Topic: character name (Read 6882 times)

jazzman · « **on:** December 03, 2014, 09:11:28 AM »

Does Jack or Jock sound better for my Scottish character, his surname is Bohannon?

I was leaning toward Jack because his father, who was a small time hood with a Glasgow crime family was named William John Bohannon, and everyone called him Billy-Jack.

But in my head the name Jock sounds better?

Dave Freas · « **Reply #1 on:** December 03, 2014, 09:45:39 AM »

His name could be the same as his father's but everyone calls him Jack to tell them apart. And that could get 'corrupted' to Jock. Or maybe they call him Jock because he's big into sports.

Hope this helps.

Dave

DickDeadly · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2014, 07:29:46 PM »

Jock seems very cliched for a Scottish character.

Dannymarshall · « **Reply #3 on:** March 02, 2015, 05:59:21 PM »

They're both short for John. Jack is English, Jock is (traditionally) Scottish.

In England we sometimes refer to all Scottish people as 'Jocks' in the same way Americans use 'John' (as in 'John Doe'). In this way it could be cliched.

It can also be seen as a pejorative slur, depending how it's used, particularly by the English against a Scottish person.

None of its to do with how Americans use the word 'Jock', which comes from 'Jockey Strap', used in sports.

No one in England or Scotland would call someone a jock if they were into sports, over here it only means Scottish!

None of that probably helps your decision