Here are all the character's names and what they mean. I wanted to know them and I thought other people might want to know to. Here. :D

Jason: To heal
Gideon: Feller or Hewer (Lumberjack)

Aaron: High Mountain or Exalted
Hotchner: (Couldn’t Find)

Spencer: Dispenser of Provisions (Supplier)
Reid: Ruddy (Rosy or Reddish)

Derek: Ruler of the People
Morgan: Sea or Circle

Elle: She or Light
Greenaway: (Couldn’t Find)

Jennifer: Fair, White, or Smooth
Jureau: (Couldn’t Find)

Penelope: A silent worker
Garcia: Bear or Brave in Battle


If you find anything else to add, please do.

Very interesting.....I wonder how TV shows decide what to name the characters.

ive always wondered that too...

funny that Garcia's first name means 'quiet' worker...not particularly quiet at times..

So True... :D

But she is usually alone...

Spencer does supply his genius to everyone!

Mandy specifically asked if his character could have his son Gideon's name because he has used his other son's name in another role. :)

Jill http://criminalmindsfanatic.blogspot.com/

Now that's an interesting bit of trivia! :)

If memory serves, the name was originally Jason Donovan right?
And if the Jason Donovan that they mentioned is the one I'm thinking of, he was Joseph in west ends revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (June 1991)F.N.

I agree that was a cool little bit of info that you have shared with us and I really think that it's neat that they were able to change the name as they have... Personally, I think Jason Gideon suits him better anyways...

And now to broaden the topic a little... I was just wondering… We seem to have the names and meanings, but do you think/feel that the names chosen fit the character? And do you think that the actor/actress portraying that character fits the chosen name?


F.N. Richmond, Keith. The Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber.London: Virgin Publishing Limited, 1995. p. 17

*I found this book on my bookshelf while moving things about... Of course I had to flip through and behold Mandy Patinkin as Che in Evita!!! Broadway opening in 1979. pp. 42 and photo p. 51.*

I don't know that the meanings of the names really fit the characters that much. But I think the names fit the characters well enough except Penelope...that name doesn't really seem to fit her. (in my opinion)
As for the actors/actresses....yeah, I think it works.

I would have answered the same way and said that Penelope doesn't really suit her. :) Jill

http://criminalmindsfanatic.blogspot.com/

OMG I think Penelope is SO perfect for her! Its so off the wall and so is she! Craziness. :)

I think the names fit well, and I love the meanings for each name, they fit, IMO.

~xJemmax~

ETA: Found some more meanings and origins, from this site

Jason: Healer
Origin: Greek
Gideon: Great Warrior
Origin: Hebrew


Aaron: Exalted, strong
Origin: Hebrew
Hotchner: Nothing, sorry!

Derek: People ruler
Origin: English
Morgan: Great circle
Origin: Welsh

Elle: No meaning, but the Origin: French [/u]
Greenaway: Nothing, sorry!

Spencer: Butler, steward
Origin: English
Reid: Red Headed
Origin: English

Penelope: With a web over her face
Origin: Greek
Garcia: Nothing, sorry!

Jennifer: Fair Phantom
Origin: English
Jareau: Nothing, sorry!

Thanks for the addition. It seems like every site you go to the names have different meanings which makes it hard.

Yeah, some of the sites I went on, Jason meant something really honerable, then another one made it sound like a cowards name, so I go confused and went with the majority! :rolleyes:

~xJemmax~

I know. I wish they would just generalize it all. It would make things easier. I guess they probably mean different things in different places though.

I defently just looked these up without ever realizing this thread was here. lol

anyway-

Emily: From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".

I found that interesting.
Nothing for Prentiss.

Funny....every single site I go to tells me my name means "weary", which is a rather depressing and not very true interpretation of me.

Prentiss - Sscottish and English -Originates from the surname Prentice, meaning apprentice.


David - Hebrew - Means beloved.

Rossi - A red-haired or ruddy-complexioned individual, derived from the nickname "rosso," meaning ' red.' Most common in northern Italy.


I think the names fit the characters pretty well ;)

JJ's definitely fits, and I think in a way so does Penelope. I mean yes, she isn't quiet, but she does work in solitary.....And Reid, supplier of information, well, duh! :lol:

I don't know about Rossi though. David means beloved, and the character still seems to cold to me for that.....idk, like I've said, maybe I just haven't warmed up to him yet.

Lol, he might be beloved to his family though :lol: If he has one...

I think Jason and Gideon are both great names, they worked so well for that character.

Aaron has a nice meaning too, very Hotch!

Well yeah, I just meant like it would be hard for new people to come to love him, because he's not very welcoming.

Hmm...maybe I dislike Rossi a lot more than I originally thought. :unsure:

I thought I would like Rossi a lot more than I do by now! :( He just comes across as so uncaring! (isn't there a soft side in there somewhere?) I don't like how he gets in people's faces and demands answers.

So Rossi and Reid - their names both mean red?

Sorry if this has been mentioned somewhere else, but Joe Mantegna picked the name David Rossi after somebody, right? Who was it? I swear it was after a cop or something, but I can't remember the details!

Oh I hadn't heard that. Apparently Mandy had some say in what his character was named but I hadn't heard that Joe got to pick his character's name. That's very cool!

Yeah, apparently Joe chose the name David Rossi as a tribute to a Los Angeles police officer who testified in the 1995 O.J. Simpson trial.

I've been re-watching season 3 again and I like Rossi :) I think he'll grow on you guys! And I do think deep down there's a caring guy in there...I like how he has his own way of doing things, he gets answers and gets the job done! I personally just appreciate that they have made him very different to Gideon.