This thread has been created to discuss the significance of character's names on the show.
Many times, the Producers of LOST have confirmed that the character's names have significance. Some of these are obvious ("Sawyer" is a reference to bad-boy trickster Tom Sawyer) while others a bit more subtle (Michael/Walt referring to the Disney corporation). But ultimately, many of the character's names are taken from well known people in history, philosophy, literature, or the modern world. Their characters reflect the people their names are taken from.
And the name game continues as new characters are added to the mix...so, this thread will keep up-to-date on any possible significance in characters' names.
I personally believe every name on this show has some sort of significance, and can't figure out some like Shannon or Charlie or Claire. I didn't get Boone until last night, when my sister suggested the possibility of Daniel Boone (he did go hunting with Locke...will want to look into this more).
I will edit the main post periodically. However, please feel free to discuss the names posted. Also feel free to suggest new connections for names.
Some of these have been suggested by other people. I have tried to cite sources and give credit as much as possible. If a post refers to "other thread", then it has been taken from this other thread that briefly discusses some name connections.
So, without further ado, here is the list. All known characters will be listed, with any theories following. Characters are ordered alphabetically by their last name.
Last updated April 21, 2007.
************************************
Alpert, Richard
1. Both First and Last name may be a reference to former Harvard professor of the same name, also known as "Baba Ram Dass". Was kicked off the faculty at Harvard for doing experiments on the effects of psychedellic drugs. Would later turn travel to India where he met spiritual seeker Bhagavan Das. In an effort to spread the word of Das, the real Alpert would return to the West and founded various organizations that also tried to spread his word. This reflects the show's Richard Alpert's role among the Others, for he seems to recruit new members of their society from the West (as he did with Juliet). (JPGramma, p3).
Austen, Kate
1. First name Kate may be a reference to "Katherine" from Taming of the Shrew, a wild and uncontrollable woman who often objects and breaks the lady-like roles of society. Reflects Kate's tomboy persona and her desire to go out into the woods.
2. Last name Austen may be a reference to "Jane Austen", the English writer of novels like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma". Austen was known for glorifying the pursuits of single, unmarried women, and often portrayed women who married and conformed to society in her novels as being troubled or bad. This reflects Kate's desire to never settle down and always be on the run, moving from man to man and person to person.
3. First name Kate and last name Austen may be references to "Katherine Austen", a 17th century poet who wrote sad poetry after her husband died. Connection? None really besides the debateableness of her father (thefrenchchick, p1 other thread)
Bakunin, Mikhail
1. Mikhail Bakunin was in real life a well known anarchist in Russia. He opposed all authoirty--which could explain why the show's Mikhail stayed out of touch with the rest of the Others and lived by himself. Though he did respond to Ben's commands, he didn't live under any organized society. Also, the show's Mikhail certainly didn't mind inciting a bit of violence (hence the fight scenes and the big explosion of his compound) (Goosehead, p2).
Burke, Juliet
1. First name may be a reference to Juliet from Romeo & Juliet, and therefore reflects her initial attempts to gain Jack as a love interest.
2. Last name may be a reference to Edmunde Burke, a conservative politician and philosopher who lived in 18th century Britain. As a politician, was a supporter of the American colonies in their quest for independence, which could parallel Juliet's sympathy (or does she have sympathy?) for the Losties as they are ravaged by the Others.
Carlyle, Boone
1. First name Boone may be a reference to American Explorer Daniel Boone. Reflects how character Boone started hunting and exploring the jungle in season 1.
2. Last name Carlyle may be a reference to the Scottish, transcendentalist writer and philosopher Thomas Carlyle. Thomas was known for many things, including a book called "Heros and Hero Worship". This book discussed the importance of heros, and analyzed and praised them. This may relate to Boone in that his defining trait is heroism. He is always hunting, and ends up dying in an act of bravery. In the pilot episode, Shannon calls him "Captain America. (Carlyle reference came from Bad Boyfriend, page 1)
Cooper, Anthony
1. First and last names may be references to Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, who was real-life John Locke's mentor. In real life, Locke encouraged Cooper to receive surgery for a problem with his liver, and later Cooper was accused for treason, causing him to flee. This reflects multiple aspects of Cooper on the show: Cooper acts as Locke's mentor for a little while, Locke encourages Cooper to get surgery, and Cooper ends up running away from the FBI. (newssurvivorfan p2, the other thread also)
Cortez, Ana-Lucia
1. Last name Cortez may be a reference to Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes, who explored and began the conquering of Mexico and the New World. He is best known for essentially defeating the Aztec empire. This reflects Ana-Lucia's violent and trigger-happy personality. Conquistador Cortes also reflects Ana-Lucia's role in the second season, for she barges into the original Losties' territory and then shoots Shannon.
Dawson, Michael
1. First name "Michael" may be a reference to Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Oftentimes, Eisner was accused by Disney critics for restricting the creative freedom of the organization, and as a result letting Walt Disney's dream die. This reflects character Michael's relationship with Walt. In the first season, he often forced Walt to do as he said, which was essentially stay on the beach and don't do anything. As the season progressed, though, Michael began to give Walt more leeway. Some believe this change paralleled Lost's actual relationship with Michael Eisner (for ABC is owned by Disney), for as Eisner gave the show more creative freedom, the show began to succeed more. On the show, similarly Walt and Michael's relationship began to blossom as more freedom was given to Walt.
Dorrit, Naomi
1. Last name "Dorrit" may be a reference to the Charles Dickens novel Little Dorrit, which involves debtor prisons and government corruption. Though no connection is readily clear yet, Dickens novels have played a key role in the show thus far, so there probably will be some significance...or they just named her "Dorrit" because they like the book! (aslans, p3)
2. First name "Naomi" may be the "Naomi" from the Bible, who is Ruth's mother-in-law. Again, no connection totally clear just yet. (STH, p3).
Fernandez, Nikki
According to Wikipedia, there are a gazillion Fernandezes. Take your pick.
Ford, James "Sawyer"
1. Nickname "Sawyer" may be a reference to Tom Sawyer, a character from Mark Twain's novel of the same name. Tom is a ruffian child who plays tricks and goes out on adventures in the wild. Is best known in American literature for convincing all the kids in town to pay him to do his chore of painting the fence of his Aunt's house for him by pretending painting the fence is a fun activity. This reflects Sawyer's occupation as a con-artist and his ruffian attitude.
2. First name James and last name Ford may be references to "James Ford", a notorious highwayman from Illinois in the 19th century. James Ford acted as a businessman, but in secret pirated along the state's rivers. This relates to Sawyer, as he too is a criminal (in his case, a conman) who poses as a businessman.
Gayle, Henry
1. First and Last names may be references to the principal in Stephen King's novel Carrie. Most likely, this is nothing more than another Stephen King reference--an author producer and writer Damon Lindelof enjoys.
2. First and Last Names may be a reference to Dorothy's Uncle in The Wizard of Oz. (stacy, p3)
Hanso, Alvar
1. "Real-life scientists Hannes Alven and Hans Oersted predicted Earth would suffer from an electromagnetic catastrophe. It's believed that 'Lost' creators paid homage to their ideas by naming character Alvar Hanso, CEO of the Hanso Foundation, after them." (quote posted by Mypoody, p2).
Hanso, Magnus
1. First name may be a reference to "Albert Magnus", a German philosopher and alchemist who "Using the '...angels from the netherworld...' and the powers of the Philosopher's Stone, he created "metals and material unknown to this world..." (JPGramma, p4).
Hume, Desmond David
1. Middle and Last names may be a reference to Scottish philosopher David Hume. One of philosopher David Hume's central beliefs was skepticism about the world around him, and whether or not events could be considered related. This reflects Desmond's skeptical perception of the island, believing it's all a "giant snow globe" that isn't worth anything. (Info from Goosehead, page 1)
Jarrah, Sayid
1. First name Sayid might refer to the last name of literary critic Edward Said. Edward is considered the "father of 'orientalism', i.e., the construction of the Arab world by the occident." This reflects onto Sayid, as he represents Arab beliefs (quote taken from Goosehead, page 1).
Kwon, Jin-Soo
No connection known at this time...though I remember reading that both Jin and Sun were some significant words in Korean.
Kwon, Sun-Hwa
No connection known at this time...though I remember reading that both Jin and Sun were some significant words in Korean.
"Libby"
1. Nickname may be a reference to "Libby Holman", American actress who in her life dealt with gunshot wounds, attraction to unattractive men, and had mental problems, 3 key things similar to Libby on the show. (Lovejonze, p3)
Linus, Benjamin
1. In the Bible, Ben is one of Jacob's sons and one of the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel. On the show, this connects to our Ben, for he follows a mysterious leader named "Jacob" and he leads a tribe of people on the island (The Others).
Littleton, Claire
No connection known at this time.
Lloyd, Walt
1. First name "Walt" may be a reference to Disney founder Walt Disney. Disney was known for his imagination and creative freedom, creating adventurous theme parks and fantasy motion pictures. This reflects character Walt's desire to explore and experience the island, as well as his special powers and overall intelligence. Walt's necessity for creative freedom is also exemplified in his relationships with father Michael (who possibly represents former Disney CEO Michael Eisner) and dog Vincent (who possibly represents wildly creative artist Vincent VanGogh). See those respective characters for more details.
Locke, John
1. First and Last names may be a reference to English philosopher "John Locke". Philosopher Locke was an "Empiricist", who believed in the importance of experiencing something to learn from it. He also believed in the social contract theory of government, saying people had a right to liberty, life, and estate, and if these were violated they then had the right to rebel. Character Locke reflects the philosopher for his determination in gaining "experience" from the island, believing everything happens for a "reason", and also for his decisions to defy those who try to restrict him (break his liberty). This goes in hand with his catch phrase of "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
MacCutcheon, Anderson
1. This is a fictional character on the show of a royal navy admiral who made excellent whisky that Mr. Widmore offers Desmond in S3E8 "Flash Before Your Eyes". On a TV remake of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in 1997, the captain is named Admiral McCutcheon, making this another possible cultural reference (WiscBadger95, p2).
Mittelwerk, Thomas (from the Lost Experience)
1. The name "Mittelwerk" in German means "central work", but was also the name of a Nazi labor camp. Do note, "Mittelos Bioscience" is the name of the organization Juliet first signs up with when she joins the Others, and means in German "without the means to support oneself". The connections here are sketchy, but interesting nonetheless. (WiscBadger, p3).
Mittelos
1. The company's name is an anagram for "Lost Time." (Between 1 and 10, p3)
"Mr. Eko"
No connection known at this time.
Pace, Charlie
1. First name Charlie is possibly taken from the name of a 70's British rock band. (info taken from Mypoody2, page 1)
2. First name Charlie and last name Pace may be references to instrumentalist Charles Pace. According to source, the real Charles Pace created the slide trumpet and keyed bugle. This relates to Charlie, in that he is an ex-rock star. (thefrenchchick, page 1 of other thread)
"Paulo" (last name unknown)
No connection known at this time.
Reyes, Hugo "Hurley"
No connection known at this time.
Rom, Ethan
1. Is an anagram of "Other Man"--a clear reference to the fact that Ethan is one of The Others.
Rousseau/Linus, Alex
No connection known at this time.
Rousseau, Danielle
1. Last name may be a refence to French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Was a supporter of man being removed from society and living in nature, and went as far to believe that man was corrupted by society. Rousseau on the show has clearly demonstrated this belief by disassociating herself from The Others entirely (newsurvivorfan p2, WiscBadger p1). Furthermore, at the end of the real Rousseau's life, he became very paranoid, much like the current Rousseau on the show is (p2, WiscBadger).
Rutherford, Shannon
No connection known at this time.
Shepherd, Christian
1. Last name Shepherd may be a reference to the traditional occupation of a shepherd, one who herds sheep. Christian may be thought as Jack's shepherd, for throughout Jack's life Christian often pushed Jack around and told him what to do (ie. Become a surgeon, have dubious morals, etc.)
2. First name Christian may be a reference to the religion of Christianity...combined with his last name, the name as a whole may refer to Psalm 23, which starts "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want". While this is something that has been mentioned on the interwebernet, I currently do not see the connection in full. But, I thought it was worth mentioning anyways.
Shepherd, Jack
1. First name Jack may be a reference to the character "Jack" from the Lord of the Flies. Aside from the book's plot being stranded on an island, Jack takes over as leader and eventually attempts to dominate over others as the one in charge. By the end of the novel, all of the kids have submitted to Jack's leadership, even though he encourages them to kill "enemies" and often expresses a child-like temper. Jack (from the show) often has shown temper and discontent with people he disliked, particularly Sawyer. Although initially he didn't want to be in charge of the group, over time Jack starts to grow power-hungry by pushing people to move to the caves, expecting others to inform him of happenings on the island, and bossing others around.
2. Last name Shepherd may be a reference to the traditional occupation of a shepherd, one who herds sheep. Jack may be perceived as trying to herd the survivors of the crash, who are his sheep.
Vincent (dog)
1. Vincent may be a reference to the wildly imaginative artist Vincent VanGogh. VanGogh was known for his erraticness and wild desires to pursue art. This reflects the dog's role in his relationship with Walt: He is always encouraging Walt to explore and discover the island, its power and magic. See both Walt and Michael for more information on this relationship.
Widmore, Penelope
1. First name Penelope may be a reference to character from ancient Greek epic poem "The Oddysey" written by Homer. In Homer's story, Penelope is protagonist Oddyseus's wife, who struggles to fend off suitors and maintain her love for her husband after he vanishes for 12 years. This reflects character Penelope's relationship with lover Desmond Hume, who is first put in jail for a long period of time and then becomes stranded on the island during a race around the world. Throughout this whole time, character Penelope struggles to maintain her love for Desmond, battling his initial fallout with her after he's released from jail and an engagement to another man (which, although we don't know for sure, we can assume fails because in Season 2's finale she's shown having a picture of Desmond by her bedside...and I doubt many husbands would tolerate that).
************************************
NAMES THAT WE HAVE NO THEORIES FOR
*Kwon, Jin-Soo
*Kwon, Sun-Hwa
*Littleton, Claire
*"Mr. Eko"
*"Paulo"
*Reyes, Hugo "Hurley"
*Rousseau/Linus, Alex
*Rutherford, Shannon
Many times, the Producers of LOST have confirmed that the character's names have significance. Some of these are obvious ("Sawyer" is a reference to bad-boy trickster Tom Sawyer) while others a bit more subtle (Michael/Walt referring to the Disney corporation). But ultimately, many of the character's names are taken from well known people in history, philosophy, literature, or the modern world. Their characters reflect the people their names are taken from.
And the name game continues as new characters are added to the mix...so, this thread will keep up-to-date on any possible significance in characters' names.
I personally believe every name on this show has some sort of significance, and can't figure out some like Shannon or Charlie or Claire. I didn't get Boone until last night, when my sister suggested the possibility of Daniel Boone (he did go hunting with Locke...will want to look into this more).
I will edit the main post periodically. However, please feel free to discuss the names posted. Also feel free to suggest new connections for names.
Some of these have been suggested by other people. I have tried to cite sources and give credit as much as possible. If a post refers to "other thread", then it has been taken from this other thread that briefly discusses some name connections.
So, without further ado, here is the list. All known characters will be listed, with any theories following. Characters are ordered alphabetically by their last name.
Last updated April 21, 2007.
************************************
Alpert, Richard
1. Both First and Last name may be a reference to former Harvard professor of the same name, also known as "Baba Ram Dass". Was kicked off the faculty at Harvard for doing experiments on the effects of psychedellic drugs. Would later turn travel to India where he met spiritual seeker Bhagavan Das. In an effort to spread the word of Das, the real Alpert would return to the West and founded various organizations that also tried to spread his word. This reflects the show's Richard Alpert's role among the Others, for he seems to recruit new members of their society from the West (as he did with Juliet). (JPGramma, p3).
Austen, Kate
1. First name Kate may be a reference to "Katherine" from Taming of the Shrew, a wild and uncontrollable woman who often objects and breaks the lady-like roles of society. Reflects Kate's tomboy persona and her desire to go out into the woods.
2. Last name Austen may be a reference to "Jane Austen", the English writer of novels like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma". Austen was known for glorifying the pursuits of single, unmarried women, and often portrayed women who married and conformed to society in her novels as being troubled or bad. This reflects Kate's desire to never settle down and always be on the run, moving from man to man and person to person.
3. First name Kate and last name Austen may be references to "Katherine Austen", a 17th century poet who wrote sad poetry after her husband died. Connection? None really besides the debateableness of her father (thefrenchchick, p1 other thread)
Bakunin, Mikhail
1. Mikhail Bakunin was in real life a well known anarchist in Russia. He opposed all authoirty--which could explain why the show's Mikhail stayed out of touch with the rest of the Others and lived by himself. Though he did respond to Ben's commands, he didn't live under any organized society. Also, the show's Mikhail certainly didn't mind inciting a bit of violence (hence the fight scenes and the big explosion of his compound) (Goosehead, p2).
Burke, Juliet
1. First name may be a reference to Juliet from Romeo & Juliet, and therefore reflects her initial attempts to gain Jack as a love interest.
2. Last name may be a reference to Edmunde Burke, a conservative politician and philosopher who lived in 18th century Britain. As a politician, was a supporter of the American colonies in their quest for independence, which could parallel Juliet's sympathy (or does she have sympathy?) for the Losties as they are ravaged by the Others.
Carlyle, Boone
1. First name Boone may be a reference to American Explorer Daniel Boone. Reflects how character Boone started hunting and exploring the jungle in season 1.
2. Last name Carlyle may be a reference to the Scottish, transcendentalist writer and philosopher Thomas Carlyle. Thomas was known for many things, including a book called "Heros and Hero Worship". This book discussed the importance of heros, and analyzed and praised them. This may relate to Boone in that his defining trait is heroism. He is always hunting, and ends up dying in an act of bravery. In the pilot episode, Shannon calls him "Captain America. (Carlyle reference came from Bad Boyfriend, page 1)
Cooper, Anthony
1. First and last names may be references to Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, who was real-life John Locke's mentor. In real life, Locke encouraged Cooper to receive surgery for a problem with his liver, and later Cooper was accused for treason, causing him to flee. This reflects multiple aspects of Cooper on the show: Cooper acts as Locke's mentor for a little while, Locke encourages Cooper to get surgery, and Cooper ends up running away from the FBI. (newssurvivorfan p2, the other thread also)
Cortez, Ana-Lucia
1. Last name Cortez may be a reference to Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes, who explored and began the conquering of Mexico and the New World. He is best known for essentially defeating the Aztec empire. This reflects Ana-Lucia's violent and trigger-happy personality. Conquistador Cortes also reflects Ana-Lucia's role in the second season, for she barges into the original Losties' territory and then shoots Shannon.
Dawson, Michael
1. First name "Michael" may be a reference to Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Oftentimes, Eisner was accused by Disney critics for restricting the creative freedom of the organization, and as a result letting Walt Disney's dream die. This reflects character Michael's relationship with Walt. In the first season, he often forced Walt to do as he said, which was essentially stay on the beach and don't do anything. As the season progressed, though, Michael began to give Walt more leeway. Some believe this change paralleled Lost's actual relationship with Michael Eisner (for ABC is owned by Disney), for as Eisner gave the show more creative freedom, the show began to succeed more. On the show, similarly Walt and Michael's relationship began to blossom as more freedom was given to Walt.
Dorrit, Naomi
1. Last name "Dorrit" may be a reference to the Charles Dickens novel Little Dorrit, which involves debtor prisons and government corruption. Though no connection is readily clear yet, Dickens novels have played a key role in the show thus far, so there probably will be some significance...or they just named her "Dorrit" because they like the book! (aslans, p3)
2. First name "Naomi" may be the "Naomi" from the Bible, who is Ruth's mother-in-law. Again, no connection totally clear just yet. (STH, p3).
Fernandez, Nikki
According to Wikipedia, there are a gazillion Fernandezes. Take your pick.
Ford, James "Sawyer"
1. Nickname "Sawyer" may be a reference to Tom Sawyer, a character from Mark Twain's novel of the same name. Tom is a ruffian child who plays tricks and goes out on adventures in the wild. Is best known in American literature for convincing all the kids in town to pay him to do his chore of painting the fence of his Aunt's house for him by pretending painting the fence is a fun activity. This reflects Sawyer's occupation as a con-artist and his ruffian attitude.
2. First name James and last name Ford may be references to "James Ford", a notorious highwayman from Illinois in the 19th century. James Ford acted as a businessman, but in secret pirated along the state's rivers. This relates to Sawyer, as he too is a criminal (in his case, a conman) who poses as a businessman.
Gayle, Henry
1. First and Last names may be references to the principal in Stephen King's novel Carrie. Most likely, this is nothing more than another Stephen King reference--an author producer and writer Damon Lindelof enjoys.
2. First and Last Names may be a reference to Dorothy's Uncle in The Wizard of Oz. (stacy, p3)
Hanso, Alvar
1. "Real-life scientists Hannes Alven and Hans Oersted predicted Earth would suffer from an electromagnetic catastrophe. It's believed that 'Lost' creators paid homage to their ideas by naming character Alvar Hanso, CEO of the Hanso Foundation, after them." (quote posted by Mypoody, p2).
Hanso, Magnus
1. First name may be a reference to "Albert Magnus", a German philosopher and alchemist who "Using the '...angels from the netherworld...' and the powers of the Philosopher's Stone, he created "metals and material unknown to this world..." (JPGramma, p4).
Hume, Desmond David
1. Middle and Last names may be a reference to Scottish philosopher David Hume. One of philosopher David Hume's central beliefs was skepticism about the world around him, and whether or not events could be considered related. This reflects Desmond's skeptical perception of the island, believing it's all a "giant snow globe" that isn't worth anything. (Info from Goosehead, page 1)
Jarrah, Sayid
1. First name Sayid might refer to the last name of literary critic Edward Said. Edward is considered the "father of 'orientalism', i.e., the construction of the Arab world by the occident." This reflects onto Sayid, as he represents Arab beliefs (quote taken from Goosehead, page 1).
Kwon, Jin-Soo
No connection known at this time...though I remember reading that both Jin and Sun were some significant words in Korean.
Kwon, Sun-Hwa
No connection known at this time...though I remember reading that both Jin and Sun were some significant words in Korean.
"Libby"
1. Nickname may be a reference to "Libby Holman", American actress who in her life dealt with gunshot wounds, attraction to unattractive men, and had mental problems, 3 key things similar to Libby on the show. (Lovejonze, p3)
Linus, Benjamin
1. In the Bible, Ben is one of Jacob's sons and one of the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel. On the show, this connects to our Ben, for he follows a mysterious leader named "Jacob" and he leads a tribe of people on the island (The Others).
Littleton, Claire
No connection known at this time.
Lloyd, Walt
1. First name "Walt" may be a reference to Disney founder Walt Disney. Disney was known for his imagination and creative freedom, creating adventurous theme parks and fantasy motion pictures. This reflects character Walt's desire to explore and experience the island, as well as his special powers and overall intelligence. Walt's necessity for creative freedom is also exemplified in his relationships with father Michael (who possibly represents former Disney CEO Michael Eisner) and dog Vincent (who possibly represents wildly creative artist Vincent VanGogh). See those respective characters for more details.
Locke, John
1. First and Last names may be a reference to English philosopher "John Locke". Philosopher Locke was an "Empiricist", who believed in the importance of experiencing something to learn from it. He also believed in the social contract theory of government, saying people had a right to liberty, life, and estate, and if these were violated they then had the right to rebel. Character Locke reflects the philosopher for his determination in gaining "experience" from the island, believing everything happens for a "reason", and also for his decisions to defy those who try to restrict him (break his liberty). This goes in hand with his catch phrase of "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
MacCutcheon, Anderson
1. This is a fictional character on the show of a royal navy admiral who made excellent whisky that Mr. Widmore offers Desmond in S3E8 "Flash Before Your Eyes". On a TV remake of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in 1997, the captain is named Admiral McCutcheon, making this another possible cultural reference (WiscBadger95, p2).
Mittelwerk, Thomas (from the Lost Experience)
1. The name "Mittelwerk" in German means "central work", but was also the name of a Nazi labor camp. Do note, "Mittelos Bioscience" is the name of the organization Juliet first signs up with when she joins the Others, and means in German "without the means to support oneself". The connections here are sketchy, but interesting nonetheless. (WiscBadger, p3).
Mittelos
1. The company's name is an anagram for "Lost Time." (Between 1 and 10, p3)
"Mr. Eko"
No connection known at this time.
Pace, Charlie
1. First name Charlie is possibly taken from the name of a 70's British rock band. (info taken from Mypoody2, page 1)
2. First name Charlie and last name Pace may be references to instrumentalist Charles Pace. According to source, the real Charles Pace created the slide trumpet and keyed bugle. This relates to Charlie, in that he is an ex-rock star. (thefrenchchick, page 1 of other thread)
"Paulo" (last name unknown)
No connection known at this time.
Reyes, Hugo "Hurley"
No connection known at this time.
Rom, Ethan
1. Is an anagram of "Other Man"--a clear reference to the fact that Ethan is one of The Others.
Rousseau/Linus, Alex
No connection known at this time.
Rousseau, Danielle
1. Last name may be a refence to French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Was a supporter of man being removed from society and living in nature, and went as far to believe that man was corrupted by society. Rousseau on the show has clearly demonstrated this belief by disassociating herself from The Others entirely (newsurvivorfan p2, WiscBadger p1). Furthermore, at the end of the real Rousseau's life, he became very paranoid, much like the current Rousseau on the show is (p2, WiscBadger).
Rutherford, Shannon
No connection known at this time.
Shepherd, Christian
1. Last name Shepherd may be a reference to the traditional occupation of a shepherd, one who herds sheep. Christian may be thought as Jack's shepherd, for throughout Jack's life Christian often pushed Jack around and told him what to do (ie. Become a surgeon, have dubious morals, etc.)
2. First name Christian may be a reference to the religion of Christianity...combined with his last name, the name as a whole may refer to Psalm 23, which starts "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want". While this is something that has been mentioned on the interwebernet, I currently do not see the connection in full. But, I thought it was worth mentioning anyways.
Shepherd, Jack
1. First name Jack may be a reference to the character "Jack" from the Lord of the Flies. Aside from the book's plot being stranded on an island, Jack takes over as leader and eventually attempts to dominate over others as the one in charge. By the end of the novel, all of the kids have submitted to Jack's leadership, even though he encourages them to kill "enemies" and often expresses a child-like temper. Jack (from the show) often has shown temper and discontent with people he disliked, particularly Sawyer. Although initially he didn't want to be in charge of the group, over time Jack starts to grow power-hungry by pushing people to move to the caves, expecting others to inform him of happenings on the island, and bossing others around.
2. Last name Shepherd may be a reference to the traditional occupation of a shepherd, one who herds sheep. Jack may be perceived as trying to herd the survivors of the crash, who are his sheep.
Vincent (dog)
1. Vincent may be a reference to the wildly imaginative artist Vincent VanGogh. VanGogh was known for his erraticness and wild desires to pursue art. This reflects the dog's role in his relationship with Walt: He is always encouraging Walt to explore and discover the island, its power and magic. See both Walt and Michael for more information on this relationship.
Widmore, Penelope
1. First name Penelope may be a reference to character from ancient Greek epic poem "The Oddysey" written by Homer. In Homer's story, Penelope is protagonist Oddyseus's wife, who struggles to fend off suitors and maintain her love for her husband after he vanishes for 12 years. This reflects character Penelope's relationship with lover Desmond Hume, who is first put in jail for a long period of time and then becomes stranded on the island during a race around the world. Throughout this whole time, character Penelope struggles to maintain her love for Desmond, battling his initial fallout with her after he's released from jail and an engagement to another man (which, although we don't know for sure, we can assume fails because in Season 2's finale she's shown having a picture of Desmond by her bedside...and I doubt many husbands would tolerate that).
************************************
NAMES THAT WE HAVE NO THEORIES FOR
*Kwon, Jin-Soo
*Kwon, Sun-Hwa
*Littleton, Claire
*"Mr. Eko"
*"Paulo"
*Reyes, Hugo "Hurley"
*Rousseau/Linus, Alex
*Rutherford, Shannon
). Therefore, I have added that to the list.
