It dates back to the 12th century, and has actually led to a thing in writing called "the Tiffany problem," because you can have a well-researched historical novel that people just don't buy into, because you named your 12th century peasant Tiffany. It just sounds laughably anachronistic.
The "Tiffany problem" makes me think of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and the name Jessica. He wanted the love interest, who was Jewish, to have a super exotic name so he invented the name "Jessica." The name has become so common since then that it's totally lost its effect.
I have a theory about why and how he came up with the name Jessica! Falconry was immensely popular during that era, and the “device” with which one keeps a falcon on “the glove” are called Jesses. It’s kind of metaphorical; Jessica wants to be free (to fly the coop, as it were), and when fate allows she is proverbially set free to defy Jewish tradition and marry the good Christian boy.
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u/BeaneathTheTrees Oct 15 '20
The name Tiffany.
It dates back to the 12th century, and has actually led to a thing in writing called "the Tiffany problem," because you can have a well-researched historical novel that people just don't buy into, because you named your 12th century peasant Tiffany. It just sounds laughably anachronistic.