I have determined after much reflection that Dan, my figure needs a last name; I have great affection for the name Dan and would feel uncomfortable changing it now; it as named in honor of the designer, Dan Payes.

If I leave it Buzz and Dan the public may possibly confuse who the Ventriloquist is and who the figure is.

If I call the show Buzz Lawrence and Dan, Dan’s name just hangs at the end of the sentence.
Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney have a great sound and were very successful.

I like Blueshawk1’s practice of how he names his figure his reasoning has merit; a double “D” So Buzz Lawrence and Dan Dugan, Dan Duncan, Dan (INSERT LAST NAME HERE).

If you would like to participate in the naming of Dan; whatever name discussed here that has the most votes, and is easy for me to vent has an excellent chance of being Dan’s last name.

Here he is:

Breaking from the Double D,

I like Dan Cornelius (Cause he looks like a cool hip guy with some inner soul)

Dan Hayes (variation on Payes)

Dan O'Leary (for that ethnic slant, and "DANIEL O'LEARY" when times call for a raised voice.)

Submitting Reply

Dave

Dave;

Thanks for the input; the names by themselves sound very good.

I wrote all three names down and tried them out with Dan by video recording and playing back a short routine that I had written to test names submitted by members.

Buzz Lawrence and Dan Cornelius

Buzz Lawrence and Dan Hayes

Buzz Lawrence and Dan O'Leary

In my voice and the voice of Dan, the last name of all three does not have a punch that I’m looking for.

I don’t know what I want in a last name, but when I hear it played back I’ll know it.

Thanks for the suggestions and please keep trying.

Buzz

I don't have a suggestion for a last name, more of relating how I came up with my names to spark ways for you to come up with one.

When I chose "Dickens" for the last name of my little vent family, it was simply because I was a fan of Charles Dickens books. Also, there used to be sayings like "what a little dickens" and "scared the dickens out of me" - now such old sayings they wouldn't mean anything and no longer useful as lines.
The double D thing wasn't intentional until this last figure. My first pro figure way back when getting named "Dondi" was simply because I liked the cartoon strip and it was different and it did go well with the last name I already decided on. "Dagwood" from the Blondie cartoons just sounded like a good name for a goof figure. "Darren" I got from one of my favorite TV shows, "Bewitched" (though I spell it differently than they did in that show).
And all of my figures first names along with their common last name, (with the exception of "Paul" and the last part of "Hannibal") are easy to say ventriloquially.

I just had this little bit coming to mind that almost plays like a "who's on first" routine.
Give him the last name of "Dee" - obvious play on "dandy".
V. This is my little friend Dan Dee (with no attempt to keep it from sounding like one word).
F. That's right.
V. So what's your last name?
F. You just said it, my name is Dan Dee.
V. I know your name is Dandy, but I want to know what your last name is.
F. It's Dee!
V. D what?
F. What do you mean "D what", it's Dee, Dan Dee!
V. Yes, I know your name is Dandy, but I still don't know your last name.
And I could go on, but you get the idea. Maybe finally having him spell his name to get through to you. And if it's a kid's show and you have his name on some sort of a banner, Dan could ask the kids to help him get through to you (as long as they were kids of reading age).

How about Dan DeLion?

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

I guess I understand the "knowing it when you hear it" part. I had Skyler's first name at the first drawing I did of him, but no last name. He didn't have a last name for about 6 months, until I went off to college. A friend I met in college went by the nickname "Lee" and I found out it was for Leglantier, his middle name.

Skyler was sort of the dorm floor mascot and my college buddies gave him a lot of his personality. I asked permission to use Leglantier as his last named. It seemed to fit Skyler's first name and made him sound classy until he opened his mouth.

Good luck with name. I'm sure you'll find one or one will develop.

Dave

OK, Dan DeLion is a possibility

I added the names
Dan Dugan
Dan Duncan

In a PM I received
Dan Daily
Dan Dolan

Any more names, or from the names here what is best liked?

How do the names sound?

Dave;

Thanks for the background on picking a name for your figure; its interesting knowing how names come to be.

If you want you can cast your vote on the names picked so far.

Buzz

blueshawk1;

I see you thoroughly sound the name out and make it very personal as well as developing a routine before picking a name for your figure; again, its interesting knowing how names develop.

Since you don't have a suggestion for a last name, if you want, you can cast your vote on the names picked so far.

Buzz

Buzz,

What I was thinking about with DeLion was that if said properly, it does sound like a real Sir Name. Like Ponce DeLeon (the explorer). So it has its serious side, while at the same time it could be the basis of a joke in that said correctly it is also the name of a weed. Kind of a built in ring that could become part of the act and at the same time make the character more memorable to the audience. Gives you a built in edge like Jeff and Walter doing their bit on (phoneticly) dunam or Dunham or DunHAMMMMM.

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Steve;
I am going to work on the name and practice it with Dan this evening; I’ll let you know how it works out.

It's a process, innit?
Louie's last name is Freeny, but I hardly ever use it with him. It's enough to know it's there.
Cooter's last name is Mudge, which comes from "mudgeon," which is the second half of "curmudgeon," which is what he is.
Sylvia's last name is Perkins, because she started out as a drop-in character I used to voice on radio, and only in the last few months, as I've rebuilt a 1970's Lovik figure has she become a member of my vent family (but I've got TONS of old scripts from the radio days to rework for vent routines!)
Huck's last name is Hannigan, because I like the rhythm and the alliteration and there's long been a tradition of Irish last names for vent figures.
I've been searching for a good name altogether for my Tater figure. It'll come.
And I have a duck soft puppet who hasn't a name yet...but will, when I know him better. His face makes me laugh.

As for Dan...hmmm. Pulling my Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable down from the shelf I find...
Well, "Dan" is an ancient title meaning "Sir," which is where we get "Dan Cupid" as well as "Dan Chaucer" from "The Faerie Queen."Dan" is also the most Northern part of the Holy Land. I also find "Dander," as in "Getting your dander up." "Dander" is a corruption, it is believed, of "Donder," which means "thunder" in Dutch (consider Santa's reindeer!) and was likely brought to America by the colonists. Dan Donder, maybe?
"Dando" was the hero of early 19th Century popular songs. He was a character who made it his business to leave hotels and restaurants without paying...maybe you could lengthen it somehow.
There might be something here, too: A "dandiprat" was a small coin issued in the reign of Henry VII. It was worth three halfpence, and the word itself came to be applied to a dwarf and page and to a conceited little fellow. Stanyhurst calls Cupid a "dandiprat" in his translation of the Aeneid. So maybe "Dan Pratt," which has some nice internal assonance.

You're right, though, Buzz...you'll know it when you hear it.

-Philip

Philip;

Do what blueshawk1 and I are doing, post the question about a name here

First name I thought of was DeLion too (honest)!! That one is cool and as Steve pointed out, has duplicity built in, IMHO:o)

Phillip,

Is your duck a "Quack Addict"?

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Philip;

BTW Dan sent Sylvia a Valentine’s day card; has she received it?

You know what they say Capt. Kirk. Sick minds think alike!!!

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Capt;

As I told Steve, I am going to work on the name and practice it with Dan this evening; I’ll let both of you know how it works out.

Steve...picture me rolling my eyes and groaning.

Buzz...Sylvia's likely old enough to be Dan's grandmother!

Yeah, I may post a name search for Tater and Da Duck here. I want to give you guys a clear field first, though!

Oops. Forgot to sign that. Forgive me!

-Philip