Eine Kleine James Callis Character Name Rant.

I know this may interest no one but me, but it's my blog and I have the flu again and please pity me and I have to wait six months to see James on the new show so I'm just frakking posting this.

So in 17th Precinct, he's going to play a Jeff. My initial reaction was "Ugh, Jeff?" and I still don't feel like the name suits him. I'm not sure what it is about Jeff that bugs. Too macho? Too American? Too old for him? It just feels off. It feels downright offensively dull for him. I mean, James isn't the most exotic name in the world, but it's handsome and... Hmm. Maybe James is so common that there's no specific image, but Jeff gives me a very macho American image that totally doesn't fit James.

This got me thinking about names I could see him having. I also discussed this with M on Twitter, so the list is partially mine and partially made in cooperation with her. This is very important for his future projects, so I hope he's going to read and take heed.

My favorite character name so far: Gabriel McDow (FlashForward).
Beautiful, sounds poetic, not overly popular nor too weird. Gabriel is something that really fits James for some reason.
Runners-up: Gaius Baltar, Justin deVere Montague, Danny Rubin, Sebastian

My least favorite one so far: Mason Duryea (Numb3rs).
Sounds hard, strange, and deliberately unattractive.
Runners-up: Raoul, Aspyrtes, Clive Lanyard,  and of course, Jeff.

Then there's Pursuit Delange. It's a really bizarre name. But you know, it's so bizarre that it comes back to being kinda fitting in a comedy like that. So we'll let that one be.

Names I can see James having
(* = he's played a character by this name)
I think these have the feel of slightly effeminate and sensitive, yet masculine and strong guy. But this might be a matter of taste. I'd love to hear others' thoughts...

Aaron
Adam
Alan /Allen
Alec, Alexander
Andrew
Anthony (but not Tony)
Benjamin*
Bradley
Charles*
Christopher
Colin
Daniel*
David
Donovan
Dorian
Duncan
Emmett
Ewan
Felix
Forrest
Frederick
Gabriel*
Gilbert
Henry/Harry
Herman
Ian
Jason
Jeremy/Jerome
Joel
Jonah / Jonas
Jonathan
Joseph
Joshua*
Justin*
Kenneth
Kent
Lee
Leonard (but not Lenny, just Leo)
Logan
Louis
Mark* / Marcus
Michael
Nathanael
Neil
Nicholas
Noah
Noel
Owen
Quentin
Paul
Peter
Robin
Samuel
Sean
Sebastian*
Simon
Stephen
Thad
Timothy*
Thomas*
Tobias/Toby
Trevor*
Victor
Vincent
Wesley

On the fence about: Barry, Dominic, Jack, Randall/Randy, Rhys/Reese, Robert, Ross, Walter, William (Will would be ok but not Bill)

Names I cannot see him having
Angus
Archie
Barry
Bob (not sure about Robert. I guess it's a no to Robert and yes to Robin.)
Burt/Bert
Calvin

Carl   

Christian (bc he is Jewish; it would really fit him otherwise)
Cliff

Clint

Clive* 

Conrad

Corbin
Dean
Donald
Dustin
Ernest*
George
Glenn
Harvey
Horace
Hoyt
Irwin
Kurt
Larry (I guess that's a no to Lawrence too, although that might fit him better)
Lyle
Marvin
Mason*
Morgan
Morris
Moses
Murray
Nigel
Norman
Raymond
Richard
Rory
Rupert
Russell
Seamus  
Solomon
Tex
Trey/Troy
Wallace
Warren
Wayne/Dwayne

OMG I have to stop before I include all the names in the world. Is anyone still reading? Hello? Echo! Oh dear. Well, when the news comes in, they'll be back.