Help me name my manor

JoNightshade · May 31, 2007

I am bad with names. Care to help me brainstorm a bit?

In my current WIP, 80% of the action occurs in a mansion owned by the central character. So far I have been calling it "the house," but I feel like it should have a name. It's just "one of those places." Here's some details:

- Owner's name is Roger Wilcox. And no, I am not going to call it "Wilcox Manor," that sounds way too much like "Wayne Manor." He inherited his alcoholic father's fortune along with Wilcox Publishing, a big-time publishing house.

- The house is isolated, at the end of a winding gravel drive that hasn't been taken care of in years, so it's become super rough. It is backed by forest and hills; the view is of a large city. I am not sure yet what city this is. Suggestions?

- The house itself is completely overgrown with vines and is in a dilapidated state. There were once formal gardens, also overgrown, and an extensive fruit-and-vegetable garden as well. Inside, however, it's very well taken care of. It's got everything from an indoor pool and gym to a ballroom and an industrial-grade meat locker.

So. Ideas? Please?

underthecity · May 31, 2007

So, I guess "Singer Manor" won't work?

How about:

Lost Hideaway

Secret Gardens

Quiet Glens

Hidden Shadows

newmod · May 31, 2007

Hi JoNightshade, here´s a link that may be of interest: http://www.rhul.ac.uk/History/Research/mdr1.html

And a quote:
Manors were often named after the parish in which they, or the majority of their lands, lay. The majority of parishes in Middlesex and Surrey have a corresponding manor. Other manors were distinguished by their ownership such as Kensington Abbots, once owned by Westminster Abbey, or St. Catherine's manor in Ruislip parish, Middlesex, owned until 1391 by St. Catherine's Abbey in Rouen and retaining the name of its former owner until the nineteenth century.

Also, what genre is the WIP? That might help generate ideas.

TheIT · May 31, 2007

Where is the manor located, i.e. what country/state? Why was it built? Was it originally a showpiece for money, or was it more functional, i.e. part of a farm? Who built it?

I'd imagine the manor was named when it was built, so the official name should reflect a more bright or hopeful outlook. Since the manor has declined over the years, the name might have changed or there might be a more unofficial nickname which reflects its current state. The unofficial name might be a corruption of the original name, like "Silver Pines" changing into "Tarnished Pines".

CaroGirl · May 31, 2007

How about Somber Hill House, Cold Rain Manor, Dark Spirit Place (shucks, Grimmauld Place is taken).

Or you could go the opposite of the feel of the sad and neglected house (which I favour because it's wry and fun) by calling it something like Blithesome Manor.

JoNightshade · May 31, 2007

Okay, I like the idea of having a bright, optimistic name, in contrast to the dreary reality.

And this place is located somewhere in the US, either on the east coast or possibly Oregon/Washington area. I am still searching. So it doesn't necessarily have to be "___ Manor," it could just be a name.

Also, I am not sure about the genre. I would just call it contemporary fiction except that four of my characters used to work for a (fictional) government oranization that exists to eliminate high-level drug dealers and kingpins. So essentially they were assasins. They have become a kind of makeshift family, and are each trying to have some semblance of "normal" life. The only thing I could compare it to is "Unforgiven," but it's not a western and there's no big shootout at the end.

newmod · May 31, 2007

Don´t suppose I can tempt you with Cowlix Manor?

JoNightshade · May 31, 2007

newmod said:
Don´t suppose I can tempt you with Cowlix Manor?

Sorry, no.

Silver King · May 31, 2007

JoNightshade said:
Okay, I like the idea of having a bright, optimistic name...

Silver King Manor. :Thumbs:

newmod · May 31, 2007

How about thinking of names of pubs/hotels/concert venues etc? Maybe you can come up with something that way. Or check out names of stately homes on the web.

If I come up with an actual suggestion of worth I´ll return to the thread, until then me and my limited imagination will retire to a safe distance

TheIT · May 31, 2007

There's also "Hall" or "House" instead of "Manor".

So, suggestions:

Named for its geographic location: Overlook, Foothill, <city> Vista

Named for a local plant, tree, or animal: Redwood, Evergreen, Misty Pines

Named for whoever had the place built or someone the builder wanted to honor.

Did whoever name the place have a sense of humor? Did they have a historical figure or event they wanted to honor?

Dancre · May 31, 2007

Stephen King named the manor in his TV series Rose Red, b/c the woman whose husband built the house loved roses. So maybe you could think about who once owned the manor and what they liked when they made the home.

kim

Claudia Gray · May 31, 2007

Is this in the U.S., England or somewhere else? I think it makes a difference -- a place in Europe would probably have a more traditional name, whereas an American manor would have something a little more on-the-nose, I think.

JoNightshade · May 31, 2007

TheIT said:
Named for whoever had the place built or someone the builder wanted to honor.

YES! THIS IS IT! Eureka! Thank you thank you! This is perfect. Roger's motivations remain largely unknown throughout the entire book, although at some point we discover that, as a child, the death of his beloved older sister had a huge impact on his life. He-- and his parents-- would have named the house after her. So this would be a great way to forshadow her early-on.

Now, if only I knew what her name was. Dang.

TheIT · May 31, 2007

Glad I could help. Names are tough, aren't they? I still have several placeholder names in my WIP including one of my villains.

So, is it time for the "name the sister" thread?

JoNightshade · May 31, 2007

TheIT said:
Glad I could help. Names are tough, aren't they? I still have several placeholder names in my WIP including one of my villains.

So, is it time for the "name the sister" thread?

Indeed it is.

Actually I'm thinking I might use something from my own life. But it's not exactly elegant... Okay, so, when I was a baby, my mom made me a large Raggedy Ann doll, with matching clothes for me. My parents called me their little "Ragdoll." Around the same time, they built a sailboat and called it Ragdoll. So, indirectly, they named the boat after me.

I would like to find something with the same sort of connection... but Ragdoll sounds kinda... I dunno, weird. I just think of ragdoll physics.

TheIT · May 31, 2007

Ragged Edge, perhaps? Might work if the estate borders something else. A Velveteen Rabbit? Puppet or Doll? Goldilocks?

The sister might have had a special toy like the Raggedy Ann doll. Did the toy have a name? Is the toy still on display in the manor itself? It could be a good way to bring up the sister if one of the current residents asks about the odd display.

aadams73 · May 31, 2007

Perhaps a flower name like Violet or Ivy?

Fern · May 31, 2007

There is a "Rose Hill" near here. They spoke of the home as Rose Hill Manor, but often referred to it only as Rose Hill.

Willamette's Way
Gillian's Way
Gillian House

Arkie · May 31, 2007

Fairmont. Short for fair mountain, or far mountain. It the location is in the foothills of a mountain chain, then Piedmont.

Niteowl · May 31, 2007

I'd recommend something very stately and austre. That just seems to be such a nice juxtaposition with the decay and dilapidation:
Kingdom Vale Estates
Tiffany/Kimberly/(some other 'pretty' and 'petite' girls name) Mansion
Lexington Place
Woodgrove Mansion

Or something very plain, yet still hints at the evil that lurks within (i.e. The Overlook hotel in "The Shining") :
Ash Tree Manor
The Arches
Splintered Pines (ok, this one, not so subtle)
Brook Flood
Underbrush Manor
The Knell House
Lookout Manor

MissAimee · May 31, 2007

I like the sound of using ivy as the manor's name.. How about Ivy Knoll Hill?

SouthernFriedJulie · May 31, 2007

Hm...no name for the sister?

Lily [sp?] = Lilywood

Anne= Anne's Way

I have one I am just calling GreyWood, though it's GreyWood Manor, properly. You could use the last name like I did, of the MC. Just fracture it and merge with another word.

CaroGirl · May 31, 2007

If you name it after the sister, you could name the sister after a flower so it wouldn't seem so obvious. Like Sweet Rose Estate, or Lilyvale, Iris Hill, Jasmine Wood. Something like that.

Myrddin · May 31, 2007

Sounds like I'm late to the naming party, but keep this in mind while naming it: The mansion is secluded and run down now, but keep in mind how the original owner would've felt about it.

Some favorite mansion names in literature and history:
Mont Royale - North and South by John Jakes
Belvedere - (same book, different family/house)
Green Gables - Anne of Green Gables (captured the spirit of the place and the character perfectly)
Wayne Manor - Because, well, I'm Batman.

Twelve Oaks and Tara - Gone with the Wind
Boone Hall - just outside of Charleston, SC (I grew up about 100 yards fro this place)

Quick search found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manor_house and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historic_houses

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