..to ask what you think Mrs De Winter's first name is?

[poblwcymru]

We know it's "lovely and unusual".

my favourite book in the world. The Hitchcock film is pretty special too.

I think she was a Naomi

Whats the follow up caller?

Some of these names are too hard and jarring it has to be delicate...

I'm also thinking just daphne

Marcus/Marcia
Julian/Julia/Julienne/Juliet/Juliette
Andrew/Andrea/Andrina
Adrian/Adrienne

The follow up was written by Susan Hill in 1993 and it's called Mrs de Winter. It really does read as if it's written by Daphne du Maurier and it's brill...if you love Rebecca you must read it!

Juliana... Hmm possibly I'm not getting exotic from them though

@HopeClearwater

What makes you think she isn’t Rebecca?

The name only appears in the title. It’s not mentioned in the text of the book.

Eh? Have you read it?!

@honeylulu I love that story- I'd frame it!

I had to name her before I could finish reading Rebecca. I remember flicking through some chalet school books for inspiration and settling on Yseult.

It has to be Daphne.

Watery and ethereal.

@Marcipex

Marcus/Marcia Julian/Julia/Julienne/Juliet/Juliette Andrew/Andrea/Andrina Adrian/Adrienne

Not Julian surely? As coincidence with Colonel Julian?

By the way...Re 'Daphne'....chances are when you are walking in Winter and walk into a delicious perfume, look around for a flowering shrub...Daphne.

Daphne and Sarcococcus are sublime at dismal times of year.

Oh sorry see the theme!

@HopeClearwater

What makes you think she isn’t Rebecca?

The name only appears in the title. It’s not mentioned in the text of the book.

I’m very confused by this... have you read the book?!

So odd, I was telling DH about this yesterday, he didn’t believe me that a main character wouldn’t have a name! God I love this book, one of the best. I feel breathless every time I get to the end.

@HopeClearwater

What makes you think she isn’t Rebecca?

The name only appears in the title. It’s not mentioned in the text of the book.

Have you read the novel, @HopeClearwater? We’re not talking about Rebecca the character, who is named throughout the novel as well as in the title, but the first-person narrator, the second Mrs de Winter, whose first name we never know.

I’ve changed my mind and think it’s Juliet.

@Marcipex

I wonder if we’re meant to infer that she had her fathers name ie Leslie/Lesley, Hilary/Hilary, Francis/Frances, Robin/Robyn.

I was about to say the same - I always got the impression she was named after her father so her name could be a man's name too, or a feminised version of a man's name. Frances was what I have thought the last few readings!

@shggg245

I always thought Daphne.

So did I but I think that’s because Daphne du Maurier wrote the book.

I think something like Emmeline

Aurélie.

Coldine.

Having read the full thread I’d like to add another vote for Christobel. Ambiguous spelling, unusual, arguably beautiful but also somewhat insipid and dowdy. Very English, not exotic in the slightest despite being unusual. Ticks all the boxes.

Delphine

Rebekah

@Marcipex and @girlofnow

Agree! Great thoughts - how about DDM’s own son’s name:

Christian - so that or variants ?

Or her daughter - Flavia - if not father theme.

George / her grandfather - Georgiana?

The problem is, @girlofnow, that it’s hard to come up with a male name or feminised male name that is (a) beautiful, (b) unusual and (c) which could be easily mis-spelled.

@Baine I can think of quite a few that were rare in the 20s (ish)
Hillary
Christiana
Nicolette
Johanna

Daphne and Sarcococcus are sublime at dismal times of year.

My Sarcococcus was gorgeous today.
Don't think that was Mrs De Winter's name though.

I suppose on the male/female name idea it might have been one of the less common variants of Evelyn?