The Name Game

      What's in a name? Today Ms. Serensky told us she thinks "Vernon" is a nerdy name, when I brought this up later Mr. Brownlow proclaimed it an "old man name." Well I looked up Vernon and apparently it means "place of alders “or "alder tree," which clears things up right? Not so much, I know, so I investigated alder trees next. It turns out alder trees are a Celtic symbol of giving and nurturing because the alder tree is known for restoring nutrients to barren soil. This description doesn't sound like our Vernon, if anything he is a leech, feeding on the friendship of Clive and using the Judge to promote his own anti-Garmony agenda. My investigation into the meaning of Vernon has proved disappointing in view of what I know about him so far, but some of the other characters names actually seem to fit.

      Clive: Clive means "cliff," "slope," or "bank," this seems appropriate given his need for communion with nature. In fact, Clive has a disturbing episode in which his desire to maintain his connection with the Lake District prompts him to turn a blind eye to an altercation between two people.

      Julian: This moniker means "down-bearded youth" which only looks useful next to "alder tree" as far as name meanings go. However, the website I used to find name meanings (babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/) has a section where people who have the name can answer questions about it. One question asks whether the name lends itself to bullying, every single respondent reported that people turn it into feminine variations either mistakenly or to mock them. This coincidental gender confusion is interesting in light of Molly's photos of Garmony.

      George: The patron saint of England, means "earth worker." Since he is portrayed as a slightly ridiculous rich guy, I don't think either of these things applies to McEwan's George. However, there have been six King Georges and three president Georges. Despite all his pompous ridiculousness, George does hold power just as these men did.

      Overall, I think some of these connections are a stretch. Looking at the meaning of names can be a valuable exercise in some cases, but it shouldn't be taken too seriously. I have to conclude that our actions define us more than our names. Nonetheless, I had fun researching these names; I even found out that Vernon enjoyed a modest burst of popularity as a girl's name between 1881 and 1922. It was never exactly trendy; it peaked at #869 on the popularity list in 1896. Still, there was once a group of Miss Vernons running around this country. Amid all the speculation, I can say for sure that I do not see Vernon as a female name. Nerd? Perhaps. Old man? I can see that too, but a little girl with pigtails and a party dress? Definitely not.

Vernon?