My friend and I were talking about naming our characters and this seemed like a really good time to introduce the characters formally! You’ve met them in their stories and on the back of the book, but it’s time to formally introduce our gang by going a little bit further into the meanings of their names and
Mira:
The Half-Troll herself. The name “Mira” in the book is technically short for ‘Miracle’. Mira’s mother, Kaysar, called her “Little Miracle” growing up. The nickname stuck and (for me, at least) Mira felt like a good fit for our darling troll’s daughter. The name Miracle has meanings of “wonder” and “marvel” with roots in Latin. The name Mira, on it’s own, has several meanings including “peace”, “admirable” and “ocean”. I think, in the context of their use, the names fit Mira well. To her mother, she is a wonder. Among those she gets to know in the Above, like Matt and LaBelle, she is peaceful and admirable.
Matt:
Our curious, human guide to the strange and wild world of the Under beneath Hedgefield. The name Matt means “Gift of God” and is a fairly common name. I wanted a name that was pretty typical and I feel like most people know a Matt or two in their lives. From 1973-2008, Matthew broke the top ten most common boy names in the US, so it’s highly likely you know (and maybe even like) a Matt. Matt is very much the every man in the world of the Under as well, providing a grounding presence and someone to ask the “dumb” questions so you readers can keep up with the common knowledge to those of the Under!
Blanc LaBelle:
This was the name that came to me out of thin air, it seems. Before Matt, before Mira, the name Blanc LaBelle came to me in the throes of writing during 2020. For our context, “Blanc” refers more to “blank” which is what LaBelle wants to be. He wants to be a part of the background and unnoticed by the humans as he passes through the world. “LaBelle” in french means “The Beautiful”, though I’m not sure if LaBelle necessarily meant for the name to mean himself. Blanc LaBelle came to me and just felt like a perfect detective name. I added a twist of the fantastic and Private Eye Blanc LaBelle was born.
I hope you all enjoy meeting these characters in Blanc LaBelle and the Troll’s Daughter, available everywhere on May 12th (and for preorder today)!
Do you know the meaning behind your name?