Top Ten Tuesday!

October 18: Ten Characters I'd Name A Child/Dog/Cat/Car/Etc. After -- we did this topic back in 2011 and thought it might be fun to revisit it...feel free to spin it how you need!

So, here we are again with another TTT, that I am totally pumped for because one of the names on this list is one I actually DID name my child after. My list will mainly be historical figures, with a sprinkle of fiction here and there. Some names are better suited for pets than human beings, but alas, I can't help what my heroes were named by their parents. So, here we go:

1. Aliénor of Aquitaine - or, as we know her today - Eleanor.

Eleanor's effigy at Fontevraud Abbey. Richard I and Henry II were also laid to rest here. Unfortunately the tombs were disturbed during the French Revolution. And by 'disturbed' I mean these jerkwads went and scattered the bones of the dead in a field somewhere. But, I am thankful that somehow through that, their effigies survived (photo from Wikipedia).

Way back around 1122 (even the year is at best an educated guess) this little lady was born who would grow up to become first the Queen of France, then Queen of England. She was named for her mother, Aénor, and her own name, Aliénor, translate to 'another Aénor'. Eleanor was well-educated and became a patron of poets and writers as an adult (one of my fave things about her). She also went on Crusade with her first husband, King Louis VII of France - then divorced him to wed Henry of Anjou, also known as Henry Plantagenet and/or Henry II, king of England. They would go on to have what many referred to as the Devil's Brood (though never to their faces of course) that included two more kings: Richard I and John. Eleanor was very active even in her old age - securing Richard's ransom after he was imprisoned by Leopold on the way home from a crusade of his own. I discovered Eleanor of Aquitaine while I was pregnant with my daughter and since then have been collecting every non-fiction book about her I can find, in order to give that collection to my own little lady when she is old enough to read them - which at this rate will probably be around age 5, ha! No, seriously, she is three and has more books than I do. The only issue with this name is that people assume Eleanor Roosevelt first when I say she is named after a heroine of mine. Eleanor Roosevelt is perfectly lovely, but my girl is named after a QUEEN.

2. Boudicca (and various other spellings)

So it should not really surprise anyone that we don't actually know what Boudicca looks like, seeing as how she lived way back in the first century. This statue was sculpted by Thomas Thornycroft in 1850 and stands on the Victoria Embankment at Westminster Bridge (photo from Britannia.com)

This fierce Iceni warrior queen took on Roman troops and won - twice. Unfortunately third time was the charm and her troops and subjects were slaughtered in the last clash of Iceni warriors vs Roman soldiers. Historians argue as to whether or not Boudicca even existed, but given that archaeologists have identified what is referred to as the 'Boudiccan Destruction Layer' (remains of burned clay walls beneath the ground) in Colchester (that's Camulodunum for the ancient Romans joining us this evening) and Tacitus, one of Rome's greatest historians, wrote directly of her, I'd say there is a good chance she existed. I often joke that my daughter is lucky I discovered Eleanor of Aquitaine BEFORE Boudicca, though it has not stopped me from calling her Boudicca or Boudy as a nickname.

3. Buffy

(Photo from Buffy.Wikia.Com)

This is not cheating, I swear. Look at my Goodreads shelves and you will see several dozen BtVS books, both fiction and non-fiction. So really, it is not cheating. Even though Buffy herself annoyed me greatly in late seasons sometimes, she is still pretty much the most kick-ass chick this side of Boudicca. I don't think I would go so far as to name a child after her, but definitely a pet, or my car. Because, come on, it's still kind of silly.

4. Josephine - Jo for short.

Winona Ryder as Jo March in the 1994 film adaptation of Little Women (photo from Pinterest)

To this day, Little Women is one of my all-time favorite books. I own several copies, each varying in cover and length, movie tie-in or not. I loved the story, loved Jo, and so desperately wanted to BE her. I was not disappointed by the movie at all (though that might be different if I were to watch it today), and it remains another favorite.

5. Anne

(Photo from Goodreads)

Oh how I LOVED Anne of Green Gables. I was devouring these books in 4th grade and my best friend Amy and I would play Anne of Green Gables every day at recess. I would be Anne, she would be Diana, and we always tried to get one of the boys to be Gilbert to re-enact the pond scene but none of them would so we just did it ourselves and imagined Gilbert was there. This was back in the day before I made ginger jokes, or even knew what a ginger was (I jest, mostly). Visiting Prince Edward Island is on my bucket list and I so very excited to read these books with my little girl and visit there one day together.

Leave a comment and let me know if we have any in common, and where I can find your list!

Happy Reading,
Sarah