Discussion Male characters using "female" names and vice-versa

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by ElefantVerd, Sep 25, 2019.

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  1. ElefantVerd

    ElefantVerd It's not me, and it's not you.

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    Recently started to read a novel where the grandfather of some character is a mage named Camilla.
    [​IMG]

    Camilla is a woman's name. Like in Camilla Parker Bowles, Camila Cabello, and so and so. Why would you create a male character and give it a woman's name? Is it a secret sign he is gay? A trap?

    And that's not the first time. Another novel has an angel called Manuel (I pestered the translator until he changed that). Manuel is a male name. Here in Brazil you hear the name Manuel and you think this:
    [​IMG]
    (Manuel Antonio Caballero Agüero, Venezuelan historian, journalist, author, and professor of history)

    There's a woman's version, Manuela (in my computer the search on Manuela gives thousands of photos of the beautiful Brazilian politician Manuela d'Avila).

    Who chose those names? Do you know other examples of this?
     
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  2. Matteus

    Matteus [潜んでいる] [Com Fome]

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    Well, Asians have no idea if they're doing something wrong with the names, that's why you find names like Petrus Ignitus Diabolos or Mariete Corneustimus.
     
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  3. SerialBeggar

    SerialBeggar Hate your family? Got no friends? Gimme your stuff

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    In elementary school, there was a boy in my class named Allison. When we crossed paths again in high school, he had a new name. I didn't really react to it because, many Asian kids changed their names. It wasn't until many years later that I learned that "Allison" was actually a girl's name. I figured his parents didn't know any better, but he got tired of the confusion.
     
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  4. Cygsiulle

    Cygsiulle error 404: title not found

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    yeah... there's not really much research that seems to go into the names for other nationalities, as far as genders are concerned. oddly, there's only a few female characters that may suffer from a male name, while 4/5 of the male cast are either misnamed or almost their entire character is directly plagiarized from famous celebs. it's a little odd, since you'd think even a quick "common (insert country name here) male names" search would clear that up, but, i suppose that could just be censorship at work. heaven forbid they learn about people called abraham, martin, and john. (hmmm... perhaps those weren't the best examples :blobthinkingsmirk:)
     
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  5. Qiun

    Qiun Well-Known Member

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    Actually, I don't see a problem, sometimes male having female name and vice versa sounds good depending on the character and his position
     
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  6. Anra7777

    Anra7777 All powerful magic grammar hamster queen pirate.

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    Probably ignorance and culture differences. I remember in third grade there was a boy in my class who was from Russia and his nickname was Sasha. It was only later that I’d find out that here in the US, Sasha is considered a female only nickname, even though it’s origin is Russian, where apparently it can be used for either gender. I’m just glad the guy never got teased. (That I know of.)
     
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  7. pelya

    pelya Active Member

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    In Russian, Sasha is short-hand for Alexander. Alex(s)ander → shortened Sanya → diminutive Sasha, don't ask me how this works. Female variant Alexandra is also shortened to Sasha.

    In US, Sasha and Alexander are different names altogether.

    Same with Natalia → Natasha (diminutive variant is also used in US on it's own), Tatiana → Tanya, Alexey → Alex, Vladimir → Volodia → Vova, Sviatoslav/Viacheslav/Rostislav/Yaroslav/Vladislav → Slava (there are so many variants of this name).
     
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  8. Yamatohime

    Yamatohime Well-Known Member

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    Some names are unisex from where they are originating with slight difference in pronunciation at best. And the most funniest variants... Is losing it after double transliteration.

    For example in Russia name like Manuel can be female but Manuil would likely not.
     
  9. Melodious Nocturne

    Melodious Nocturne [Dance, water, dance!] [My name is Demyx!]

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    In the Japanese version of Kingdom Hearts, Lea’s name is pronounced “lee-ah.” But in the English version, they pronounce it “lee,” probably because Leah is a girl’s name. :blob_zipper_mouth:
     
  10. Defiring

    Defiring Well-Known Member

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    Oh really? In French it's considered unisex.
     
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  11. ElefantVerd

    ElefantVerd It's not me, and it's not you.

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    "The second son, Ruth, is thirteen years old. " (here)

    Ruth? Ruth is a name from the Bible, the name of a Moabite woman. Did I say it's a woman's name?
     
  12. Qiun

    Qiun Well-Known Member

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    To me it sounds like male name....
     
  13. ElefantVerd

    ElefantVerd It's not me, and it's not you.

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    Even the Wikipedia points out that it's a common female given name.

    upload_2019-9-27_11-31-24.png

    upload_2019-9-27_11-32-30.png
     
  14. Qiun

    Qiun Well-Known Member

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    Still, it sounds like male name to me
    ┐( ̄ヘ ̄)┌
     
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  15. Ai chan

    Ai chan Queen of Yuri, Devourer of Traps, Thrusted Witch

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    Now, let's go the opposite direction.

    There are English authors who are influenced by Japanese and Chinese literature who want to write about Japanese and Chinese setting without understanding the culture and naming scheme of Japanese and Chinese people.

    For Chinese, you got an English author writing shianshia giving the name of Shou Yun to a boy. For Japanese, you got another English author giving the character three word names, for whatever strange reason, maybe for coolness factor or maybe they think Japanese names are the same as English names.

    What's wrong with this, you ask?

    Shou Yun means 'become pregnant'. Now, this name was given to a boy in shianshia setting by an English author. In case it's not clear, boys can't become pregnant. And this wasn't a BL.

    As for three word Japanese name? It doesn't exist. It breaks every cultural convention on naming your Japanese child. A Japanese person cannot have three-word names. It's illegal for a Japanese person to have three names in Japan. The rules are very clear, your surname and your given name. There cannot be anything in the middle. Now, technically, you can have a given name that is basically two different kanji, but it functions as one given name. It is not the same as Jim Bob Wilkins, but more like Jimbob Wilkins where everyone calls you by the name of Jimbob and not Jim (for acquantainces) or Bob (for your family).

    Ai-chan's point is, some authors can't be bothered. So it's not necessarily the translators' fault. The translators' also can't just change the names just because it's the wrong gender, because it's the name given by the author. For example, a fantasy author names a prince Aleara. We know this is a female name because every fibre of our being tells us that this is a female name. But what if the other world uses a different system?
     
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  16. lychee

    lychee [- slightly morbid fruit -] ❀[ 恋爱? ]❀

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    I think not all names are necessarily tied to a gender, depending on your culture!

    I think Erin is another example — US it’s feminine but unisex in many other places, or even historically
     
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  17. Moonpearl

    Moonpearl Professional Yuri Girl ❀ [Yuri Garden Creator]

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    Sometimes it's fun to blur boundaries by giving characters names that are the "wrong gender", though? And, historically, it's pretty common to give little girls "male" names.

    Think of Ariel, Jordan, Syd, etc.
    Those were all originally "male" names that were given to enough little girls that they became unisex or more associated with women.
     
  18. Kadmos1

    Kadmos1 Well-Known Member

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    Uh, there are 3-word Japanese names like Kei, Kai, Mai, Aki, etc.
     
  19. Moonpearl

    Moonpearl Professional Yuri Girl ❀ [Yuri Garden Creator]

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    Those are three letters, not words. She means there are no middle names, like "Elizabeth Alexandra Windsor".
     
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  20. Melodious Nocturne

    Melodious Nocturne [Dance, water, dance!] [My name is Demyx!]

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    *Interested* :blobpeek: Do you know why that’s the case? Obviously that wasn’t always the rule, or names like “Abe no Seimei” wouldn’t exist, even if the “no” is more of a functional word than a third name.
     
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