Name Pun Round-up

[Drabaz]

In the first episode of Dragonball Z, before we meet Gohan for the first time, we see Chi-Chi calling for Gohan. Are we suposed to think that she's yelling for Goku by calling out "food's ready!"?

Not Goku, but Gohan, yes. The line is, from what I remember, "Gohan-chan! Gohan yo!" The first sentence is the character's name, the second is about food.

"Gohan" literally means rice, but is used as a general term for a meal. That's the joke, that his name is lunch and it's time for lunch. For an English example, a man named William is being handed a slip of paper containing a list of his expenses: "Bill! Bill."

Right. So the viewer at first is not suposed to think, "Gohan-chan? Does she mean Grandpa Gohan? No he's dead. She must just be calling Goku to let him know his meal is ready." And then when we actually meet Gohan, we freak out that Goku has a son and that's who Chi-Chi has been calling for. Because not growing up with the show in Japan, most of us at this point already know who Gohan is, so we're not confused as to who she's calling for.

[Adamant]

And interestingly (?), the pinyin should really be "Taobaibai". The "strong" Chinese "b-" sound is often rendered as a "p-" sound in Japanese, hence the "taopaipai" kana. But I guess we're all used to spell the name as "Taopaipai" in alphabet

Not all of us

[SHINOBI-03]

Hejj, Hogg, & Lee
The 3 girls Oolong kidnaps. Like Grandma Paozu, their names are left out in Viz.
Toriyama Explanation: “When I was trying to think of what to name these characters, my eyes fell on a Tamiya plastic tank model with the nickname “Hedgehog”. Sure enough, Lee is also the nickname of a tank.” [DBF]

I don't know if you count these as names, but in Viz, they were referred as: "Kitten", "Princess" and "Precious".

[Olivier Hague]

You're probably right about the "pan" thing. Someone told me it was French for bread, but they were probably just confused.

The French for "bread" is definitely "pain", not "pan".

I guess we're all used to spell the name as "Taopaipai" in alphabet

Not all of us

I never noticed that! ^__^;

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

On the subject of "Buuruberi", the reason why it was written like this is because the sound "br" doesn't exist in Japanese and "buuru" is the Japanese way writing the English word "blue". So "Blueberry" is the correct translation.


And, aren't Garlic Jr.'s henchmen called the Mazoku Shitenoh?

[Amigo Ten]

On the subject of "Buuruberi", the reason why it was written like this is because the sound "br" doesn't exist in Japanese and "buuru" is the Japanese way writing the English word "blue". So "Blueberry" is the correct translation.

I think his point was that that actual word "blueberry" has the long "ii" sound at the end, where as the character's name has the short "i" sound. So... Blueberri? I dunno.

Oh, and the switched elongated "u" sounds. Didn't notice them. Either way, it is a different spelling. The name is "buruu" rather than "buuru". I have no idea how that would translate.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

On the subject of "Buuruberi", the reason why it was written like this is because the sound "br" doesn't exist in Japanese and "buuru" is the Japanese way writing the English word "blue". So "Blueberry" is the correct translation.

I think his point was that that actual word "blueberry" has the long "ii" sound at the end, where as the character's name has the short "i" sound. So... Blueberri? I dunno.

Oh.

Does it really make that much of a difference to the character's name?

[Amigo Ten]

On the subject of "Buuruberi", the reason why it was written like this is because the sound "br" doesn't exist in Japanese and "buuru" is the Japanese way writing the English word "blue". So "Blueberry" is the correct translation.

I think his point was that that actual word "blueberry" has the long "ii" sound at the end, where as the character's name has the short "i" sound. So... Blueberri? I dunno.

Oh.

Does it really make that much of a difference to the character's name?

No. Which is why it's left as Blueberry.

I have no idea how you could translate the slightly different pronunciation into English. Blooberri? Rahzberri? Although that just changes the spelling mostly.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

No. Which is why it's left as Blueberry.

I have no idea how you could translate the slightly different pronunciation into English. Blooberri? Rahzberri? Although that just changes the spelling mostly.

Yeah, "Blueberry" is the closest translation that is an actual English word.

[Amigo Ten]

Sort of ruins the point of a pun if you just use the actual word though doesn't it? I'd assume that's why the Japanese names were slightly different from the words. The long vowel sound is after the "b" in the name, rather than after the "r", so "Balooberry" or something could work. Rahsberry communicates the longer vowel sound well enough in English (although I'm there's people that pronounce it like that anyway).

Eh, they're pretty minor minor characters, I'm sure it doesn't matter that much.

[Makaioshin]

Any idea on the name pun of Majin Ozotto from Dragonball Z V.R.V.S?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Any idea on the name pun of Majin Ozotto from Dragonball Z V.R.V.S?

I don't think it has a name pun, I think it is an actual Japanese word. Escapes me what it is though.

[Herms]

So does anyone know what Princess Misa (ミーサ/Miisa) or King Kres (クレス/Kuresu) from the Demon Realm filler episode with Shura and co. might be named for? Oh, and apparently the queen is named “Hi”.

I don't know if you count those as names, but in Viz, they were referred as: "Kitten", "Princess" and "Precious".

Yeah, I'd consider those simply terms of endearment and probably not actual names.

And, aren't Garlic Jr.'s henchmen called the Mazoku Shitenoh?

It's "Mazoku Shiten-nou". I made a post about them a ways back.

Any idea on the name pun of Majin Ozotto from Dragonball Z V.R.V.S?

I'm not sure. It's sorta close to ozoi, meaning "disgusting, repulsive, absurd", and ozomashii, meaning pretty much the same thing. That seems to fit him, so maybe it comes in part from that?

[Olivier Hague]

I think his point was that that actual word "blueberry" has the long "ii" sound at the end, where as the character's name has the short "i" sound. So... Blueberri? I dunno.

Oh.
Does it really make that much of a difference to the character's name?

On, ont taht mchu.

Any idea on the name pun of Majin Ozotto from Dragonball Z V.R.V.S?

I'm not sure. It's sorta close to ozoi, meaning "disgusting, repulsive, absurd", and ozomashii, meaning pretty much the same thing. That seems to fit him, so maybe it comes in part from that?

It looks like "ozo 'to" or "ozoozo 'to" are indeed used, according to Google... I didn't know that one. 'Not sure what it means either. More or less the same thing as "zo 'to"?
And yeah, I'd think it comes from "ozomashii", but...?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

It's "Mazoku Shiten-nou". I made a post about them a ways back.

Sorry must have missed it.


P.S Mazoku Shitenoh is also an acceptable romanization.

[Olivier Hague]

Mazoku Shitenoh is also an acceptable romanization.

Oh, you do need that second "N"...

[G1Ravage]

On the subject of "Buuruberi", the reason why it was written like this is because the sound "br" doesn't exist in Japanese and "buuru" is the Japanese way writing the English word "blue". So "Blueberry" is the correct translation.

Steve Simmons' subtitles on Dragon Box 2 call him "Buleberry", and his partner "Raasberry".

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Mazoku Shitenoh is also an acceptable romanization.

Oh, you do need that second "N"...

Really? May I ask why?

I thought it was just "Shi" (four), "Ten" (heaven) and "Oh" (king).

[Olivier Hague]

I thought it was just "Shi" (four), "Ten" (heaven) and "Oh" (king).

Taken separately, yeah, that's how the kanji would sound... But here...
You asked why, but I'm afraid I can't help you with that one: I have no idea.

EDIT: A quick Google search pretty much confirmed what I suspected: it's just a sandhi. In other words: "it evolved that way and that's it".

[Herms]

Really? May I ask why?

I thought it was just "Shi" (four), "Ten" (heaven) and "Oh" (king).

It's an unusual reading: してんのう instead of してんおう.