Into the Wardrobe

Just wanted to see if anyone new why Lewis chose Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund? Was there any meaning behind it?

I'm only aware of one meaning, which is Lucy. She was named after Lucy Barfield, Lewis' God daughter, and daughter of one of his best friends, Owen.

Well the children were originally to be named Ann, Martin, Rose and Peter, with Peter being the youngest (unlike how he finally wrote it) and as far as I'm aware there's no specific reason why he chose those names. Perhaps because they weren't too "outlandish" and extraordinary as names. Maybe to do with the name meanings? Just an idea, but as far as I'm aware there's no actual reasons why he selected those names.

I think I once read somewhere though, about links between Aslan and Peter's relationship and Jesus and the disciple Peter's relationship. Something to look into in that? ;)

I'll tell you what really grabs me though, how in his Cosmic Trilogy, the character of Jane Studdock was based on a girl who'd stayed at his house who just admired Lewis sooo much - well that's what I understood from a biography I read on Lewis last year anyway.

Cheers! ;)
God bless you!
Pete

John, you beat me! :-O

Thank you both :o)

i'm writing an essay on the children in the books at the moment, so here are some snippets you may find interesting

Besides the choice of common names from the mid twentieth century, I think Lewis chose them for their traditional meanings, to further contribute to the overall allegorical idea.

‘Peter’-Greek, meaning ‘A rock’. Like the apostle of Christ, the foundation stone of Jesus’, or his equivalent; Aslan’s church?

Susan-biblical name also. It derives from the Hebrew ‘Susannah’ who is mentioned in Luke 8:2,3, a woman who was healed by Jesus and his apostles, and later goes on to use her own money to help them in their ministry. In Narnia-she is a support to her brothers and sister with her arrows.
Hebrew for 'Lily'-reflection of her beauty? Rabadash does say she is beautiful

Edmund, -a traditionally English name, means ‘protector’.

Lucy- I didn't think I could find a reason to explain her name, except that of Lucy Barfield. But then I found out that it is the feminine form of Lucius, which is latin, i think, for 'light'. keeping this in mind, you can see how she could be seen as the 'light' to her siblings, leading them on when she is the only one who knows the right direction to go in.

hope thats of some help. i think it's all quite fascinating!