I posted the recent question about Corwin's name, and Steve's reply, to the discussion list of the American Name Society. So far there have been two responses, appended below. -- Mark A. Mandel http://world.std.com/~mam/Cracks-and-Shards/ a Steven Brust Dragaera fan website ---------- Forwarded messages ---------- [1] Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 14:11:30 -0800 From: Sharon L. Krossa Reply-To: American Name Society <ANS-L at LISTSERV.BINGHAMTON.EDU> Subject: Re: Corwin At 4:37 PM -0500 1/24/03, Mark A Mandel wrote: >Recently his son Corwin posted to the list as webmaster of the Dragaera >Web Ring. To me, and evidently to at least one other participant, the >name seemed to be derived from that of a character in fantasy >literature: the hero of _Nine Princes In Amber_ and its first four >sequels, by Roger Zelazny, whom Brust names as one of his heroes among >authors. Here Brust pere describes the connection more accurately. [snip my quote of the on-list exchange -- MAM] >I know of at least one other Corwin whose parents are sf/fantasy fans. The Problem Names Project has an article on Corwin: http://www.medievalscotland.org/problem/names/corwin.shtml The modern use as a given name apparently derives from a surname. And whatever else it is, it isn't from anything Gaelic meaning "raven", though I have no doubt that many people who named their sons Corwin thought it was. Sharon -- Sharon Krossa Resources for Scottish history, names, clothing, language & more: Medieval Scotland - http://www.MedievalScotland.org/ The most complete index of reliable web articles about pre-1600 names is The Medieval Names Archive - http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/ [2] Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 17:07:24 -0800 From: Wendi Dunlap-Simpson Reply-To: American Name Society <ANS-L at LISTSERV.BINGHAMTON.EDU> Subject: Re: Corwin At 4:37 PM -0500 1/24/03, Mark A Mandel wrote: >I know of at least one other Corwin whose parents are sf/fantasy fans. Delurking briefly to mention the nationally-ranked US figure skater named Amber Corwin. I suppose it could just be a coincidence... nah. -- -- Wendi