[Opinions] Re: Mazarine?
in reply to a message by misabi
Nazarene. It sounds like Nazarene. It only *looks* a lot like margarine. It does! And besides Nazarene, it sounds more like margarine than it does like anything else.
When a name is unfamiliar, word associations generally determine people's response to it. You just have to deal with this when you invent new names. So, you know people will look at it and think "margarine," whether it reminds you of that or not - the only question is just whether you think that association matters, or if it'd be forgotten if it were a real person's name.
I personally think it'd be forgotten, and Mazarine wouldn't get any worse than the usual negative reactions to novel names. But if I loved it, the similar sound to Nazarene would probably put it on my "gp" list - because I think people would mishear it as Nazarene, and maybe even try to call her that. Also I just find Mazarine sort of harsh sounding - and Mazzy, too. It's sort of shabby chic... not ugly, just not my style. I think it's usable. People name little girls Saffron and Lavender and Paisley... surely Mazarine is okay, if those are.
- mirfak
When a name is unfamiliar, word associations generally determine people's response to it. You just have to deal with this when you invent new names. So, you know people will look at it and think "margarine," whether it reminds you of that or not - the only question is just whether you think that association matters, or if it'd be forgotten if it were a real person's name.
I personally think it'd be forgotten, and Mazarine wouldn't get any worse than the usual negative reactions to novel names. But if I loved it, the similar sound to Nazarene would probably put it on my "gp" list - because I think people would mishear it as Nazarene, and maybe even try to call her that. Also I just find Mazarine sort of harsh sounding - and Mazzy, too. It's sort of shabby chic... not ugly, just not my style. I think it's usable. People name little girls Saffron and Lavender and Paisley... surely Mazarine is okay, if those are.
- mirfak