|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 5 2011, 9:43pm
Post #1 of 22
(1261 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Please help me settle on a hobbit name
|
Can't Post
|
|
I've loved the world of Middle Earth since I was a shy teenager of 13. Back before the LOTR movies came out, I called myself "The Lady Arwen" in emails and posts. However, after the movies came out, EVERYONE knew who Arwen was, so I didn't want to go by that name anymore. I tried to find a fitting name that would be uniqually me. Perhaps I should explain more about myself. I am very much into genealogy, love to sing and look at nature/ walk trails, I love to putter around in my garden, and love to read. I live in a cottage which was always my dream (to live in a tudor cottage or a house built into a hillside or a tiny farmhouse, white and green).
As a teen, I thought of myself as Gondorian because I was very tall with dark brown hair and grey blue eyes and loved the colors blue and grey, so I felt I fit in there even though it was looks alone, not personality.
I went on LOTR plaza around 2004 as someone from Gondor, but then I thought just because my real name is anglo saxon, perhaps I should be from Rohan even though I know nothing of horses!? Then I realized that I was really the closest to a hobbit, so I switched to that nationality.
I had already picked the anglo saxon name Aethelwyne, so I chose a surname that sounded good with it, Bracegirdle. That name served me well while I was on there for a few years until work and nieces and nephews and other activites in the real world caused my days on the plaza to end.
I'm now interested in having a hobbit name again, but am unsure I want to stay a "blockheaded Bracegirdle from Hardbottle". Bracegirdles don't really fit into my backstory, anyway: My father in real life is retired and does flea marketing, so I created my hobbit father Aethelmaer as extremelly adventurous (which Bracegirdles usually aren't!) and travelling to Dale and to the lands of elves and men. After the wars, he even travelled to the lands of the easterlings and southrons in friendship and trade for his store. Our family lived in Ithilien for awhile, helping in the renewed gardens there while dad did his trades. We then moved back to Bree because our parents missed their hobbit families and dad could retire and still do his trade routes through the roads of Bree. We had a nice little aboveground cottage and garden.
I seem to like names that mean the same as my real name Audra, which is "noble and strong".
Brianna means this, but I've grown to like Arianna better (and it means silver. I still like silver, blue and green).
Aethelthryth is the anglo saxon translation of Audra, but I like Aethelwyne "friend of the elves" better.
Bellawen is the sindarin translation of noble and strong (so is Artuewen, but I think Bellawen is prettier).
Bolgers, Greenleafs, and Greenhills sound like adventurous surnames, though Aethelwyne Bracegirdle still has a fun ring to it.
So, please help me decide or even suggest another name for me, if you'd like. I've put way to much thought on this on my own and need help deciding! Thanks!
(This post was edited by Altaira on Dec 17 2011, 7:02pm)
|
|
|
Nightingale
Rohan
Dec 5 2011, 9:56pm
Post #2 of 22
(1070 views)
Shortcut
|
The problem with Greenleaf is Legolas (so to speak). I should think that people will assume you were a Legolas/Bloom fan (I would!). That might be the same problem that you had with Arwen.
I think Aethelwyne is great, as it incorporates both the Anglo-Saxon and 'elf friend' aspects. Your real name has a beautiful meaning too.
Sooo, I think I would plump for Aethelwyne Greenhill. The 'Greenhill' could be Hobbity, but also carries connotations of the plains of Rohan for me. Or perhaps Audra Greenhill (if you are comfortable with your 'real' name)
Now I'm thinking about it too much! 
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 5 2011, 10:31pm
Post #3 of 22
(1054 views)
Shortcut
|
I agree about Greenleaf sounding very Legolas-like. I was trying for a fairy name on Disney with my little niece (silly, I know, but fun), and I had two Disney Fairies: Arianna Greenleaf, Garden Fairy; and Holly Foxglade, Animal Faily. I also had Harmony Mountainsong, Autumn Merrymeadow, and another one I can't remember but the first two were my favorites. I was showing the fairies to a tekkie friend from work and she said "Greenleaf. Like Legolas much?" (I actually like Frodo and Aragorn the best  but picked Greenleaf because of it's nature/Tolkien sound).
Greenhill comes from naming my house a couple of years ago. I bought my Granny's cottage after she died, a little white house in a valley surrounded by hills (a hollow in southern terms), and I put a green roof on it. I liked the way the hills looked in summer, all green grass and green leaves, and how sweetly the house and garden blended in, so I decided to give it a cottage-y name and tried out Woodland Cottage, Wildwood Cottage, Greenleaf Cottage, Lavender Cottage, and Greenhill Cottage, before settling on Greenhill Cottage. I am Audra of Greenhill Cottage in my letter headings, or Audra Greenhill (my friends from far off ask if I married a Greenhill??)
I think about things way too much! I am an INFJ personality to be sure!
|
|
|
Magpie
Immortal
Dec 5 2011, 11:08pm
Post #4 of 22
(1085 views)
Shortcut
|
especially when it comes to spelling. There are some user names here that I can NEVER spell without looking up. That's a bit of a pain when one is simply posting since it isn't the end of the world to misspell a name. But you have to get close enough to the real spelling for people to know who you mean. And, you have to hit it spot on to do a search for that person. So if I want to find a post that Oiotári wrote, I have to hit "Who's Online", then "View Member Directory", then the letter O, then scan the three pages of O names trying to find hers, then copy it, and come back and paste it into the search interface.
That's not to say I don't like the names. Those with more complicated spellings just make me work harder. :-)
also.. you might see who has a similar name already (and if they've posted at all or recently). If it's too close to an existing member, it might be confusing for some people to keep you as two distinct personalities in their brain. But I don't think there are any active members with a name similar to the ones in the poll.
(This post was edited by Magpie on Dec 5 2011, 11:10pm)
|
|
|
GAndyalf
Valinor
Dec 6 2011, 2:36am
Post #5 of 22
(1021 views)
Shortcut
|
And mae govannen!
Given perusal of your backstory (thank you as it is MOST helpfull) may I recommend Aethelwyne Underhill? (Frodo's travelling name and not unknown in Bree).
|
|
|
Eowyn of Penns Woods
Valinor
Dec 6 2011, 8:12pm
Post #6 of 22
(1023 views)
Shortcut
|
I feel kinda bad pointing it out, but, well... Greenhill is rather popular as a cemetery name, and that's what I associate it with. :/
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 7 2011, 1:44am
Post #7 of 22
(1074 views)
Shortcut
|
I thought fondly of Frodo's cover name when I created the name Greenhill Cottage. Although a cemetery name?! I never thought of that before! Cemeteries around here have rather boring names, not flowery ones (names connected to the street, church, town, or family who is prominent there).
I was thinking rather that I might get a comment that it sounded like a nursing home or retirement village. I've always thought decades older than I am. I feel like I should have been born in the 40's, which would make me about 100 now.
I do love the name Aethelwyne, I've had it for about 7 years. I even created a little story about it that the firstborn child was always named Aethel something. Starting with Aethelwine, then Aethelbard, Aethelthyrth (a great Aunt. My great grandfather was Hildebrant), Aethelbert, Aethelmaer, then me (Aethelwyne). I'd hate to part with tradition.
At the same time, though, is Aethelwyne to boyish? I know there was a male saint Aethelwyne, but I also know wyn means female in Tolkien, so I thought it would be ok for a female name. Most Aethelwynes I encounter online are female fantasy fans.
I guess I could've just named myself Rose, Hyacinth, Daisy, or Violet (I love Keeping Up Appearances!), but a flowery or gemstone name just isn't...me!
|
|
|
Alcarcalime
Tol Eressea
Dec 7 2011, 1:24pm
Post #8 of 22
(1021 views)
Shortcut
|
I feel like I should have been born in the 40's, which would make me about 100 now.
As somone who was born in the 40s, I am no where near 100! LOL
|
|
|
Magpie
Immortal
Dec 7 2011, 2:33pm
Post #9 of 22
(1040 views)
Shortcut
|
When I was working with 1st graders, one of them asked me how old I was. I said old.
How old?
Really old.
A Hundred?
Yes, a hundred.
*pauses for thought* Oh. You're younger than Mrs Winston. She's a hundred and one.
And I laughed imagining the same conversation she'd had.
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 8 2011, 2:08pm
Post #10 of 22
(1015 views)
Shortcut
|
I knew I had my math wrong! I shouldn't type when I'm tired, lol. I was thinking of my grandparents who were adults in the 40's and were born between 1913-1919. My parents were born in the 40's, they would groan if they heard that I said they would be 100! I just admire that "greatest generation" so much.
On cemetery names, I looked up greenhill, greenleaf, and wildwood and they were all cemetery names somewhere! I guess I like them because they are so peaceful.
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 10 2011, 9:28pm
Post #11 of 22
(1041 views)
Shortcut
|
Here are some other names suggested that I think are rather nice also:
Aethelwne Underhill
Arianna Underhill
Audra Greenhill (my real first name)
I also like
Aethelwyne Bolger (the Bolgers like fancy sounding names like Fredegar, so they wouldn't mind my Aethel- names)
Florabella Bolger
Arianna Bolger
I just can't figure out the right combination!
Do anyone like these names better than the poll ones? I'd add them to the poll, but don't know how
(This post was edited by Arianna Greenleaf on Dec 10 2011, 9:30pm)
|
|
|
Lothlorian
Lorien
Dec 22 2011, 2:28am
Post #12 of 22
(959 views)
Shortcut
|
Hobbit name generator? it's a fun little site - it was linked from a blog on the main page - it's an old site but still seems to work and is quite amusing. It also generates Elven names too!
|
|
|
GAndyalf
Valinor
Dec 23 2011, 9:32pm
Post #13 of 22
(949 views)
Shortcut
|
Wolvercote.
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 25 2011, 1:26am
Post #15 of 22
(981 views)
Shortcut
|
I've tried it before, it's fun. Butternut Boffin is an adorable name!
I guess I'm just so serious about the "perfect" name because I took this all too seriously back around 2004, when I created a complete hobbit family tree spanning 15 generations, 57 surnames, with 402 individuals. Some of it was easy, like I linked my Took ancestor to one of the "unnamed Took daughters" in Tolkien's work, and my Brandybuck ancestor was one of the "many descendants" Tolkien listed. The others are of my own imagination, and I'm just having the silliest time trying to think of a suitable surname or name for myself!
Here is the part of the family tree I invented 7 years ago:
Aethelwine (Bolger? Underhill? Greenhill? Greenleaf? Bracegirdle?) married Violet Chubb, daughter of Onslow Chubb and Arabella Grubb.
Children included Aethelbard and Erchanbold
Earchanbold married Olivia Chubb, daughter of Hayden Chubb and Lobelia Hornblower (Earchanbold and Olivia are 2nd cousins)
kids: Hildebrant, Hildegarde, Adelhard, and Aethelthyrth (two sets of twins)
Hildebrant married Bernadette Banks, daughter of Clayborne Banks and Daisy Sandheaver
They had 5 kids: Aethelbert, Adelaide, HIlda, Blythe, and Broderick
Aethelbert "Bert" married Adelaide "Granny" Brandybuck, daughter of Gorbadoc Brandybuck and Isabella Hornblower
They had Aethelmaer, who married Rosemary Baggins, daughter of Porto Baggins (Tolkiens shire) and Florabella "Flora" Took (unnamed Tolkien Took daughter)
In real life, I have brothers Lee and William and sister Mary, so I had Aethelmaer and Rosemary's kids as follows:
Aethelwyne or Arianna or Bellawen or Florabella or Audra: me
Langley "Lee", Cordelia, Willcome "Will", Hyacinth, Marigold "Merry", Daisy, and Arabella. The first 4 of us were born in Bree, the last 4 in Ithiilien before we moved back north near Bree in the countryside.
So my surname has to sound good for me, but also for all of my ancestors! And I want my given name to fit in as well.
I'm being too silly with all this, I know, but I love making family trees. Merry Christmas to all!
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 26 2011, 4:10pm
Post #16 of 22
(927 views)
Shortcut
|
|
The most popular names thus far:
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Arianna Greenleaf is the most popular so far with 4 votes. I'm debating keeping this name; however, since Greenleaf is an elvin name, I may change the surname.
Next is Bellawen Bolger of Bree with 3 votes. I also like the surname Banks, which is seen in Bree and adds to my character developement. I didn't have it in the poll, but how does Bellawen Banks of Bree sound?
Or Arianna Banks, or Aethelwyne Banks?
There is a tie for #2 between Arianna Greenhill and Audra Greenhill (whom NIghtingale mentioned in her post in addition to the one vote in the poll).
I'm really leaning towards Bolger, Banks, or Underhill for a last name. They all sound very pretty with all of my ancestor names, not just mine. I still love the Greenhill name and will probably use it for another part of my family tree.
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 26 2011, 11:23pm
Post #17 of 22
(976 views)
Shortcut
|
I think I've decided to change my name to Bellawen Bolger. I've read up on the Bolger family, and
1. they like long fancy names such as are in my tree.
2. They are adventurous
3. They prefer forests and are friendly with elves.
4. As fallohides, they are taller than the average hobbit, which fits me well too!
Since Bree is near the old forest, I can see Bolgers braving a trip or two in there as well as wandering aroung Greenhill country (where I got the Greenhill name). I was worried about Bolger because it isn't a Bree name like Banks or Underhill; however my Bolger ancestors married into the Banks and Underhill families as well as the Bree Tunnellys and Shire names like Baggins, Brandybucks, Bracegirdles, and Tooks so I think it will make perfect sense. My Bolgers travel a lot, so they would meet and marry adventurous hobbits from all over I'd think!
Thank you to everyone for your help from Bellawen Bolger!
|
|
|
GAndyalf
Valinor
Dec 26 2011, 11:27pm
Post #18 of 22
(900 views)
Shortcut
|
though you ignored the Gaffer's advice (as have your entire family from what I've read so far). 
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Dec 26 2011, 11:32pm
Post #19 of 22
(945 views)
Shortcut
|
I really struggled between Bellawen and Aethelwyne, Bolger and Underhill. I almost took the name you suggested (Aethelwyne Underhill) it was touch and go for awhile there...
But I couldn't get over the thought that Aethelwyne sounded more boyish than girlish ( I changed one of my siblings' names to Aethelwulf tonight to keep up the tradition)
and after all of the discussion on here about cemeteries, Underhill sounded so..gothic and dead, and I'm rather claustrophobic!
If I'm going to live underground, there are going to be a LOT of windows and fresh air (grin)
So Bellawen Bolger for me, but thanks so much for your help, I've grinned at your posts here and elsewhere  and have enjoyed reading them!
|
|
|
GAndyalf
Valinor
Dec 27 2011, 12:04am
Post #20 of 22
(930 views)
Shortcut
|
At your SERVICE, my lady! Your avatar reminds me of many a fair lady when I used to do SCA events and your wonderful penchant for research in all things hobbity warms this old wizard's cockles.
Historically Aethelwyne would have been the masculine, but then there are many names that are both masculine and feminine and with a translation of "elf-friend" that could be one. But what you have chosen suits your heart -as all names ought.
I wish you many happy years with it and may the hair on your toes never fall out! (Even with female hobbits this is considered a GOOD thing to have! LIP)
I shall look forward to your travels through this version of Middle-earth with a glad heart.
Namarie,
GAndyalf
|
|
|
GAndyalf
Valinor
Dec 27 2011, 12:27am
Post #21 of 22
(930 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Edit: As I was adding the timer timed out so here goes:
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Edit: It occurs to me that you thought I meant you didn't take MY advice on the name - this was not true at all! I meant Gaffer Gamgee's advice to Samwise, "Make it short, and then you won't have to cut it short before you can use it!"
|
|
|
Aethelwyne Bolger
Bree
Jan 2 2012, 12:08am
Post #22 of 22
(995 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Grin! I forgot about that quote, GAndyalf
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I really need to read LOTR again. One thing bad about the movies is that it supplanted my yearly reading of the books and it has been about 7 years since I've read them. I'm reading the Hobbit now and am half way through and I forgot how awesome and funny it was!
Tell the old Gaffer not to worry; I love the caydence of Bellawen and won't be shortening it to Bella because I don't want people to think I am into sparkly vampires or shirtless hunky werewolves (I'm not a Twilight fan )
I gave my 5 yr old nephew a there and back again hobbit set and I smiled when I saw Bilbo's map book has the initials BB for Bilbo Baggins...or Bellawen Bolger.
I still miss Aethelwyne a little, but Bellawen is such a pretty name. I still like Arianna Underhill also, though it didn't recieve many votes.
Bellawen Bolger has such a nice...ring...to it that I couldn't resist!
|
|
|
|
|
