Overused and Underused Character Names on Soaps

[Faulkner]

What are character first names that appear to be overused or underused on soaps compared to what you’ve experienced IRL? 

 

Overused: I know that words that represent ideals or purity are inherently soapy names (like Faith), especially for heroines, but so many soaps have had major leads named Hope. There was Hope Bauer on GL; DAYS has Hope Williams Brady; Y&R had Hope Adams; B&B has Hope Forrester; on a smaller note, on ATWT, Denise and Andy’s daughter was named Hope and on Starr and Cole’s now-deceased daughter on OLTL was named Hope.

 

I know IRL there are famous Hopes, from Solo to Hicks to Sandoval, but I don’t personally know *that* many.

 

Underused: Lauren. In every office I’ve worked, we’ve had to differentiate Laurens by last initial or surname because there were so many. It was a running joke on the last Bachelor that there were like 15 Laurens on the most recent season. Yet the only daytime character that comes to mind is Lauren Fenmore from Y&R.

 

Any other ideas? Feel free to disagree.

[SFK]

Morgan Fairchild's character on The City was originally named Lauren Chase. Morgan felt that there were already so many Laurens around (Hutton is the only one I recall her listing). She suggested Sydney, adding that she preferred mens names anyway (not that Lauren isn't a man's name too).

 

I had an initial adverse reaction to GH's Alexis Davis' name. Like Erica, I just felt that the name should go untouched by another character in all of soapdom. I couldn't imagine another Dorian either.

[ReddFoxx]

Overused: Carly. At least three different soaps had a character named Carly on the air at the same time. For males it isn't a specific names, but the tendency to name a character a Junior and either abbreviate it to initials or use a common nickname for said name.

 

Underused: Glenn is one name that is not used much. For women, Dolores is rarely used.

[Faulkner]

Didn’t know that about Morgan Fairchild’s character. Interesting. I agree that certain character names should be retired. There can never be another Erica. Or Marlena (a far less common name in America, I know, but still). I suppose Victor on Y&R only became a household name in the late ‘80s,  years after Victors Lord (OLTL), Cassadine (GH), and Kiriakis (DAYS). Otherwise, that name should also have been retired.

 

Carly Manning (DAYS), Tenney Snyder (ATWT), and Corinthos (GH). It just feels like a random name for so many female leads. 

[Paul Raven]

I was always surprised that at one time each network had a main character named Felicia - Jones (GH) Gallant (AW) Forrester (B&B) Not like it was a popular name at that time or anything.

 

 

[P.J.]

Overused--Chris/Christine/Christopher, Laura, Olivia, Leslie, Ann/Anna/Annie 

 

Underused---Tammy

[SoapDope]

Growing up there were a lot of William's, John's, Steve's, Brad's, David's. Eric's, Mike's, Tom's, Matthew's, Rick's, Jack's, Mark's, Bob's, 

 

Underused: Snapper......LOL 

[YRfan23]

I'm happy there aren't many "Sheila's" on other soaps, because I really only associate that name with Y&R/B&B's Sheila! LOL, I do know OLTL and I think Days had a Sheila too....

 

Jill isn't used in other soaps that much I think...and again the only one I can associate that name with is on Y&R.....though I guess JFP is a notorious one in that regards...haha 



 

[Paul Raven]

Sheila, Phyllis, Hilary and Sharon pretty much belong to Y&R, especially as they are kind of old fashioned names you wouldn't necessarily choose for young lead females.

 

[Soaplovers]

under-used:  Jason and Madison

 

semi-used : Holly... Norris (GL)... Sutton (GH)...

 

Over-used:  in the 70s/80s/90s... we had a lot of characters named Eve (howard Y & R), Donovan (DOOL), Guthrie and Stapleton (GL), Lambert (PC), 

[YRfan23]

and Dr. Eve Russell on Passions..haha

[Soaplovers]

 

I knew there was an Eve I forgot about LOL  I didn't really watch Passions hence why that character slipped my mind.

[Paul Raven]

If you looked over the years you would see Jenny/Jennifer as one of the most used female names

Jenny Gardner AMC

Jennifer Thatcher AW

Jennifer Hughes/Munson ATWT

Jenny Diamond CAP

Jennifer Smith GH

Jennifer Richards GL

Jennifer Pace /Jenny Deacon SFT

Jenny Wolek OLTL

Jennifer Brooks Y&R

I'm sure there were others

 

For guys Steve/Steven was used a lot

Steve Jacobi AMC

Steve Frame AW

Steve Andropolous ATWT

Steve Hardy GH

Steve Jackson GL

Steve Guthrie EON

Steve Aldrich TD

Steve Holden OLTL

Steve Kaslo/Kendall SFT

Steve Williams/Lassiter/Connolly Y&R

 

 

[All My Shadows]

Carly is the first that comes to mind bc anyone I know named that is under 21 years old.

 

I’ve always thought Kelly, Bridget, and Nicole were underused. Bridget has a very bitchy ring to it. On the male side, I have personal feelings about the name Justin being criminally underused.

[Wendy]

 

One other not listed is, I think, the only Jennifer still airing: Jennifer Horton Deveraux, Days.