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rj_andersonIt has been suggested to me that I change the name of my young hero from book two of FAERY REBELS (a.k.a. REBEL in the UK). I am told that for most British people, especially of the younger generation, the name "Timothy" is considered fairly radically uncool.
I don't mind Timothy's name being unpopular, because he was born to missionary parents and raised in Uganda, and him not fitting in with the cool kids in England is kind of the point. However, if it's going to make all my young readers in the UK gag and put the book down hastily the moment they see it (as I'd be tempted to do if the hero's name was, say, "Leslie") then I suppose I would be foolish not to take that into account.
So I'm doing a poll. The first question is specifically for UK readers, but for the second I'd be glad to hear from anybody.
[Poll #1398565]
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I don't mind Timothy's name being unpopular, because he was born to missionary parents and raised in Uganda, and him not fitting in with the cool kids in England is kind of the point. However, if it's going to make all my young readers in the UK gag and put the book down hastily the moment they see it (as I'd be tempted to do if the hero's name was, say, "Leslie") then I suppose I would be foolish not to take that into account.
So I'm doing a poll. The first question is specifically for UK readers, but for the second I'd be glad to hear from anybody.
[Poll #1398565]
If you're not on LiveJournal, you can still participate by leaving a comment as "Anonymous". Thanks for helping me out on this.
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Date: 2009-05-12 07:10 pm (UTC)In general conversation, when someone mentions Timothy (tho not Tim or Timmy) my immediate association is with The Famous Five. However, in a book etc, I'll make the connection eventually, but it's not an immediate association.
As for the name itself. It isn't a 'cool' name, but I do associate it with the more traditional names. Maybe not quite as traditional and James, William or John, but in that direction. And I don't see it as uncool. I also much prefer Timothy to Timmy. I'll suffer Tim if necessary, but still prefer Timothy to Tim.
I like Tim or Timothy better than Thomas. And I prefer Tom to Thomas. It's also possible that if you weren't changing the name of a character I already know and love, I'd tell you I prefer Tom over Timothy and Tim. *g*
Basically, I never even gave Timothy's name a second thought, other than a fleeting, "Oh, you don't hear a lot of kids called Timothy nowadays."