Ack! Will this be a problem?

Leva · Mar 19, 2007

So I just clued in while watching it that the new TV show "Blood Ties" has a hero with the same last name (Fitzroy) as the hero in the book I just finished. Both characters go by Fitzroy.

The name in my book came from the character's sense of humor; it's a stage name, and he's just about as far from a 'royal bastard' as you could imagine. He's literally nice to a fault, sees himself as being a nice guy, and it tickles his funny bone to have an assumed surname that means 'bastard' ... *grin*.

However. Should I change the name? Blood Ties is showing early signs of being a hit.

Cathy C · Mar 19, 2007

Blood Ties is the television adaptation of author Tanya Huff's old series of vampire novels from the 80's. Actually, the character in the books went primarily by Henry, rather than Fitzroy (the surname, meaning "son of the king" came from being the illegtimate, but acknowledged, son of King Henry VIII.) But mostly he went by "Henry" in the books.

I don't know it would be a problem unless your character is also a vampire.

Gillhoughly · Mar 20, 2007

I have worked with Tanya, and she's a nice lady, but I don't know how she'd react to someone writing another vampire going by the same name.

I do know *I* would go into freakout mode, but that's just me. My characters all have distinctive names and I would too easily assume that

a) you ripped off the name (bad),

b) you never HEARD of me (worse!).

If your character is a non-supernatural type for another genre you might be okay, but I would suggest your nice guy with good sense of humor come up with something else. "Fitzroy" is well known in certain circles, same as those dudes Lestat or Dresden.

If the show takes off Fitzroy will be even more well known than at present.

Leva · Mar 20, 2007

Mine is not a vampire.

And I have to confess I'm a huge fan of her books ... what actually clued me in was writing a review up of Blood Ties and going, 'wait a minute ...' ... I just had never made the association between the names before..

(And I'm also remembering now that Misty Lackey also has a Fitzroy.)

As I recall, I got the name off an internet list of surnames and meanings. Sigh. Next time, I need to do some cross referencing.

Looks like I'll be changing the name, plus a few puns in my book. It's just easier that way.

veinglory · Mar 20, 2007

Fitzroy, as noted, mean specifically royal bastard. Of course 'Fitz' (just 'bastard') is also used in a famous series--as are most names. You could easily change it to 'fitz'-something-else-amusing and keep the joke. Fitz is a common name-part, like Mac or son.

Marlys · Mar 20, 2007

For the record, Fitz does not mean bastard, but "son." OED citation:

The Anglo-French word for ‘son’; chiefly Hist. in patronymic designations, in which it was followed by the name of a parent in the uninflected genitive. Some of these survive as surnames, e.g. Fitzherbert, Fitzwilliam, etc.; in later times new surnames of the kind have been given to the illegitimate children of royal princes.

Edited to add this Wikipedia reference, too:

The archaic French, more specifically, Frankish, prefix fitz, which is cognate with the modern French fils, meaning son, appears in England's aristocratic family lines dating from the Norman Conquest, and also among the Anglo-Irish. Thus there are names like Fitzpatrick and Fitzhugh. Of particular interest is the name Fitzroy, meaning "King's son", which was used by Royal bastards who were acknowledged as such by their fathers.

Popeyesays · Mar 20, 2007

veinglory said:
Fitzroy, as noted, mean specifically royal bastard. Of course 'Fitz' (just 'bastard') is also used in a famous series--as are most names. You could easily change it to 'fitz'-something-else-amusing and keep the joke. Fitz is a common name-part, like Mac or son.

So what's Gaelic for "Cheap"?

Regards,
Scott

Ack! Will this be a problem?

Leva

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Leva

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Marlys

Resist. Love. Go outside.

Popeyesays

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us