At 18:33 98-01-28 +0000, Laura Nunn wrote:
>It just struck me that some of the characters' names in PG are >a bit odd
certainly not 1980/90s typical names. I can accept >Lynda and Sarah and
Julie and Sam, Spike, Tiddler and Frazz are >more nickname-like, but the
others are often really obscure!
>I mean - Kenny? And the names given to one-episoders and >generally the
less important characters - Ruby? Bobby? Billy? >Raymond? Malcolm?
Donald?!
>OK - they're names, but not (to my knowledge) popular at all - >why choose
them, I wonder, for a programme which in many other >respects is so
plausible? (Apart from the flame-throwing ring >and the lamp-post!)
Hi Laura,
But would you say that your name is any more plausible (Laura to me, is
very American not English/British). I think Kenny (kenneth??) is fairly
plausible. My name is not uncommon (for my peers) but no more than James or
Harriet. Another David or a Michael/Mike would have been more plausible.
Actually uncommon names are more likely than common names because there are
more of use (with the unusual/uncommon names) than them (Mike's, Dave's,
Allison/Alison/Allyson, Elizabeth's etc..)
Also Jenny and Kelly are perfectly plausible.
I think that statistically unusually names are reasonably likely but
probably the real reason is to make sure we (viewers) know and recognize
each characters.
Oliver (Olly of the Great White North)
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