I think names are important. They give character to people, ideas and inanimate objects alike. JK Rowling is a master at using names. The kind, ordinary, simple sounding Harry paired with the spit-worthy Potter, the “P” giving his enemies instant ammunition in expressing their hatred. Severus Snape – severe, sever, snake; the rhymes are all there to make you fear the man before he even opens his mouth to speak. And Voldemort? She even makes most of her characters unable to bring themselves to utter his name.
But these are names made to fit a character, what about the other way around. What about Hitler? He grew up with a name and turned into a mass murder. The hard “H” gives definition to the sound of his name, a name that even threatens violence with its “Hit” beginning.
Of course, one minute he was a crackpot with a silly hat and paintbrush mustache, the next he was running a country and on his way to world domination. He rose to power over a period of years, changing laws, establishing his secret police, and manipulating the thinking of a whole country. On the way, he took a keen interest in the construction of buildings to symbolize his power. Nothing identified his “brand” more than the Swastika and his party’s name. To this day, Nazi is a four letter word which conjures vivid images, evokes revulsion, and sells books and films by the ton.
But what if he hadn’t started the Nazi party? What if he’d called it the Gnatsy party? Do you think he would have risen to power? Would you be swayed into believing some guy who say he was a Gnatsy?
Or do you think he would have been relegated to struggling in local elections against the fabulously funny,” Screaming Lord Such
and the Official Monster Raving Looney Party?
And can you think of other dictators whose evil plans could have been curtailed by a different name?
Cheers!
I’m afraid I’m no authority on the naming of evil dictators. In my books, the villain is an international corporation involved in espionage, drug smuggling, and arms deals. The corporation is named Fuzzy Bunny…
Hi Diane
Ah, the evil Fuzzy Bunny empire, a truly merciless lot that leave a trail of bodies in their wake. What they do to a field of carrots is just awful. Hopefully you have a hands-on hero working for the spay and neuter company.
Cheers!
“The Fuzzy Bunny”. I love it.
That’s an interesting concept. I guess I always thought that the names had evil connotations because of the people they were connected with, but not about the names themselves conveying a sense of menace.
Adolf Hitler would have been evil incarnate no matter what his name was, but if his name were Dieter Blaufarb it might have sounded less scary.
Hi Madame Weebles
I think you’re right about Hitler. But I do wonder, if our appearance can change our lives, what about our name? Maybe Cooper got through to the last round because he sounds better than Yeats?
I think I’m going to have to have a character called Dieter Blaufarb one day!
Cheers
Dagnabbit, Nigel, I want to call “dibs” on Dieter Blaufarb.
Can I assume you didn’t include Snidely Whiplash and Dudley Doright in your name analysis because they aren’t evil dictators?
I don’t know Hitler’s name influenced his heinous acts, but do agree a Gnatsy Party lacks the power punch of Nazi. However, using my HS German accent — complete with back-of-the-throat static and umlaut over the “A”, even Gnatsy sounds evil.
My poor sister, Wilma, was the third of five girls born to a man named Wilmer. Mom later apologized to her. The name had a huge impact on her sense of self-worth when she was young.
Cheer(io)s!
Hi Gloria. I have the feeling your Blaufarb will be better than my Blaufarb, so have at it, or him, or whatever your Blaufarb maybe.
Yes, Gnatsy sounds just like Nazi, but I don’t think people would take them seriously. Mind you, a lot of people didn’t take Hitler seriously either.
I wasn’t named after my father, but I hated my name when I was young. Over the years I’ve grown not to notice it, but as a child I never liked to say my name.
Cheers!
Hitler would have just picked a new more marketable name had he been given a nicer name at birth.
His cohort herman goering was well named. The name sounds like it belongs to a German stage comedian and it did.
Hi Holmes. I’m sure you’re right, he conveniently ignored other aspects of his past, and Goering does have a comic ring to it.
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers
As I understand it, ‘Nazi’ was partly expedient – a German contraction of ‘Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei’, itself picked partly for marketing purposes. The more accurate title would have been ‘Böse mordenden Verrückten Partei’ (which was what they were reputed for even in the 1920s) but that probably wouldn’t have got them any votes.
The frightening part is the way Hitler and his cronies first got themselves into power – and then led their nation into the worst crimes in the history of humanity. It was thoroughly calculated, and it put the world to the torch. It was worse than mad; it was pure, unadulterated evil.
Apropos the comments above – absolutely. There is a wonderful passage in Erwin Rommel’s memoir listing all Goering’s many faults, mostly to do with vanity, preening and laziness. Rommel didn’t think much of the Nazis, and he particularly hated Goering.
Hi Matthew
I’m impressed; I looked at your blog and I’m in awe of anyone who can get any writing done with those views! Sat in flat-as-it-gets Texas, I’m jealous!
You’re right, Nazi was a name chose to suit their purpose, and Hitler was pure evil. His rise to power was a strange affair, almost as if people in power stepped aside. Though that may have had a lot to do with his ruthless tactics.
For all Goering’s faults, I think we can be glad he had them.
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers!
Love this! Love your wit and humor Nigel. And you’re right?! Gnatsy wouldn’t have gone over nearly as well. There’s lots to be said about names for sure.
Hi Ingrid. If only preventing evil was as easy as calling them names, eh?
Amazing to think it’s a week after the conference already!
Cheers