(Loved Trope) Aptronyms

[u/dream_monkey]

Aptronyms are characters whose name is heavily symbolic or represent them as a character. Sometimes it is a subtle play on words, sometimes it’s just a clunky transliteration. Either way, it can help characterize a character and provide more allegorical depth. Authors must be careful not to delve into the realm of cliche, though.

1. Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter series) His name means Evil Dragon, and he tries really hard to live up to his name.

[Many commenters have pointed out that Darth Vader is not a true aptronym. I stand corrected .]

1. Darth Vader (Star Wars series) His name means Dark Father, which cleverly conceals one of the biggest reveals in cinema history.

2. Cthulhu (Lovecraft mythos) Cthulhu may just sound like a nonsense syllable, unpronounceable by a human mouth. The name is derived from the word “cthonic” which means a being that lives under the earth or in the underworld, so an ancient and terrible god that lies dreaming in death at the bottom of the ocean would definitely fit the description.

[u/kupozu]

Harry Potter isn't particularly subtle about it, which is ok since it is a children's book series. But the werewolf guys being named "Remus Lupin" and "Fenrir Greyback" is always hilarious to me. Might as well name the next one "Wolfgang McAwooo"

[u/Strange_Potential93 → u/kupozu]

Restarting Chou Chang and Kingsley Shackle-bolt discourse

[u/SaltManagement42 → u/Strange_Potential93]

Obligatory argument that a Chinese person dealing with having a stereotypical name, and being the only Chinese kid in the school in the 90's was the most realistic thing to happen in the series.

https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/ryeord/harry_potter_character_cho_chang/

[u/idiosyncraticnaps → u/SaltManagement42]

When I was a kid there was a Chinese girl in my school called Joanna Wan, but I had never seen it spelled, so I thought it was just that she was the first Joanna, and the other Joanna in the school was Joanna Two.