that doubles as his own private joke: Buddy Carson- short for ''carcinogenic.'' He also uses the name Russ Cercan. Arranging the syllables in reverse order gives the word "cancerous".
** Averted and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in ''Literature/ByTheLightOfTheMoon''. The villain, Lincoln Proctor, not only has a name that screams integrity; he looks like Santa Claus. Parish Lantern (an old term for the moon) is a late night radio talk show host who admits that it's not his original name ("Would it be anyone's?"); he chose it when just starting his career.

* Practically invented by Creator/CharlesDickens. He's responsible for dozens of immortal names that sum up the characters perfectly, like [[Literature/AChristmasCarol Ebenezer Scrooge]], [[Literature/GreatExpectations Pip, Jaggers]] (jaggery = also a type of cheap brown rock sugar from India), [[Literature/DavidCopperfield Steerforth, Uriah Heep]], and headmaster Gradgrind. He probably pushed it too far when he named a harsh schoolteacher Mr. M'Choakumchild.

* Creator/AynRand often gave weak names to [[DesignatedVillain unsympathetic]] characters. The pinnacle was probably Wesley Mouch, a lobbyist in ''Literature/AtlasShrugged'', whose name contains hints of weasel, slouch, louse, and mooch without actually coming out and giving him any of those names. Another minor villain in the same novel is a corporate takeover artist named Hunsacker.
* Practically invented by Creator/CharlesDickens. He's responsible for dozens of immortal names that sum up the characters perfectly, like [[Literature/AChristmasCarol Ebenezer Scrooge]], [[Literature/GreatExpectations Pip, Jaggers]] (jaggery = also a type of cheap brown rock sugar from India), [[Literature/DavidCopperfield Steerforth, Uriah Heep]], and headmaster Gradgrind. He probably pushed it too far when he named a harsh schoolteacher Mr. M'Choakumchild.
* Dan Brown plays with this one:

* Creator/DeanKoontz does this frequently.
** Averted and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in ''Literature/ByTheLightOfTheMoon''. The villain, Lincoln Proctor, not only has a name that screams integrity; he looks like Santa Claus. Parish Lantern (an old term for the moon) is a late night radio talk show host who admits that it's not his original name ("Would it be anyone's?"); he chose it when just starting his career.
** ''Literature/FalseMemory'' -- the psychologist, Dr. Ahriman (named for a personification of evil).
** ''Literature/FromTheCornerOfHisEye'' -- quite a few characters, most notably the villain, Enoch Cain (named for Cain, the first murderer in Genesis, and his son)
** ''Literature/LifeExpectancy'' -- the Tock family were given an unexplained prophetic list of important dates upon the birth of Jimmy Tock, so they are very aware of the passing of time. The maiden name of one of the older women in the family is Greenwich.

* Creator/HarryTurtledove:
** In the ''[[Literature/{{Worldwar}} Colonization]]'' series and the novel ''Homeward Bound'', American spaceships tend to be named after explorers. The first nuclear-powered spaceship is called the ''Lewis and Clark'', while the second one is the ''Christopher Columbus''. The first American SleeperStarship is called the ''Admiral Peary'' (after the man who supposedly led the first North Pole expedition). The first American ''faster-than-light'' starship is deliberately called the ''Commodore Perry'' as a step away from this naming theme, named after the guy who forced the Japanese to trade with outsiders through GunboatDiplomacy. When the [[LizardFolk Race]] learns of the meaning behind the latter name, they are not amused. The second American FTL starship is named after an inventor (Thomas Edison). The Race names all ships in the Conquest and Colonization fleets after past Emperors. Ships built to defend Home when they learn of the ''Admiral Peary'''s impending arrival are named after real or mythical beasts of Home (e.g. ''Horned Akiss'', ''Pterodactyl's Wing'').
** In ''Literature/{{Timeline 191}}'' African-American revolutionary leader (and UsefulNotes/VladimirLenin stand-in) Cassius is named for one of the men who killed Julius Caesar in revolt against tyranny.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's
** ''Literature/FoundationSeries'': In "Literature/TheMule", the Mule's name has multiple layers to it. The first layer is the impression of physical strength and power. It's an effective strategy because nobody sees the Mule unless he brainwashes them into being his servants. This layers disguises the fact that he's physically weak, but he does have enormous PsychicPowers, so it does indicate strength. At another level, however, the Mule is also admitting a physical flaw; mules are the usually sterile offspring of a donkey and a horse. The titular character is unable to reproduce.
** ''Literature/WordsOfScienceAndTheHistoryBehindThem'': This is a book about the etymology of words; why they have their meaning.
* This pops up all over the shop in works by Creator/JohnConnolly. Many characters are explicitly stated to have meaningful names, usually rooted in religious texts.
** The eponymous cancer-transmitting villain of the short story "The Cancer Cowboy Rides" has no memory of his real name. After reading a textbook on cancer and its many causes, he gives himself a name that doubles as his own private joke: Buddy Carson- short for ''carcinogenic.'' He also uses the name Russ Cercan. Arranging the syllables in reverse order gives the word "cancerous".
* Creator/JohnCWright seems to be a fan of this trope as well. Many of the characters in his novels have Meaningful Names, because one commonly chooses one's own.
** In ''Literature/TheGoldenOecumene'':
*** A Neptunian tries to persuade Phaethon that he is suffering from LaserGuidedAmnesia by pointing to the name he chose for himself. A knowledge of Myth/GreekMythology gives a hint at ''why'' Phaethon has said amnesia before it is explained.
*** In Daphne's dream universe, a prince named Shining is a significant character. Because of her LaserGuidedAmnesia, she thinks that her universe has no connection to the real one, but "Phaethon" means "shining."
** In ''Literature/ChroniclesOfChaos'', the main characters rejoice in such names as:
*** [[TheStoic Victor Invictus Triumph]]
*** [[MsFanservice Vanity Fair]]
*** [[PluckyGirl Amelia Windrose Earhardt]]
*** [[HandsomeLech Colin]]
*** MacFirbolg
*** Quentin [[IKnowYourTrueName Nemo]].

* Most of Ken Kesey's characters have names like these, but a special mention goes to ''Literature/SometimesAGreatNotion''. One of the narrating characters is born-again Christian Joe Ben "Joby" Stamper who retains a [[ThePollyanna positive attitude]] towards God in spite of all the [[FromBadToWorse increasingly terrible things]] that befall the Stamper family.
* A common trope in philosophical dialogues. Virtually everyone in Creator/{{Plato}} has one.
* Creator/RoaldDahl
** ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' (the novel and both movies, but especially the first movie).
*** {{Lampshaded}} by the GenreSavvy Mr. Wonka when he comments to Veruca Salt that he always thought that a "[[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verruca verruca]]" was a type of growth on the foot, which it is.
** ''Literature/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'' had James' two wicked aunts, the obese Aunt Sponge and the skeletal Aunt Spiker.
** ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'' - Miss Honey is a very sweet teacher. The Wormwoods (Matilda excepted) are as sleazy as they come. And then there's the Trunchbull...
* In William Faulkner's stories (like "Wild Horses"), the family most responsible for criminal activity in the county is the Snopes family. One of the best known of the family is Flem (as in 'flimflam' -- or, even less appealingly, 'phlegm') who is a conman and thief.

* Vivian of ''Literature/BloodAndChocolate'' is certainly lively, and it could also be taken as a subtle LampshadeHanging on her shared characteristics with Zoë ("(eternal) life"), since both books are by the same author.

* Zig-zagged in ''Literature/{{Borgel}}'' with the Toad family. Hapless Toad claims that his name is a family name with no intended meaning, but he's surly, unpleasant, and not very bright, living up to his name. However, his father, Evil Toad, was described as a great man and genius who everyone who knew him had great respect for, hardly an evil toad.

* PlayedWith in ''Technomagia i smoki''. Lampart Nikelsmed is a short, scrawny SquishyMage specialising in magical history, law and enthological research. Not things you'd associate with big cats. However, he ''also'' is unshakingly confident and incredibly brave - Lampart tells a guy thrice his size that what he's doing is illegal (so kindly sod off) with hardly a flinch. He carries a (perfectly legal) SwordCane and will use it [[BackToBackBadasses to support]] his ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend kicking ass. To top it off, while finding the MacGuffin was a team effort, he's the one to actually retrieve it. From the top of a mountain. During a blizzard. So don't mess with Lampart. He's also pretty lusty, but the aforementioned girlfriend takes care of that.

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** Feyre Archeron. [[spoiler: By the end of book one, she's become Fae, and by the end of book two, she is High Lady of the Night Court-Acheron being one of the five rivers of the underworld in Greek mythology.]]