You are viewing [info]aimmyarrowshigh's journal

 
Previous | Memories | Share | Next
 
i aim my arrows high
aimmyarrowshigh
12 May 2011 @ 01:20 am
The Hunger Games - A Complete Etymology of THG-verse Naming (A-L)  

by [info]aimmyarrowshigh and [info]badguys


A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W


A
Alma Coin
Alma is, interestingly, Spanish for "soul," as well as a Latin name meaning "nourishing." More likely, "The Battle of Alma" was the first battle of the Crimean War.
Unable to reorganise their men into anything like their original makeup, British officers finally ordered their men to charge as they were. The men charged, and as they struggled up the slope a densely packed mass of Russian infantry came towards them. The British troops stopped and opened fire on the Russians. The skill of the British as professional rifleman forced the Russians back. As the red-coated line started back up the hill, the Russian guns opened up. Scrambling up the slopes of Kourgane Hill in the face of determined artillery fire, the British line was no solid mass of troops, more a thick skirmishing line leaving the Russian guns unable to stop the attack, only hurt it. [...]

As the British prepared to meet the Russian attack an unknown officer shouted "Do not fire! They are French." Other officers shouted the order to fire and in the confusion the British troops began to withdraw... As the Russians moved into the gap, his men were able to pour deadly accurate fire into their flank. The recently invented Minié ball bullet combined with this well executed manoeuvre caused the Russians to hesitate in their attack. Seeing this, the British advanced and soon the Russians themselves retreated.

In the United Kingdom, "Alma," as a girls' name, became popular as a result of the victory. Also numerous public houses and streets bear the name. In Paris, Pont de l'Alma is a bridge over the River Seine and other French streets are named after the battle. After the battle, the Manx survivors made a pact that each man would name their first born son Alma as a permanent reminder down the ages. Each son named Alma was to pass on the tradition to their own first born son and name him Alma, and so on. A popular folk ballad of the time, The Heights of Alma, celebrates the battle.1
While the most obvious meaning for Coin is... well, coins, cash, money... COIN is also a military abbreviation abbreviation counter-insurgency operations. Given Collins' military background and the role that Coin plays in the world of Panem, this is the more likely derivation of President Coin's surname.

Similarly, "military coins" are tokens (similar to the Mockingjay emblem in THG/Panem) that are given to members of covert or high-ranking organizations to prove membership when challenged and to enhance morale.
Annie Cresta
The diminutive form of "Anne," meaning gracious, merciful. The fact that Annie's name is one of the only true diminutives in the Hunger Games universe is very telling, as it sets her on a younger/lower plane than the other Victors, certainly, but also lower than Prim and Rue. On the other hand, diminutives are commonly used to show familiarity and/or love, so that's a positive attribute to her name. :)

"Cresta" most likely derives from "crest," which is the top (amplitude) of a wave -- or, symbolically, the part that rises from the sea.
Atala
Atala has two most likely possible meanings:

1) "Atala" was a novella thematically criticizing the idea of the "noble savage." This would fit the THGverse Atala in that she works as a trainer for the Hunger Games (helping them learn survival: noble; doing it because she is a part of the institution condemning them to death: savage).

2) Eumaeus atala is a species of butterfly that nests and feeds among toxic plants. Incidentally, the butterfly is named after the novella, so. There's that.

Atala can also be the short form of Atalanta, a champion runner and athlete in Greek mythology. (c: [info]mithrigil)
B
Beetee
Derived from the District 3 Specialty of electronics/technology. Derived from BtU, or the unit of measurement traditionally associated with energy. As a fun (but likely irrelevant) note, 1 watt (electricity, which is a component of D3's Specialty) is 3.41214 BtU/h.
Blight
Literally: rapid, infectious mass plant-death.
Boggs
Wllm. Robertson Boggs was a general in the Confederate Army (unpopularly, but admittedly, a "rebel army," non?) during the American Civil War. He was noted as a civil engineer who constructed the military fortifications.

A "bog" is also a marshland (they are known in Ireland to preserve dead bodies well). (c: [info]mithrigil)
Bonnie
Traditional English/Scotch name meaning "pretty girl." Lifasi Bonny Kapalingo was a Nigerian freedom fighter/rebel who helped Nigeria to achieve independence.
...I am very proud of my contribution that the independence we fought for has been achieved and maintained for 21years in an environment of peace and stability. We fought for independence and you know the suffering that were here, our natural resources were been exploited by the foreigners, our people were tortured and killed, now that we are independent...2
"Bonnie" and "bonny" are also slang for young girl, or beautiful. (c: [info]mithrigil)
Bristel
The most likely meaning of "Bristel" is the verb form of bristle: "React angrily or defensively, typically by drawing oneself up."
Brutus
Brutus is yet another THG name that derives from the assassination of Julius Caesar. Interestingly, in the Shakespeare telling, Brutus' involvement to the conspiracy is treated as dramatic irony, as he is one of Caesar's closest friends (as D2 is to the Capitol). However, since Peeta kills Brutus in the last moments of the Quarter Quell, we never see if he would have had the capacity to turn against the Capitol.

To note: the historical Brutus' father was killed by Pompey the Great in dubious circumstances after he [the father] had taken part in the rebellion of Lepidus. It would not be out of character to extrapolate, therefore, that Brutus' lineage has ties to the First Rebellion, pre-introduction of the Hunger Games into Panem culture.

The phrase "Sic semper tyrannis!" ["thus, ever (or always), to tyrants!"] is attributed to Brutus at Caesar's assassination.

Both the historical AND the Shakespeare Brutus figures married Portia...
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W
C
Castor
Literal translation "beaver," but that's been irrelevant regarding Castor for thousands of years. ;) Castor is one of the twins who became the constellation Gemini; the other is Pollux. In the myth the twins shared the same mother but had different fathers which meant that Pollux was immortal and Castor was mortal. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his own immortality with his twin to keep them together and they were transformed into the Gemini constellation. They are the patron guardians of sailors (like Finnick).

They are sometimes credited with sort of accidentally starting the Trojan War, since they left Helen in Paris' charge at a party.

Castor was killed by their kin when he and Pollux were stealing cattle from their cousins' farm.
Cato
Cato, like many other characters in The Hunger Games, is a figure from Rome who is featured in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In Shakespeare, interestingly, Brutus claims that Cato committed suicide (historically, Cato did do this, but two years before the assassination of Caesar). Given that Cato's death in THG is a mercy-killing by Katniss/one that he seems to beg for in the midst of the muttations' attack, it is likely that his naming convention relates to the notion of a suicidal death in battle.

Interestingly, the historical Cato was a figurehead of the anti-Caesar platform.
...after a successful campaign, Cato was received at Rome with the most distinguishing honours, which he, however, modestly declined. When the first triumvirate was formed between Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, Cato opposed them with all his might...2
Young Cato's lines in Julius Caesar --

V,3,2609 - He is slain.

V,3,2614 - Brave Tintinius!
Look, whether he have not crown'd dead Cassius!

V,4,2633 - What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
I will proclaim my name about the field:...
Cashmere
Cashmere is a fiber obtained from goats. Cashmere is fine in texture, and strong, light, and soft. Garments made from it provide excellent insulation. It is considered a luxury material.

Culturally, "cashmere" derives from a Romanization of "Kashmir," which could be used to ethnically characterize D1. Or not, since "cashmere" as a fiber is probably a more common meaning.
Caesar Flickerman
The most obvious connotation of Caesar Flickerman's name is through Julius Caesar, who was the figurehead of dictatorial Rome in the way that Flickerman serves as a figurehead for The Hunger Games, which themselves symbolize the brutality of Snow's dictatorial Capitol.

However, since Flickerman himself is not presented as such a dictator, there are other possible (though lesser) ties to the name:
The original meaning of 'CAESAR' is unknown. The four most common derivations of the cognomen "Caesar" are given by the writer of the Historia Augusta (Aelius 2.3):
from caesaries, 'hair', because the founder of this branch of the family was born with a full head of hair. (Julius Caesar himself was balding in later life.) This is the etymology favored by Festus.
from caesius, an eye color variously translated today as 'grey', 'blue-grey', and even 'blue'. 4
...
Likewise, Caesar (Julius Caesar) was associated as a representative of tyranny, which was recognized in his time as the direct opposite of liberty. Regarding Julius Caesar and his assassins, Roman historian Suetonius wrote:
...Therefore the plots which had previously been formed separately, often by groups of two or three, were united in a general conspiracy, since even the populace no longer were pleased with present conditions, but both secretly and openly rebelled at his tyranny and cried out for defenders of their liberty...4
"Flickerman" has a few possible derivations.

In the vernacular, "The Flickerman" is an internet/radio docudrama about a life under the lens:
The Flickerman is a ground-breaking, cross-platform drama in which the dividing line between the real and the imagined is increasingly hard to distinguish. It unfolds through radio broadcasts, audio downloads, on line movies, blog entries and multiple internet channels.6
"Flicker" is also the visible fading between cycles displayed on video screens, which... is Caesar's job in the broadcast of The Hunger Games. So.
Cecelia
A Latin name meaning "blind." The name "Caecilia" was shared by all women of the Roman gens known as the Caecilii, a plebeian family at Rome who traced their lineage (mythologically) to Vulcan (Hephaestus) -- who gave their family life through a single spark.
Cinna
Historically, there were two major Cinnas of note involved in Caesar's death: Cinna the Conspirator, and Cinna the Poet.

1) Cinna was a conspirator against Caesar, who plays a key role in enlisting Brutus to the assassins' cause. In 78 BC, Cinna allied himself with Lepidus in attempting to overthrow the Roman constitution of dictator Sulla. Before he left Rome, he sought out the support of Julius Caesar for the rebellion, which was not forthcoming. Cinna went into exile. Caesar was able to recall Cinna from exile back to Rome and used him in the Roman Senate against senatorial opposition. On the day of Caesar's funeral, the populace were in such rage at Cinna that some accidentally murdered tribune of the plebs Helvius Cinna, thinking it was he. When the murder of the tribune took place, Cinna was walking in Caesar’s funeral procession.

2) Cinna the Poet was a friend of Catullus. Ovid included him in his list of celebrated erotic poets and writers.

At Julius Caesar's funeral in 44 BC, Cinna the Poet was killed because he was mistaken for Cinna the Conspirator. Most historians at the time recorded that Cinna the Poet was a representative of the people, but historian Plutarch preserved the information that Cinna was also a poet. Combining the Roman accounts, it is clear that Cinna was both a representative of the people and a poet.

Sound familiar?

Shakespeare adopted Plutarch's version of Cinna's death in his Julius Caesar, adding the black humor in which he often expressed his distrust of the crowd:

III.iii. -
CINNA. Truly, my name is Cinna.
FIRST CITIZEN. Tear him to pieces, he's a conspirator.
CINNA. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.
FOURTH CITIZEN. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.
CINNA. I am not Cinna the conspirator.
FOURTH CITIZEN. It is no matter, his name's Cinna. Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.
Chaff
Derived from the District 11 Specialty of planting/farming/cropwork. "Chaff" is the protective casing of the seeds of cereal grain. Chaff is inedible for humans. "Chaff" comes from Middle English chaf, from Old English ceaf, related to Old High German cheva, "husk."
Claudius Templesmith
Historically, Claudius (Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) was the first Roman emperor to be born outside of Italy. Claudius constructed any new roads, aqueducts, and canals across the empire during his reign. He took a personal interest in law, presided at public trials, and issued up to twenty edicts a day. Claudius was constantly forced to shore up his position, which resulted in the deaths of many senators; his own death allowed Nero to become the emperor ("Nero fiddles while Rome burns").

Claudius was the great-great grandnephew of Julius Caesar.

Interestingly for THG's Claudius' role, the historical Claudius attempted to be a personal historian of Rome, but his account history of the Civil Wars was "either too truthful or too critical of Octavian... this may have proved to them that Claudius was not fit for public office. He could not be trusted to toe the existing party line. When he returned to the narrative later in life, Claudius skipped over the wars of the second triumvirate altogether."7

"Templesmith" is literally a person who creates temples, which denote not only houses of worship, but also houses/buildings associated with a particular rite (such as the Hunger Games in Panem).
Clove
The English name derives from Latin clavus 'nail.'

"Clove" is also the past tense of the verb "to cleave," which can mind either to bind or to sever. (c: [info]mithrigil)

Clove is also a spice with some medicinal purposes; the use of a clove in toothache is also said to decrease pain. It also helps to decrease infection in the teeth due to its antiseptic properties. However, studies to determine its effectiveness for fever reduction, as a mosquito repellent, and to prevent premature ejaculation have been inconclusive. (The immature part of me feels compelled to point to Cato/Clove and snicker.)
President Coriolanus Snow
President: A political distinction, not a name.

In Rome, the emperor Coriolanus is said to have represented the Roman aristocracy. As a general, he successfully led the city's soldiers against an enemy tribe, the Volscians; however, after defeating them and winning support from the patricians of the Roman Senate, Coriolanus argued against the democratic inclinations of the plebeians (common people). After ruling in tyranny, Coriolanus was charged with misappropriation of public funds, convicted, and permanently banished from Rome.

Shakespeare wrote a play about/titled Coriolanus, which opens in Rome shortly after the expulsion of the Tarquin kings. There are riots in progress after stores of grain were withheld from ordinary citizens. The rioters are particularly angry at Coriolanus, whom they blame for the grain's being taken away. Coriolanus is openly contemptuous of the common people and says that the plebeians were not worthy of the grain because of their lack of military service. Faced with this opposition, Coriolanus flies into a rage and rails against the concept of popular rule. He compares allowing plebeians to have power over the patricians to allowing "crows to peck the eagles." He leads a new wartime assault against the city and is stopped only by a tenuous peace accord... which is broken by his execution.

Snow is cold. "SNOW" was also the codename of a Welsh mole during WWII, who specialized in bugging his enemies. Lorenzo Snow was the last president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but he ruled for only three years, so it probably isn't the derivation. IT IS geographically (and ideologically?) interesting to note, though, for President Snow.

Colloquially, "to snow" someone is to intentionally deceive, double-cross, or con them. (c: [info]mithrigil)
Cray
The Cray-1 was the world's first supercomputer. It was later replaced by the Cray-XMP. The major function of both supercomputers was to read and decode an information request, and then bring forward additional information about the query -- as Cray tends to show up around District Twelve trying to dig up more information about the Rebellion.

There are also crayfish, which are freshwater crustaceans that feed on both living and dead organisms.
Cressida
Cressida was a Trojan woman who allegedly fell in love with Troilus, the youngest son of King Priam, to whom she pledged everlasting love. However, when she was sent to the Greeks as part of a hostage exchange, she formed a liaison with the Greek warrior Diomedes and is consequently used as a common literary trope for "deception" or "betrayal." Cressida has most often been depicted by writers as "false Cressida", a paragon of female inconstancy.

Cressida cressida is also a species of carnivorous butterfly, which rather fits THG's Cressida!
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W
D
Darius
"Darius" is etymologically Persian, and means "he possesses" or "rich, kingly." Our Darius most likely derives from Darius (floruit 425-437), who was a prefect of the praetorian Eastern Roman Empire. He presided during a major legal regime change, but did not hold lawmaking power himself.
Delly Cartwright
"Delly" is a partial diminutive. There are several possible names from which Delly could be derived:

  • Adelaide: Of German origin, "Adelaide" means "Of A Noble Kin."

  • Cordelia: "Cordelia" is the daughter of Shakespeare's King Lear. Shakespearean scholars study the effect of "Cordelia and the Fool," which boils down to Cordelia and the Fool being the same actor. After Cordelia's elderly father offers her the opportunity to profess her love to him in return for one third of the land in his kingdom, she refuses and is banished for the majority of the play. Cordelia is Lear’s favorite daughter and is often compared to a Cinderella character.

    Queen Cordelia was a legendary Queen of the Britons, as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. She was the youngest daughter of Leir and the second ruling queen of pre-Roman Britain. There is no independent historical evidence for her existence. Before Shakespeare it was also used in Edmund Spenser's epic The Faerie Queene and in the anonymous play King Leir.

  • Delilah: The most interesting possibility for Delly! "Delilah" is a Biblical name meaning "One Who Weakened." Delilah was approached by the lords of the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength, "and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver." Three times she asked Samson for the secret of his strength, and three times he gave her a false answer. On the fourth occasion he gave her the true reason: that he did not cut his hair in fulfillment of a vow to God. Delilah, when Samson was asleep on her knees, called up her man to shave off the seven locks from his head, then betrayed him to his enemies.

    While one can see some parallels in their story to Delly and Peeta in Mockingjay, she doesn't betray him to his enemies (unless you count his perception of Katniss as an enemy). However, this would be the most logical derivation for her name and is certainly the most well-known in modern pop culture (opposed to Cordelia, which also fits well).

MIGHT also mean "from a dell (valley)." (c: [info]mithrigil)

A "Cartwright" is someone who makes carts. Alexander Cartwright supposedly invented baseball, which is cool, but not necessarily Delly. ;) Sir Fairfax Leighton Cartwright was an author and British diplomat who became ambassador to the Austro-Hungarian empire before World War I; his wife, Lady Cartwright, almost accidentally started an international incident between Russia and Austria at a party.
E
Effie Trinket
"Effie" is a nickname for a variety of names, primarily in the US and UK:
  • Euphemia: The most likely option for the origins of THG's "Effie," Euphemia means "Well Spoken."

  • Elizabeth: Another possible choice, "Elizabeth" means "The Highest Authority Is My Oath," and has been the name of many public officials and queens.

  • Florence: Literally, "Prosperous." Florence Nightengale was a nurse in battle; Effie is technically supposed to aid and guide the Tributes as they enter their battle Arenas.

  • Margaret: IF Effie's name derives from "Margaret," then she is one of THREE Hunger Games characters whose does! Margaret means "pearl." This is the least likely for Effie, since it is more likely Mags.

A trinket is a small showy ornament or something that is a mere trifle; an irrelevant or easily replaceable nicety.
Enobaria
A female form of "Enobarbus," a character in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra.
Enobarbus is Antony's most devoted friend; he is so loyal and so trusted, in fact, that he is able to comment freely, even when he feels critical of Antony. And he has much to be critical of, for he can reason in situations when Antony's sense of reason deserts him. When Antony is torn by indecision, Enobarbus speaks up; he says what he feels should be done and, most important, he is not blinded, as Antony is, by an all-consuming infatuation with Cleopatra.

Enobarbus often serves the function of the commentator. He can move about freely, he sees much that occurs among the heads of state, and thus he forms his own conclusions, which he shares with his comrades and the audience. He is a cynic of sorts, whom neither power nor love impresses. His only mistake, seemingly, is in deserting Antony when it becomes clear Antony will lose the war. Not surprisingly, Antony's generosity to his former friend so shames him that he takes his own life.9
F
Finnick Odair
♥

Finnick is a portmanteau meant to evoke commonalities of traditional Irish naming. It is a conjunction of "fin," for District Four's ocean/fishing specialty, and "nick" or Nicholas, meaning "Victory Of The People."

Odair is a play on Adair, a Scotch-Gaelic name meaning "happy spear" (like his trident!) but also likely takes origin in the name of Odysseus (The Odyssey).

Finnick's arc in The Hunger Games series almost perfectly mirrors Odysseus' journey over the course of the Illiad and Odyssey: he is victorious in battle (the Games) but is not allowed to fully return home to his weak wife; he has to escape the alleged paradise of the island of the Lotus Eaters (the Capitol) and is threatened by the Laistrygones and evil witch-queen Circe (Snow); he is forced to endure and must escape the sexual perversions of the Sirens (Capitol citizens, his forced sex slavery); try to make his way home trapped between the monsters of Scylla and Charybdis (basically he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't); and go to Hades and back to be able to find his wife again (likely, the Quarter Quell and the retrieval of Annie from the Capitol).
Flavius
Flavius was the familial name of an imperial dynasty in Rome. They were popular with the common people and the Flavian name became a popular first name in Rome and remaining Romance languages after their reign ended. The Flavians initiated economical and cultural reforms. Lowered taxes were devised to restore the Empire's finances, while they also revalued the Roman coinage by increasing its silver content. A massive building programme was enacted to celebrate the ascent of the Flavian dynasty, leaving multiple enduring landmarks in the city of Rome, the most spectacular of which was the Colosseum.

Obviously, it is the gladiatorial connection to the Colosseum which most marks THG's Flavius' name.
Foxface
Not a name.

However, culturally, "fox-berries" are a vernacular term for lingonberries, which could mean that D5 is culturally Scandinavian (but probably not).

Aesop's Fables include "The Fox and the Rowan Berries."

The fox who longed for berries, beholds with pain
The tempting clusters were too high to gain;
Grieved in his heart he forced a careless smile,
And cried ,‘They’re sharp and hardly worth my while.’8

Related proverbs: "The fox says of the mulberries when he cannot get at them; they are not good at all" and "Sour, said the fox about rowan berries."
Fulvia Cardew
The historical Fulvia was was an aristocratic Roman woman who was married to three of the most promising Roman men of her generation: Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gaius Scribonius Curio, and Mark Antony. All three husbands were supporters of Julius Caesar. Though she is more famous for her involvement in Antony's career, many scholars believe that she was politically active with all of her husbands. Fulvia is remembered in the history of the late Roman Republic for her political ambition and activity.

"Cardew" derives from Cornelius Cardew, an experimental composer. Cardew was a Communist and composed what he called "people's liberation music" in the 1970s. "During the 1970s, he produced many songs, often drawing from traditional English folk music put at the service of lengthy Marxist-Maoist exhortations; representative examples are 'Smash the Social Contract' and 'There Is Only One Lie, There Is Only One Truth.'"10
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W
G
Gale Hawthorne
A gale is a very strong wind.

Anthony Gale was the fourth Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, and the only one ever court-martialed. He was reprimanded and made notorious for his ill temper. Early in his Marine career, he fought, in fairly quick succession, the French, the Barbary pirates, the British – and a U.S. naval officer. Angered by the mistreatment of a Marine sentry, Gale killed Navy Lieutenant Allen MacKenzie in a duel.

Henry Gale was a British army officer who "showed great gallantry [in the Russian Civil War]. He carried out the duties of Forward Observation Officer, and, without any regard to his personal safety, remained near the enemy's wire, so as to be able to ensure the accuracy of the artillery fire."11

Humphrey Gale was a high-ranking munitions coordinator in WWII.

Richard Nelson Gale was a soldier in the British army who served in both WWI and WWII and came away from his war experience with a distrust for weapons-heavy battle strategy.
Gale's approach to military affairs emerged from both his personal history and personality. Gale, a 'tall, bluff, ruddy' individual, with a reputation as 'a bit of a buccaneer' but allegedly possessing a 'hectoring manner and a loud voice', was one of a number of Great War veterans to challenge the military status quo that had led to the terrible losses on the Western Front. Events such as the losses on the Somme heavily influenced Gale's thinking, and he emerged from the war with a suspicion of predominantly firepower-led operations.12
As for "Hawthorne," Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writers whose themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages. "Hawthorne" may also refer to the hawthorn plant genus of thornapple plants; fruits with stone seeds such as peaches and plums (but not actually peaches or plums).

The immature giggling in me wants to point out the traditional Scottish saying, ""Ne'er cast a cloot til Mey's oot," which basically boils down to "never take your clothes off until hawthorn's in bloom." (TWSS)
Glimmer
Literally, "to shine faintly or unsteadily; to give off a subdued unsteady reflection; to appear indistinctly with a faintly luminous quality."
Gloss
Most likely, the literal: "to make attractive or acceptable by deception or superficial treatment." Also "A surface shininess or luster; a cosmetic that adds shine or luster; a superficially or deceptively attractive appearance." A "gloss" can also be a brief notation of the meaning of a word or wording in a text.
Greasy Sae
[No satisfactory results found; proprietary name.]
H
Haymitch Abernathy
"Abernathy" means a habitational person who likes to stay where they were born and doesn't interact well with people, preferring animals. Sounds familiar, huh? ;)

It can also be a Pictish originated name meaning "from the mouth of the River Nethy."

"Haymitch" is an interesting case, as it does not directly correlate or derive from anywhere -- and is the only name in THG that is baseless. My closest estimation would place it around "hayseed," since District Twelve is in a historically rural area, or "Mitchell," meaning "he who is like god." I guess if one thinks of Haymitch as the brains behind the Second Rebellion, that would fit... ish?

Another possible origin for Haymitch: It is similar to Hamish (Scottish, like Abernathy), which according to Behind the Name is the 'anglicized form of a Sheumais, the vocative case of Seumas.' Seumas is the Scottish form of James, a name that, among others, is the name of several men mentioned in the Bible, including a James who is viewed as Jesus' brother. James also came from the same Hebrew name as Jacob, meaning "He who supplants". Considering the definition of supplant ('Take the place or move into the position of') it fits with Haymitch, in a way, becoming a father figure for/protector of Katniss and Peeta. (c: [info]heyskeleton)
Hazelle Hawthorne
Hazelle is derived from "hazel," a genus of flowering shrubs. Hazel plants are either specifically male or specifically female. The males are pale yellow and 5–12 cm long, and the females are very small and largely concealed in the buds. "Witch hazel," though not actually hazel, is used medicinally. Extracts from its bark and leaves are used in aftershave lotions and lotions for treating bruises and insect bites. Witch-hazel helps to shrink and contract blood vessels back to normal size.

For "Hawthorne," see Gale Hawthorne.
J
Johanna Mason
"Johanna" is a German name. It is specifically different from the English "Joanna" in both origin and meaning.

Johanna Sigurðardóttir is the current Prime Minister of Iceland. She was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security. She became Iceland's first female Prime Minister on 1 February 2009, the world's first openly gay head of government of the modern era. In the 1990s, when she lost a bid to head the party, she lifted her fist and declared "My time will come!" -- a phrase that became a popular Icelandic expression.

"Visions of Johanna" is also Bob Dylan's most critically praised song, which critics say "is stranded between extremes - total freedom and abject slavery."13

If one is to consider the similar, but not homophonous, Joanna, the name could refer to the disciple "Joanna the wife of Chuza," who was an associate of Mary Magdalene. However, it IS a different name of different social origin.

While "Mason" generally refers to stonelayers, this doesn't make much sense considering that Johanna is from D7 and their specialty is lumber and forestry. Given her involvement in the Quell plot and the Second Rebellion, it is possible that her surname takes its origins in Freemasonry, a belief system commonly called a "secret society."

Freemasonry "uses the metaphors of operative stonemasons' tools and implements, against the allegorical backdrop of the building of King Solomon's Temple, to convey what has been described by both Masons and critics as 'a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.'14" (Just like The Hunger Games!)

There is also the mathematical Mason's Rule, but um, if you can figure out what the heck it's saying... then please let me know. :|
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W
K
Katniss Everdeen
Katniss, as she explains in the books, is a starchy tuber-root aquatic vegetable also called "sagittaria." The generic name means "belonging to an arrow" in Latin and refers to the shape of the leaves. Katniss plants are found in canals, ponds, ditches and slow rivers, but are never abundant.

Suzanne Collins on "Everdeen" (08/12/2010):
I sort of half read Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge. It was assigned in 10th grade, and I just couldn’t get into it. About seven years later I rediscovered Hardy, and consumed four of his novels in a row. Katniss Everdeen owes her last name to Bathsheba Everdene, the lead character in Far From the Madding Crowd. The two are very different, but both struggle with knowing their hearts.
(c: [info]puella_nerdii)
So, whether fully from Hardy's mind or in part from Collins, here are thoughts on "Everdeen" --

"Everdeen" seems to be a portmanteau for "evergreen" and "Dean" (surname).

An evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons (which seems to relate to Katniss'/her family's stalwart survival and her need to flourish). In growth areas with cold winters, being evergreen is usually an adaptation to low nutrient levels. Evergreen plants grow well in poor soil or on disturbed ground. The shelter provided by existing evergreen plants can make it easier for younger evergreen plants to survive cold and/or drought (Katniss to Prim?). Owing to the botanical meaning, the term "evergreen" can refer metaphorically to something that is continuously renewed or is self-renewing.

"Dean" means "Of the Valley." This does not seem to relate to Katniss' role in the books, unless you count the allegorical tropes that Gale and Peeta represent as mountains, and her being in the middle. Which makes sense, but could be seen as a stretch (although given how closely all parts of every name tie to the characters, it may well be the reasoning).
L
Lavinia
Literally, "Woman Of Rome." Lavinia is a character of Virgil's Aeneid:

"Seek not, my seed, in Latian bands to yoke
Our fair Lavinia, nor the gods provoke.
A foreign son upon thy shore descends,
Whose martial fame from pole to pole extends.
His race, in arms and arts of peace renown'd,
Not Latium shall contain, nor Europe bound:
'T is theirs whate'er the sun surveys around."15

Shakespeare's Lavinia suffers the (exact) same horrific fate as Collins' Lavinia: in Titus Andronicus,
Saturninus tells Titus that for his first act as Emperor, he will marry Titus' daughter Lavinia. Titus agrees, although Lavinia is already betrothed to Bassianus, who refuses to give her up. Titus' sons tell Titus that Bassianus is in the right under Roman law, but Titus refuses to listen, accusing them all of treason.

During a royal hunt the following day, Aaron persuades Demetrius and Chiron to kill Bassianus, so they may rape Lavinia. They do so, throwing Bassianus' body into a pit, and dragging Lavinia deep into the forest before violently raping her. To keep her from revealing what has happened, they cut out her tongue...

Later, Lavinia 'writes' the names of her attackers in the dirt, using a stick held with her mouth...

For the scene where Lavinia reveals her rapists by writing in the sand, Shakespeare may have used a story from the first book of Metamorphoses; the tale of the rape of Io by Zeus, where, to prevent her divulging the story, he turns her into a cow. Upon encountering her father, she attempts to tell him who she is, but is unable to do so until she thinks to scratch her name in the dirt using her hoof.16
Leeg 1, Leeg 2
"Leeg" is a proprietary name/word.

Leeg is a contraction of the Old Dutch lithag or Proto-Germanic liþugaz. In Dutch, it means "empty, hollow; listless, lethargic."

However, it is more likely that SC uses it to contract or personify "league" or "legion," possibly from Roman Legion, a part of the Imperial army and formed its elite heavy infantry, recruited exclusively from Roman citizens. A singular soldier of the Legion was called a "Legionary," another possible origin for "Leeg." Legionaries underwent especially rigorous training; discipline was the base of the army's success, and the soldiers were relentlessly and constantly trained with weapons and especially with drill.
Leevy
Likely a derivative of "levy," possibly portmanteau with "Leah." A levy is a legal seizure of your property to satisfy a tax debt. "Leah" means "weary."
Lyme
Lyme disease is spread through tick bites (which could be a play on Lyme and Enobaria being of the same District, in the THG 'verse).

Left untreated, later symptoms may involve the joints, heart, and central nervous system. Lyme disease is a biosafety level 2 disease. Lyme disease had been almost eradicated prior to national reforestation, which could be a comment on uniting the Districts, I guess. THAT one really is kind of a stretch.


Click here to see M-Z, CCL, and references! →
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
 
41 comments | Leave a comment
 
( 41 comments — Leave a comment )
tpuel;dr: dandelion in the spring[info]puella_nerdii on May 12th, 2011 06:38 am (UTC)
There's also a character in Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd named Batsheba Everdene, and I think Suzanne Collins referenced taking Katniss's last name from her at one point but I can't track down the interview, so I might be making shit up. (Here's the Wiki page.)

(Lyme might also be a pun on lime, like limestone, since District 2 has so many quarries.)

*eagerly reading on*

Edited at 2011-05-12 06:39 am (UTC)
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 06:40 am (UTC)
I'll google around and see if I can find the interview! I didn't see any actual SC quotes about naming that didn't make it into the books, but as/if they come out/are sent to me, I'll definitely add and edit. :)
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 06:55 am (UTC)
Added! Thanks!
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 06:50 am (UTC)
Hmmm... I'm slightly iffy on buying that Lyme is Lime, just because it does change the actual name meaning to change the spelling on that one, but it's possible. I'll ruminate on it before adding that one.
alice_confetti[info]alice_confetti on May 12th, 2011 07:30 am (UTC)
This is amazing - wow, what a lot of research you must've done!

And when I was reading the books, I assumed that Sae was a nickname for Sally or Sadie?
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 07:34 am (UTC)
That's the thing; it could be a nickname for so many things, including a LOT of various ethnic names that may have gone into the socioethnic Seam culture of the future, and we weren't even sure where all to start and what would be logical to eliminate. It could be Sally, Sarah, Sadie, sae (which is a floral term, as far as I can tell? Some kind of seed issue?)... I mean, really, anything here: http://www.babynames.com/Names/S/?starts=S&gender=F, plus various names that could have gone into the Melungeon makeup that seems to be close to what the Seam is...

AND it's short for Suzanne! (So it might be an author cameo.)
kayla.[info]heyskeleton on May 12th, 2011 08:14 am (UTC)
This is amazing. The work you've put into this is incredible. Must have taken you ages!

I hope you don't mind me sharing my thoughts on Haymitch's name with you. I've always felt it was similar to Hamish (Scottish, like Abernathy), which according to Behind the Name is the 'anglicized form of a Sheumais, the vocative case of Seumas.' Seumas is the Scottish form of James, a name that, among others, is the name of several men mentioned in the Bible, including a James who is viewed as Jesus' brother. James also came from the same Hebrew name as Jacob, meaning "He who supplants". Considering the definition of supplant ('Take the place or move into the position of') it fits with Haymitch, in a way, becoming a father figure for/protector of Katniss and Peeta.

Wow, that turned out longer than I expected, and I apologise. I hope you find it of some interest! :)
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 08:16 am (UTC)
No, that's awesome. Especially considering the Peeta/pieta allegory and the homophone of Sinner in Cinna, etc. Do you mind if I add your info to the post? I'll credit, of course! :)
kayla.: * Still betting on you[info]heyskeleton on May 12th, 2011 08:34 am (UTC)
Of course not, go right ahead! I'd be honoured. After all, it was just a thought - all the info I lifted from elsewhere. :)
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 08:43 am (UTC)
Done! Thank you! :)
Ema[info]lunequake on May 12th, 2011 10:57 am (UTC)
Wow. This is so much work and effort. I'm linking this to everyone I know that's read HG.
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 12th, 2011 11:34 am (UTC)
\o/ Thank you so much! That's SO sweet (AND AWESOME)! It definitely did take a lot of work... I can only hope that if SC ever sees it, it won't all turn out to be me and [info]badguys overthinking things! D:
Lucy[info]subtlynice on May 12th, 2011 11:39 am (UTC)
Eeeee, this is awesome.

Another point I thought of whilst reading: Virgil's character of Lavinia famously doesn't say a single word throughout the entirety of the Aenied as a mark of her obedience to her family's decisions.
we_got_caught[info]we_got_caught on May 12th, 2011 01:12 pm (UTC)
Fascinating. I can't imagine how much work was put into this, wow.
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:53 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
audreyii_fic[info]audreyii_fic on May 12th, 2011 01:23 pm (UTC)
You're basically brilliant.
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:54 am (UTC)
Thank you so much! ♥
blonde high heeled feminist: [f.mtm] happy joy![info]notashamed on May 12th, 2011 02:11 pm (UTC)
You have made me so happy. I absolutely adore this!

THANK YOU!
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:54 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca...[info]maynardsong on May 12th, 2011 03:21 pm (UTC)
addendum on Cato
Besides his historical significance, today, there is also the CATO Institute (which is, of course, named after Cato the Elder), and it's a libertarian think tank that definitely isn't conscious of social or environmental justice. It's all about protecting property. And I suspect Suzanne Collins is aware of this too.
dillpickle: Robot Penis[info]poppypickle on May 12th, 2011 04:17 pm (UTC)
"never take your clothes off until hawthorn's in bloom."

*nods sagely*
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:54 am (UTC)
It's a good adage.
valerie.[info]truexillusions on May 12th, 2011 05:32 pm (UTC)
Holy crap, this is amazing.
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:54 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
The "Original Function"™: other: worship you[info]iceshade on May 12th, 2011 06:05 pm (UTC)
You are fucking amazing.

Also, do you mind if I friend you? I may be horrible at commenting on them, but I love your fics.
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:54 am (UTC)
Oh, I'm so sorry this reply is so late: yes, please, go ahead and friend me! Thank you so much!
spunkprincess: sexhair[info]spunkprincess on May 12th, 2011 06:41 pm (UTC)
You are a genius, that's the only thing I can think of right now.
It was really interesting to read :D
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:54 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
daylighter.[info]akihito on May 12th, 2011 10:09 pm (UTC)
This. WOW. This is really amazing.
THANK YOU TO YOU!!!
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:55 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
I didn't recognize you without the handcuffs[info]all_booty on May 12th, 2011 11:59 pm (UTC)
This is so amazing and detailed! You have a slight error in the entry on President Snow, though. Lorenzo Snow was not "the last president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" as you have it, he was fifth and last in the 19th century. There have been several since then, and there is currently one. Not a huge deal, just you obviously took great pains to make this thorough and accurate and I wanted to give you that heads-up.

P.S. I adore your fics. You are my hero.
Samantha: hunger games ❝fragility❞[info]daisyulliel on May 14th, 2011 03:03 pm (UTC)
Goodness, this is so immaculate. Thank you so much, adding it to my favourites for sure. And Finnick's one = ♥
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:55 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
Pandas[info]button_pins on May 17th, 2011 04:42 am (UTC)
Haha! And people said that they had terrible names. Makes me love SC more :"> Thank you for posting this. :)
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on May 21st, 2011 03:55 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
geek lee: may the odds[info]geeklee on May 28th, 2011 03:06 pm (UTC)
oh my goodness! first the map and now this. everything you guys do is so amazing!!!

makes me think i'm not the only one thinking about these sort of things.
i aim my arrows high[info]aimmyarrowshigh on June 11th, 2011 10:07 am (UTC)
Thank you so much!
Katherine[info]silentnotes on June 11th, 2011 08:25 pm (UTC)
I'm a reference librarian, and this is a gorgeous list. I swoon with joy that people still do this sort of thing! Thank you for an intelligent, thoughtful and well-researched collection of information.

I've not read THG yet, but I still really enjoyed going through all of this. Now I think I'll finally have to make time!
Fae[info]faemous on August 11th, 2011 06:39 pm (UTC)
The "deen" in Everdeen could also be from the Middle English/Anglo-French "deen" meaning "chief of ten". I suppose "chief of twelve" would be more apt, but it's an interesting interpretation, even if Suzanne Collins didn't intend it. :)
lilmissmionie[info]lilmissmionie on October 17th, 2011 11:56 am (UTC)
This is so f*cking brilliant. I'm a huge context/mythology/history fanatic so this is just pure awesomeness for me. You've done a spectacular and in-depth job. Love!
Noem Alonso Cid[info]Nehryss on December 5th, 2011 10:47 pm (UTC)
Avox etymology
Hi!
(I meant to write this a long time ago, but I forgot until the DWTC contest where your map of Panem was featured.)

I found another word with a classical etymology: avox. It is composed by the greek prefix "a-", meaning "without", and the latin noun "vox" in nominative, meaning "voice".

Avox = without voice. It completely makes sense, doesn't it?
(though they technically have a voice - but they can’t speak)

Loving as I do etymology, this guide is like a precious gift. I think I read it all in one sitting, back in May. Thank you for taking the time and effort to do it!

PS. I hope it's not posted twice, one from facebook and one from twitter (since I don't have a livejournal account)
( 41 comments — Leave a comment )