Here's a question.

[neveralarch]

So, I'm working on this Doctor/Master AU, and I'm having this issue with names. The Master is easy, because he uses all the aliases ever, so I just get to play around with those and figure out one that fits. The Doctor, though, is a huge pain. John Smith is the obvious choice, which is why I'm kind of shying away from it. I tried looking at names that are associated with doctors, but I'm not happy with them. Luke is already a DW character name, and Asa and Caduceus are both a bit out there (though I do know guys named Asa). Mostly I'm just worried that picking a name will make the character seem less like the Doctor. What do you guys think? Should I just pick a name that I like and go from there? Or should I forget it and use John Smith, on the basis that everyone will know who I'm talking about?

Comments

[aralias.livejournal.com]

perhaps this would help: http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Aliases_of_the_Doctor

i was going to suggest 'foreman', because most people know that's susan's name, and could theoretically therefore also be her grandfather's.

on the other hand, if there's no particular reason not to go for it, i don't entirely see the problem with john smith. except that is is boring. captain troy handsome is a great non-boring name. consider it...

[birdsarecalling.livejournal.com]

Which Doctor? I can see some Doctors getting more creative than others.

[tardiscrash.livejournal.com]

I'm reading a BBC novel in which he apparently had the nickname "Snail" but that is probably the opposite of helpful.

You could play around with T.S. as initials, just a thought.

If you are going to go for something different I think you should pick something to suit the incarnation, I have a AU Five named after captain of the English cricket team in 1800s and an AU Eight who's name is an amalgam of Byron references.

But I mostly just do that to amuse myself. Jonh Smith is really fine in most cases.

[rainshaded]

In The Beiderbecke Tapes, Jill and Trevor call their son 'Firstborn' because they've never agreed on what they actually called him. Idk, but if you really don't want to pick a name, you could do something like that.

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

I think John Smith is good because it doesn't distract from the story/character? Because, like the Doctor's real name, you can sort of ignore it without each time thinking "oh yeah that's his name" when you read it. Also, creative names are rarely a good idea, it leads to people calling their children Kal-El and Apple and Rainbow Sunshine (all real examples afaik).