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Help[Opinions] Westley, Charles, & Ethan
Here are your three names of the day. Like any? Which one would you use IRL if a gun was held to your head? I'm thinking Charles is going to win with a landslide.
Willoughby wolloughby willina, an elephant sat on Billina.
Willoughby wolloughby wirfak, an elephant sat on Mirfak.
Willoughby wolloughby willina, an elephant sat on Billina.
Willoughby wolloughby wirfak, an elephant sat on Mirfak.
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I dislike all three.
Westley is weak to me.
Ethan is ugly.
Charles is too prissy. I do adore Charlie though and I have this to-and-fro over whether I could ever really just use Charlie without a full name.
You're right, I'd choose Charles with a gun to my head...and then would always call him Charlie.
Westley is weak to me.
Ethan is ugly.
Charles is too prissy. I do adore Charlie though and I have this to-and-fro over whether I could ever really just use Charlie without a full name.
You're right, I'd choose Charles with a gun to my head...and then would always call him Charlie.
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I don't get the t in Westley. Wesley, yes of course. But the t has been missing for so many centuries that I'm puzzled by the fashion for replacing it. That said, Wesley has such a strongly Christian vibe that if you actually did point that gun at me, I'd go for Westley!
(By the way, this might appeal to you: in the news yesterday, the captain of a English county cricket team proved to have the surname Northeast. Could drive the Kardashians into frenzies of crazed emulation.)
OK, so gun or none, I'd add to the Charles landslide. May I use it as a mn, please?
Ethan cannot be said without a whine. It is a physiological impossibility. My daughter knows a little Ethan (age about 8) who is a splendid child, but she says even he can't make her like the name. And, no, I didn't influence her at all.
(By the way, this might appeal to you: in the news yesterday, the captain of a English county cricket team proved to have the surname Northeast. Could drive the Kardashians into frenzies of crazed emulation.)
OK, so gun or none, I'd add to the Charles landslide. May I use it as a mn, please?
Ethan cannot be said without a whine. It is a physiological impossibility. My daughter knows a little Ethan (age about 8) who is a splendid child, but she says even he can't make her like the name. And, no, I didn't influence her at all.
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I like Westley mostly just because I like West, and Weston is a little too, "almost trendy". Ethan is nice. I think it ages well. Charles I don't like in full... It sounds old and crusty or else just like a chewy sound. I love Charlie though. And Charles is a family name, so I may consider it in the middle. Westley Charles would be my choice :)
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I'd definitely use Ethan! There's absolutely nothing wrong with Charles; I just prefer Ethan more. Westley has absolutely no appeal to me; I don't even care for Wesley!
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Ethan is definitely my favourite of the three. Yes it's the most common and popular, but I still like it the most.
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I like all of them just fine. Charles has a classic charm to it, but I find Ethan more boring than the other two names (it's overused in my circles, I guess). Westley is my favorite of the three and the one I would use IRL if I had to. It feels solid and quirky, and I like the reference to the Princess Bride. :)
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If I had to use one of these irl, I'd pick Ethan. I've already got a brother names Charles, so using it as a first name would feel weirdly repetitive (and also weirdly narcissistic since my own name is Charlotte - I honestly have no idea what my parents were thinking there, naming a son and daughter Charlotte and Charles). And Westley reminds me of the generally silly, prattish Watcher from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', Wesley Whendom-Price. And also a bit of the kid from Star Trek, Wesley Crusher.
Ethan, however, has no immediate negative associations for me and I just like it in general. I like the sound of it, and the meaning's nice too.
Ethan, however, has no immediate negative associations for me and I just like it in general. I like the sound of it, and the meaning's nice too.
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Guessing you've not read/seen The Princess Bride :)
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Love that film! Want to read the book.
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Right
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William Goldman's Westley is a humble, bright, heartfelt and loyal young lad who, in reaction to circumstances beyond his control, becomes also an expert swordsman, fighter, rider, tactician, and dread pirate, capable of defeating a cognitively-renowned Sicilian in a battle of wits and of rescuing his beloved from the "evil" prince despite being nearly dead all day.
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How is the book? I've been meaning to read it for years, but I haven't gotten around to it. I love the movie, but the book sounds great, too.
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My "Review"
The book is a bit different animal in that it encompasses a lot more than does the focus of the film. I found it unexpectedly surprising, grin-inducing, jaw-dropping, a bit mind-warping and, at the same time, every bit as endearing, humorous, witty and fun as is the film. William Goldman wrote both the book and screenplay so this makes sense. By the way, Goldman also wrote the screenplays for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and Stephen King's "Misery", among many others.
It's been a long while since I read it so forgive me if I get a few details mixed up but here's the gist...
The book is written as if Florin is real. William Goldman has been hired by the heirs of the Morgenstern Estate to edit the important, scholarly and extremely lengthy history of Florin, compiled by historian S. Morgenstern, into a more digestible version for the masses, so to speak. Goldman travels to Florin as part of his preparation and research for the project. He shares with the reader various details of his personal life during his work on the project, including some major family drama surrounding his wife and son, and drama between himself and his publisher. He creates an edited history of Florin, focused on "the good parts", namely Morgenstern's historical account of Westley, Buttercup and company. The Morgenstern family is highly displeased; Goldman gets kicked off the next part of the project; Stephen King is chosen to take over; Goldman and King have a long discussion about how badly Goldman has messed this up.
Thus, not only do you have the rollicking good adventure story of Westley, etc. translated fairly faithfully from book to film (allowing for time, budget, technology, etc.) but you have this elaborate account of how "the good parts" version of Morgenstern's history came to be and, bonus, what I presume must be the best "literary prank" upon an author's readership in history. I won't spoil all the details for you but suffice to say that Goldman fooled enough of his readers that his publisher was forced to create a disclaimer.
The book is a bit different animal in that it encompasses a lot more than does the focus of the film. I found it unexpectedly surprising, grin-inducing, jaw-dropping, a bit mind-warping and, at the same time, every bit as endearing, humorous, witty and fun as is the film. William Goldman wrote both the book and screenplay so this makes sense. By the way, Goldman also wrote the screenplays for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and Stephen King's "Misery", among many others.
It's been a long while since I read it so forgive me if I get a few details mixed up but here's the gist...
The book is written as if Florin is real. William Goldman has been hired by the heirs of the Morgenstern Estate to edit the important, scholarly and extremely lengthy history of Florin, compiled by historian S. Morgenstern, into a more digestible version for the masses, so to speak. Goldman travels to Florin as part of his preparation and research for the project. He shares with the reader various details of his personal life during his work on the project, including some major family drama surrounding his wife and son, and drama between himself and his publisher. He creates an edited history of Florin, focused on "the good parts", namely Morgenstern's historical account of Westley, Buttercup and company. The Morgenstern family is highly displeased; Goldman gets kicked off the next part of the project; Stephen King is chosen to take over; Goldman and King have a long discussion about how badly Goldman has messed this up.
Thus, not only do you have the rollicking good adventure story of Westley, etc. translated fairly faithfully from book to film (allowing for time, budget, technology, etc.) but you have this elaborate account of how "the good parts" version of Morgenstern's history came to be and, bonus, what I presume must be the best "literary prank" upon an author's readership in history. I won't spoil all the details for you but suffice to say that Goldman fooled enough of his readers that his publisher was forced to create a disclaimer.
This message was edited 6/28/2015, 12:30 PM
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The book is pure satire. It's written in first and third person and is far more absurd. I wasn't a fan, husband loves it
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You said it...
far more succinctly than I ever could, except that I whole-heartedly agree with your husband. :)
far more succinctly than I ever could, except that I whole-heartedly agree with your husband. :)
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Ethan- it's too popular, but meh. I think it may have been on my PNL once- may still be. Charles is pretentious, I much prefer Charlot for the adorable Charlie nickname. Westley is both pretentious and tacky-sounding to me, which isn't a great combo. Not my three favourite names overall!
I would dress Ethan up, I think. Ethan Caspian Dai would be a good pick, or Ethan Dorian Jay, though using both Ethan and Jay makes it overly trendy for me. Ethan Fabian Kai? Ethan Magnus Tomas (with an accent)?
I would dress Ethan up, I think. Ethan Caspian Dai would be a good pick, or Ethan Dorian Jay, though using both Ethan and Jay makes it overly trendy for me. Ethan Fabian Kai? Ethan Magnus Tomas (with an accent)?
This message was edited 6/25/2015, 12:21 PM
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I like Westley, though I prefer Wesley, and would certainly use Wesley rather than Westley if that were an option. I like Ethan, the only problem with it is popularity. I don't like Charles, it gives me the creeps and it's always seemed a little dorky to me.
If I had to IRL use one of them, it would be Westley. I actually like Ethan more, but popularity is such a killer for me.
If I had to IRL use one of them, it would be Westley. I actually like Ethan more, but popularity is such a killer for me.
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