Character names

Barefoot · May 2012

Hi guys!
New here, so if this has been asked and answered already, then I apologize. I have been a Bond fan, since Dr. No and have noticed that several variations of the name Dominic have been used through the years. Domino, Dominique, and Dominic come readily to mind, and some have been used by more than one character.

The question is whether some form of this name has some significance to Ian Flemming, personally, or is there another reason, other than coincidence, that this name should be used so often?

Napoleon Plural · May 2012

Not sure Barefoot, I think only Domino is a Fleming name, and even maybe not seeing as he wrote the novel after being in collaboration with another writer on a nascent screenplay, from which he took the plot. Dominic Greene is of course not a Fleming villain, Dominique, hmm, where is that from, rings a bell. Henry Chancellor's fine book on the Fleming novels does go into the derivations of some names eg Moneypenny and so on.

Welcome to the site!

Barefoot · May 2012

Well, the first Dominique I can reall was Dominique Derval in Thunderball, played by Claudine Auger. Then there was Kim Basinger's Domino Patachi in Never Say Never Again. Some of what I have read suggests that these are the same character reintroduced in a later movie and played by a different actress, but I'm not sure because of the last name change and the fact that Basinger's character doesn't seem to know Bond in their first scene together. And most recently was the male character of Dominic in Quantum.

I just find it odd that, unless it is a continuing character like Felix Lighter, that they would use the same derivative name so many times in a series -- especially when you consider that it is not an extremely common name like James, John, or William even in other countries or cultures. I just thought it might have some significance to Ian.

Sir Miles · May 2012

Barefoot wrote:

the first Dominique I can reall was Dominique Derval in Thunderball, played by Claudine Auger. Then there was Kim Basinger's Domino Patachi in Never Say Never Again. Some of what I have read suggests that these are the same character reintroduced in a later movie and played by a different actress,

Well, Never Say Never Again is a remake of Thunderball...so it is the same character, sort of...Petatchi was the original surname of the character, if memory serves...it's all from the 'Thunderball Scripts anway...written by Ian Fleming, Jack Whittingham and Kevin McClory...and, as mentioned above, Ian Fleming didn't write the QoS that made it to the screen...so it's unlikely, in this instance, that the name means much to Ian Fleming...although many of his villians names did... -{

Barefoot · May 2012

Interesting... Thanks for the input.

Character names

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