Changes also had the Eebs, but I cannot recall offhand if that one was Harry's idea or Susans. Which brings up the point that it might be worth also listing Names that he did not personally come up with but has since accepted/sponsored/validated. The Za Lord is the best example of one of those.
did Harry come up with 'fist of God' for Michael? Or was that someone else?As far as I can remember that was Harry.
One instance that goes to show Harry might have a more than normal gift: When he calls Uriel "Uri" and Uriel freaks out. He says something along the lines of don't attempt to familiarize his name with an nickname, because it is part of his nature and purpose. Uriel means "Light of God" and Harry was calling him "Light" (Hebrew)
As far as I can remember that was Harry.I was under the impression that it was a common Name for them in the supernatural community. Like how they call themselves the Knights of the Cross but others call them the Knights of the Sword. Granted its a name that Michael denounced in DM when talking about their real purpose and whatnot.
Man, people REALLY put too much emphasis on Naming things when Harry does it. Lash, DR, Ivy and Toot are, in my opinion about it that actually makes a metaphysical difference. Otherwise some people are extending it to such levels where he can "Name" a steel door "Air" and suddenly it has changed it enough that he can walk through it, and otherwise entirely rewrite and override peoples own natures against their will.Dude, this is just us trying to pull together a comprehensive list of everything that he has named. Yes, most of them will be insignificant, but the archangel hinted that harry is unusual when it comes to Naming, so its still worth pulling the reference material together.
Names have tremendous power, Dresden. Yet mortals toss them left and right as though they were toys. It’s like watching infants play with hand grenades sometimes.” The ghost of a smile touched his face as he glanced at me. “Some more so than others.
I'm pretty sure that harry hasn't got any such ability. It would be pointless, and more the the point, it would undermine the importance of names in the world. Sure, harry's habit of nicknaming things has certainly had metaphysical impact, but that, i think, is because names always have metaphysical impact, and in every case i can think of, the creature or thing impacted has accepted the name; see Ivy, lash, demonreach. But for those to be the result of some sort of naming ability undercuts the importance of names in themselves. And, for Ivy and Lash, it does something else: it undercuts the importance of the kindness harry shows. Everyone calls ivy the archive, but harry refuses to treat her in any way but as a human; and similarly, harry shows understanding, even friendship, to Lash, whom others would simply abhor. That makes them accept the names he gives them, and it changes them. For it to be some sort of super-naming ability renders that kindness and humanness moot, and, i'd claim, weakens the story.I dont see how Harry having an unusual capacity for Naming would undercut any of that, anymore than his being a wizard or a Starborn undercuts his being a hero. Regardless though, I think the fear Uriel demonstrated confirms that it is not something that has to be Accepted by the one being (re)Named. Unless said person happens to be a Mortal, in which case they seem to have to actually agree to nearly everything; but that appears to be a exception rather than the rule.
This line below from Uriel is what makes many of us suspect otherwise.
"Names have tremendous power, Dresden. Yet mortals toss them left and right as though they were toys. It’s like watching infants play with hand grenades sometimes.” The ghost of a smile touched his face as he glanced at me. “Some more so than others."
If that isnt a blatant Cluebat I dont know what is.
Quantus - I guess my point is that Harry doesn't have any SPECIAL or MYSTICAL ability to name things. We all have it and it's part of our nature to want to label things.I get that, I was just presenting the counter argument since I dont agree but several others seem to both agree with you and not understand why other do not.
That... seems an awful lot like that bit where Uriel is talking about exercizing free will: all mortals can do it, but most don't.
I think that Harry is exceptional not because he can Name things/people, but because he does name them.
Then again, if we're talking about outsiders, all bets are off. Naming them is totally one way that the whole starborn ball of noodles can manifest.
That... seems an awful lot like that bit where Uriel is talking about exercizing free will: all mortals can do it, but most don't.
I think that Harry is exceptional not because he can Name things/people, but because he does name them.
Then again, if we're talking about outsiders, all bets are off. Naming them is totally one way that the whole starborn ball of noodles can manifest.
"Nameless Things" according to Demonreach's understanding of Human speech, but I think he means that literally, yes.
Aren't some of the DR sleepers called something along the lines of "things with no names"?
Perhaps if he names them he can use that as a lever against them?
I don't think that Harry has any special skills in naming other than the fact is that he DOES name things. Most of the wizards are so staunch and classical on how they act, and with the power of names, that they just don't try to rename things. Harry, who is a young wizard and impetuous, doesn't have the moral qualms against renaming something. He gives things a sense of self, as in IVY, or takes power away from something, like Lasch. I think any other wizard could do this if they truly thought they could.I agree with this, he is one part compassion and one part smart ass. I also think he sometimes names things to make them less scary least he be intimidated by a monster that should make him wet his pants.
Nifty necro! I was just thinking about this post yesterday as a matter of fact! I'm going to keep this post up to date as the new novels roll out. I still mean to go back and track the changes to Murphey's name. Harry changes her name as their relationship changes, and you especially notice it in the later books when (coincidence?) Murphey's character changes quite a bit.
If anyone wants to help me out, I want to track the book numbers where it changes. I think she was Murphey originally, then became Murph as they got closer. And towards the end he called her Karrin a lot. That's all from memory though, and I want to track it down to be sure.
I remember at one point reading a WOJ commenting on a reader's observation about the nickname changing after that business in changes. He said something along the line of "I love an observant reader."
also, do the ppl who believe harry has a unique abillity/power to name things think this will have some sort of an inverse effect on bjorn bjorgunnarson, the scandinavian warden who he doesnt refer to by the same name twice??Not so much, UnNaming would be harder I would think/hope, just like UnMaking a spell.
In Skin Game, Harry shortens the name of Nic's new goon from Squire Jordan to simply Jordan. It might be seen as a prelude to removing Jordan from service to Nicodemus.Possible I suppose, but I dont really think simply dropping an honorific would qualify, any more than omitting the Dr. from Butters or the Sgt. from Murphy.
There's nothing magic about it, and maybe nothing conscious on Harry's part (then again, does Harry ever consciously Name someone?), but I think it does, in fact, matter.
It bothers him when scary things don't have a name. Unknown, unnamed, scary things are way scarier than something scary that has a name. He says he goes out of his way to name scary things.Agreed. And there are thing that dont have known names (like the Octokongs or the Chlorofiend) and then there are things that are actually Nameless, a term Demonreach itself used to describe some beings. Which given the Nature of Names int he DV, is a whole other class of scary in my book
I was under the impression that it was a common Name for them in the supernatural community. Like how they call themselves the Knights of the Cross but others call them the Knights of the Sword. Granted its a name that Michael denounced in DM when talking about their real purpose and whatnot."Grey Council" was coined by Eb not Harry.
Regardless, I just did a search on every mention of it, and it not presented as something of harry's specifically like the other were, so I dont think it will be significant.
I thought about it for a minute. "You know that in every objective sense, we're making a Black Council of our own."
"Aye."
"So where does that leave us?"
"With pure hearts and good intentions," he answered. "Our strength shall be the strength of ten."
I snorted loudly.
Ebenezar smiled wearily. "Well, Hoss, we're not going to have much choice other than to be walking down some might dark alleys. And doing it in mighty questionable company. Maybe we should think of ourselves as... a Grey Council."
"Grey Council," I said. We started walking again....{snip}
"Grey Council" was coined by Eb not Harry.Indeed.
Turn Coat. Chapter 49, where Eb is escorting Harry from Edinburgh.