|Around Thanksgiving I asked you to help me name a character in the novel I’m writing. This secondary character is a rabble-rousin’, tall tale-tellin’ whirlwind who’s the most loyal friend you’ll meet. (Here’s that post, and here’s more about the story.) A poll was posted, and your suggestions rolled in.
Then I came out of left field and told you that I was naming her Otto, short for Ottilie. I figure that I owe you an 
explanation.
So, here’s where that came from: over Thanksgiving we visited my family, traveling with my parents to spend time with both of my grandmothers. My grandmother on my dad’s side (“Grandmama” to me) is the daughter of German immigrants. While there she showed us some of her personal treasures and family heirlooms she had rearranged. Each was placed carefully on a doily-topped table (that’s a lacy covering for you men-types!). In passing she picked up a faded, old hardback book. “…And this is the book that my aunt wrote.” The name “Ottilie Wildermuth” spanned the front. The title was in German.
Of course, being a writer type myself, I zeroed in on this little tidbit. Who was she? What did she write? Did any of her writer genes trickle down to me? =) Grandmama doesn’t know too much about her, except that she was an aunt in Germany on her mother’s side. 
My history-loving curiosity wouldn’t let it rest. I went straight to the fount of all knowledge and wisdom: Google. It offered a few answers. Apparently Ottilie lived in the mid and late 1800s and created a number of works. Most of her writing career was spent writing novels and short stories for women and children. She also worked as a magazine editor.
I wish I knew more about her. …But thinking about her during the drive home at Thanksgiving, the name Otto stuck with me. My character informed me that it was settled. So Otto she’ll stay. I wouldn’t want to argue with this one!
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January 15th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
What a great story! I think that is an awesome name for your character and I can’t wait to meet her.
January 16th, 2009 at 7:19 am
That is so cool. I wish I knew more about my family history, but it’s very slow going.
And what an interesting name!
January 16th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Great post, Alison. You uncovered a family treasure there.
And from what I can see it kind of follows what Amy and Avily had suggested, only with your own very personal twist!
I like the name!
January 16th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Hey! I like your explanation of the Ottilie name. (And I really like the name “Ottilie” in its unabbreviated glory.)
I also voted for Death Spree III. How could I not?
January 18th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Thanks for this information. Of course, this is the right name for your character!
January 19th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Your grandmother will be so pleased.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Too cool! Thanks for sharing that story with us! And Otto is a great name!
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Billy-
I thought Starbuck would be your name.
Sorry, bad joke. Really bad.
Otto is also the name of a star trek character.
February 21st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I really enjoyed the history behind the name.
March 21st, 2010 at 2:06 pm
My name is really Ottilie (Dutch) and it’s never shortened to Otto, since that’s a boys name. Some people call me Ot. This can be boys (from Otto) or girls (from Ottilie/Ottolien/Ottelie).
July 13th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Hello! I am Jewish. My great-great grandmother was born Ottilie Fischel, daughter of Jacob Fischel and Frieda Hahn Fischel. She was born in 1849 (presumably in Kosten, Posen, Prussia – now Koscian, Poland) and died in Kosten. I have found a record that shows Ottilie’s birth name was “Ele”. You can see the name variations and derivations for “Ottilie” both on Ancestry.com – Jewish history section – and Jewishgen.org – Jewish Given Names Database. It was very commmon for Jews by that time to have a secular name, as well as a Hebrew birth name.