Narrowing in on Miranda's family name
Last week I asked for help coming up with Miranda's last name. There have been a huge number of excellent suggestions, leaving me with the task of picking my favorite.
I've narrowed it down to these three:
"Hopper" which is a reference to Grace Hopper, a luminary in my field and an inspiration to women engineers everywhere. In terms of being meaningful, you can't beat this reference. The downside is that Miranda Hopper doesn't really "ring" in my ears.
"Mara" which is the basis for the word Nightmare. That's pretty cool, and "Miranda Mara" rings pretty well. But Miranda's inability to sleep isn't due to her genetics, and she had her name before her affliction. So, this name is pretty high on the "coincidence" scale.
"Wright" which is a play on "Miranda rights." Partially because of that, this one rings the best of the three to me. I'm just not sure if play is too cutsie.
This is where I am at the moment. Thank you very much for all of your suggestions!
Tlaero
Comments (10)
If you like Swedish metal, and it's always nice with alliterations, perhaps "Miranda Marduk"?
'Wright' is the word for creator or maker, such as 'shipwright' and 'wheelwright.' Paired with 'Miranda' -- admired one, as expressed in _The Tempest_ -- it strikes me as a potent combination... if people can get past the US legal reference.
None of them are great. "Hopper" is a little too mundane to suit Miranda, and the "Wright" pun is only funny for about five seconds until it's cringe. I'm going with "Mara."
I agree with a lot of what has been said. Like some of the other folks, the name "Hopper" makes me think immediately of Stranger Things (you decide whether that is a bad thing or not). "Mara" is my least favorite of the final three because it just sounds strange to me. I know it isn't in the final three, but I really like Tao Dude's "Murray" suggestion a lot.
You could use Grace Hopper's maiden name: Murray, as it has a similar rhythm to Miranda Mara. Failing that, Wright is the best of the three that you have chosen.
Of the three, Wright works best in my ears. Could spell it Wryte or something else obnoxious for fun. But like others, while Hopper sounds fine, it would make me think of Stranger Things every time.
I like Miranda Wright, because I actually know a Miranda Wright, so it sounds the most natural to me. It just rolls off my tongue. Kinda like what I'd like to do to Miranda. 😏
Just my two cents, but Hopper sounds the most natural to me. And by natural, I mean like someone I could envision encountering in the real world. Then again, if I was having a kid, I'd also be inclined to steer away from names that were alliterative or a play on words. My one qualm with Hopper is that I've watched so much Stranger Things it invariably calls David Harbour's character to mind. Though an Elsaverse/Stranger Things crossover could be a fun theme for a weekly post.
I actually thought of Wright after posting my suggestion, but when I went to post again, I forgot what I was going to say haha. No matter, you thought of it anyway.
Miranda Write is too punny IMO, Miranda Mara is nice because of alliteration, but I agree with you on why it's not great. And Hopper definitely doesn't roll off the tongue well. If you wanted something that harkens to Hopper, hop in French is Saut, so, Miranda Saut. And Hopper in French is Trémie, so Miranda Trémie. Why would her last name be French? Who knows, could say she has some distant (or recent) roots in France. Hope that helps.