A rose by any other name is still a 'Rose'. More accurately quoted: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - William Shakespeare But is a Rose truly a Rose if it is named Centifolia, Damask or even Cabbage? Would it still be as sweet to the one being named by any other name? This is truly the crux of the naming matter. Everyone may like the name 'Rose' but in a small community of doll collectors with the same sculpt, naming every doll 'Rose' can be problematic. Yes, there may be Rose-- the one doll with purple hair sporting violet eyes and there may be the 'Rose' with white mohair with glittery orbs in her head or perhaps even a 'Rose' with the straight black-banged wig and stars in her eyes... but honestly wouldn't that be a little confusing and take away the uniqueness inherent in the idea behind each 'Rose'? Can you imagine the conversation the same name would engender? Fictional conversation: Doll Mom #1: "Did you see those darling photos of Rose the other day? Doll Mom #2: "Oh yes, she was absolutely darling in her little rain coat, hat and galoshes!" Doll Mom #3: "Wait wasn't Rose wearing a bunny suit in that photo?" Doll Mom #1: "Er, I meant the Rose with the purple hair that belongs to Doll Mom #5... she was in a tiny airplane, crop dusting her roses..." Doll Mom #2: "Which Rose was being crop dusted?" Doll Mom #4: "Rose wasn't crop dusting anyone!" Doll Mom #5: "Of course Rose wasn't crop dusting anyone! Just her roses!" Doll Mom #3: "Was she wearing a bunny suit while she was flying?" In this case it might be just as sweet to have the 'Rose' with the purple hair be named Damask, the one with white mohair be named Centifolia and perhaps 'Cabbage' may not fit our black-banged beauty but Callisto or even Calliope may. They are also a bit sweeter too since each alternate 'rose' name has a richer possibility than a mere 'rose'. Embracing a 'Rose' by another name may create more magic in a smaller, close-knit doll community. It will also make your doll so much more of a special thing when she or he has their very onliest name. There will be no confusion when there is any discussion and everyone will know exactly which doll is being referred to! | There are so many naming resources online that there is no lack of available names to choose from. Also it is usually best to choose something very personal to you and make it more unique by putting a twist on it. A good example would be to take the name 'Rose' and create a more unique version to use as a name. So let's use 'Rose'. The name 'Rose' personally resonates with you because it was your great-granbubby's name-- you know, the one that made up bedtime stories almost every night for you before you were six? Alas, there is another doll with the same sculpt named 'Rose' on a forum you frequent. It might not be a kind gesture to that person to use the same name even though it means so much to you. So what do you do? Well, obviously, you could start a flame war and insist that because your great-granbubby's name was 'Rose' (the one of the terrific bedtime tales) that you should be entitled to use it too. But what if the pre-existing Rose's doll-mom had a similar tale? Her doll, 'Rose', was named after her Auntie that died of cancer-- the same Auntie-Rose that created soft plushies for all the nieces and nephews every year until she died. Should your desire to use the name 'Rose' supersede hers because your great-grandbubby was so special too? It might be hard and a bit disappointing yet really, if someone has already chosen a name especially for a doll with the same sculpt, you would be honoring everyone--including your great-grandbubby-- if you chose a name unique to your doll. You can still use 'Rose' as your inspiration. You can think of things that were special to your great-grandbubby that might make a suitable homage to her instead of her actual name (maybe grandbubby liked licorice sweets and so using 'Licorice' as a name would suffice). You can use foreign variations of her name as well (Japanese-Bara, Irish-Roi'si'n, Hawiian-Loke, etc.). You could perhaps use an anagram of her name Eros, Sero or perhaps even using (as in the first paragraph) genetic varieties of Roses for a name. There are no limits to the possibilities if you allow them in. You also might find giving a more unique name to your doll more satisfying in the long run because everyone will know your doll by his/her unique name! They will easily picture your doll's features even amongst the same sculpts. And really, how magical is that? |