MILES "PUDGE" HALTER: The name Miles comes from the Germanic name Milo, which is possibly connected to the Slavic name element mil, meaning "gracious" or "merciful". It is mentioned that Miles is the "only name firstborn male Halters have had for a century" (53). Pudge is an informal word meaning a short, chubby person. This name was given to Miles ironically, since Miles was skinny and tall. Halter is also a Germanic last name, meaning "one who lives near the pasture".
ALASKA YOUNG: Alaska's name was discussed briefly in the novel. Her mother wanted to name her Harmony (such as in music), while her father wanted to name her Mary (the meaning is not certain, several theories include "sea of bitterness" and "rebelliousness", but it is most likely that it had Egyptian origins, meaning "beloved" or "loved"). Since they couldn't agree, they decided to let her pick a name. So when she turned seven, she looked at a globe and originally picked Chad (Russian origin, meaning "battle", also a country in Africa). However, her father disapproved due to the fact that it was a boy's name, so she picked Alaska instead, because "it was big, like I wanted to be. And it was damn far away from Vine Station, Alabama, just like I wanted to be." (53). She was pleased to discover later that Alaska comes from a Aleut word, Alyeska, which means "that which the sea breaks against". The last name Young has English roots, obviously meaning "young". Alaska's personality definitely lives up to her last name, considering she was a person who lived life as if she would die any day, and she did die young.
CHIP "THE COLONEL" MARTIN: The name Chip comes from the name Charles (German origin- Karl, which came from a word that meant "man") or Christopher (From the late Greek name- Christophoros, which meant "bearing Christ"), or it can be a nickname given to a son who is similar to his father, or a chip off the old block. This name fits the Colonel, because he is similar to his father. Like his father, Chip drinks, and he also does not fare well in romantic relationships. Chip has the nickname of "The Colonel". A colonel is a high-ranking military officer, which demonstrates how Chip attempts to portray himself as someone important, someone worth listening to despite his broken, poverty-stricken background. Chip is also seems to be the leader of the group of friends as well as the strategic mastermind behind most of the pranks. The name Martin comes from the Latin name Mars, the Roman god of war. Chip also lives up to his last name because he is the one who initiates war between his group of friends and the Weekday Warriors and does not back down from it.
TAKUMI HIKOHITO: Takumi is a Japanese word that means "artisan." Hikohito is a Japanese last name.
LARA BUTERSKAYA: Lara is a variant of the name Larisa and Larissa. It is of Latin origins, from the Roman gods Lares, which were individual protectors of the homes and households. It might possibly also mean "cheerful; famous". Buterskaya is a Russian last name.
MR. STARNES "THE EAGLE": The last name of Starnes is of English origins, meaning "stern". This name was given to the dean of the students at Culver Creek, for he was extremely stern. The Eagle was the nickname of Mr. Starnes, because an eagle is a powerful and respectable bird of prey with excellent senses. It was known that Mr. Starnes "sees all. He can smell a cigarette from like five miles." (16).
DR. HYDE: According to the novel, "The teachers were serious and smart, and a lot of them went by 'Dr.,'". (30). Hyde is an English last name meaning "one who lives at the hide" or "one who lives at the residence close by." A famous novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, also uses this last name. Mr. Edward Hyde was the evil, cruel person inside of Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Hyde from Looking For Alaska is similar to Mr. Hyde because he was one of the most hated teachers at Culver Creek because of the fact that he was strict, cruel, and focused only on himself and teaching the material.
ALASKA YOUNG: Alaska's name was discussed briefly in the novel. Her mother wanted to name her Harmony (such as in music), while her father wanted to name her Mary (the meaning is not certain, several theories include "sea of bitterness" and "rebelliousness", but it is most likely that it had Egyptian origins, meaning "beloved" or "loved"). Since they couldn't agree, they decided to let her pick a name. So when she turned seven, she looked at a globe and originally picked Chad (Russian origin, meaning "battle", also a country in Africa). However, her father disapproved due to the fact that it was a boy's name, so she picked Alaska instead, because "it was big, like I wanted to be. And it was damn far away from Vine Station, Alabama, just like I wanted to be." (53). She was pleased to discover later that Alaska comes from a Aleut word, Alyeska, which means "that which the sea breaks against". The last name Young has English roots, obviously meaning "young". Alaska's personality definitely lives up to her last name, considering she was a person who lived life as if she would die any day, and she did die young.
CHIP "THE COLONEL" MARTIN: The name Chip comes from the name Charles (German origin- Karl, which came from a word that meant "man") or Christopher (From the late Greek name- Christophoros, which meant "bearing Christ"), or it can be a nickname given to a son who is similar to his father, or a chip off the old block. This name fits the Colonel, because he is similar to his father. Like his father, Chip drinks, and he also does not fare well in romantic relationships. Chip has the nickname of "The Colonel". A colonel is a high-ranking military officer, which demonstrates how Chip attempts to portray himself as someone important, someone worth listening to despite his broken, poverty-stricken background. Chip is also seems to be the leader of the group of friends as well as the strategic mastermind behind most of the pranks. The name Martin comes from the Latin name Mars, the Roman god of war. Chip also lives up to his last name because he is the one who initiates war between his group of friends and the Weekday Warriors and does not back down from it.
TAKUMI HIKOHITO: Takumi is a Japanese word that means "artisan." Hikohito is a Japanese last name.
LARA BUTERSKAYA: Lara is a variant of the name Larisa and Larissa. It is of Latin origins, from the Roman gods Lares, which were individual protectors of the homes and households. It might possibly also mean "cheerful; famous". Buterskaya is a Russian last name.
MR. STARNES "THE EAGLE": The last name of Starnes is of English origins, meaning "stern". This name was given to the dean of the students at Culver Creek, for he was extremely stern. The Eagle was the nickname of Mr. Starnes, because an eagle is a powerful and respectable bird of prey with excellent senses. It was known that Mr. Starnes "sees all. He can smell a cigarette from like five miles." (16).
DR. HYDE: According to the novel, "The teachers were serious and smart, and a lot of them went by 'Dr.,'". (30). Hyde is an English last name meaning "one who lives at the hide" or "one who lives at the residence close by." A famous novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, also uses this last name. Mr. Edward Hyde was the evil, cruel person inside of Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Hyde from Looking For Alaska is similar to Mr. Hyde because he was one of the most hated teachers at Culver Creek because of the fact that he was strict, cruel, and focused only on himself and teaching the material.
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