Death of a Salesman

Theories on Name Meanings (2004)

(Notes based on class discussion.)

Willy Loman
The most obvious thing to notice about this name is the surname:  Lo-man, or "low man."  He's the "low man" on the totem pole.
Loman = bare, empty
Also, "Will" might feed into the idea that this character has a strong will.  OR He's supposed to be strong-willed, but ironically, he is unable to cope with is life and kills himself.

 

Linda Loman
In Spanish, "Linda" means beautiful or "precious"--"Oh, you're such a doll."  In the play, Linda is a beautiful, understanding person who totally respects and admires Willy.  She is what a woman is supposed to be.... a "typical" housewife.

 

Happy Loman
His name is ironic because he is not really happy at all.
"Happy" is a nickname.  (Happy says his real name is "Harold."  Kind of like a dog's name.  Perhaps this goes along with people not taking him seriously.

 

Biff Loman
"Biff" seems to be a typical jock name, a strong name, which aligns with this character's former glory days on the football field.  Goes along with the idea that Willy thinks of this sons as Adonises.  Here again, we have irony because in many ways Biff is anything but strong.
"Biff" could also be associated with a boxing match, "biff" signifying the sound of a punch.  This might go along with the idea that the character Biff is a "blow" to his father's sense of reality.
Biff backwards is "ffib" or fib.  A liar.

 

Dave Singleman
A "single man" is self-sufficient.  This shows his independence and individuality.  "Dave" means "beloved" which goes along with how well-known Willy says this salesman was.
Also, "Singleman" can indicate that this salesman is a single man who has no family to depend on him.  That adds a sense of loneliness to this character that Willy is unable to see because all he sees is Dave's "fame."  This might add to Willy's skewed sense of reality and why he thinks being a salesman is so important even when he's clearly destined for another line of work.  (Willy himself KNOWS that being a salesman is a lonely business.  In one of his moments of clarity when Biff confronts him about the affair, that's one of the few things that he says that we can clearly believe.)

 

Ben Loman
"Ben" means son of the south, and something about the right hand.

 

Bernard
"Bernard" means "hardy" and "brave."

 

Charley
"Charley" means "man."

 

Howard Wagner
"Howard" means "guardian" and "hardy."  Wagner means "wagon maker."

 

"The Woman"
Her name isn't important because she could be any woman.  Audience doesn't get attached to the character.  No sympathy can be given to her.
The nameless woman is also significant.  On one hand, her name isn't important because the character itself isn't important; rather the function of the character is what is important--she embodies Willy's failure, she is the signal to Biff of the sham dream Willy has tried to sell to him his whole life.
Perhaps it signifies that she really isn't all that important to Willy, that his true loyalties lie with his family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death of a Salesman

Theories on Name Meanings (2003)

Willy Loman
The most obvious thing to notice about this name is the surname:  Lo-man, or "low man."
Also, "Will" might feed into the idea that this character has a strong will.  OR He's supposed to be strong-willed, but ironically, he is unable to cope with is life and kills himself.
"Willy" is a nickname.  Perhaps this goes along with people not taking him seriously or perhaps it's self-given, and it's an indication that he wants to be someone other than he is.
"Willy" sounds like "will he," which goes along with how Willy never really gets it together and always keeps making promises and dreams that are never realized.

 

Linda Loman
In Spanish, "Linda" means beautiful.  In the play, Linda is a beautiful, understanding person who totally respects and admires Willy.  Her inner beauty is what makes her such a poignant character in the play.

 

Happy Loman
His name is ironic because he is not really happy at all.
"Happy" is a nickname.  Perhaps this goes along with people not taking him seriously or perhaps it's self-given, and it's an indication that he wants to be someone other than he is.

 

Biff Loman
Biff's name is really straight-forward.  Doesn't seem to have any real significance, and that resonates with the significance of this character in the end because he is unable to have any positive impact on the life of his father/family.  Also, he's the only one who is even close to being in touch with reality in this family, so that would explain why his name is so plain and simple--just like reality is supposed to be plain, simple, and straightforward. (?)
"Biff" seems to be a typical jock name which aligns with this character's former glory days on the football field.
"Biff" could also be associated with a boxing match, "biff" signifying the sound of a punch.  This might go along with the idea that the character Biff is a "blow" to his father's sense of reality.

 

Dave Singleman
A "single man" is self-sufficient.  This shows his independence and individuality.  "Dave" means "beloved" which goes along with how well-known Willy says this salesman was.
Also, "Singleman" can indicate that this salesman is a single man who has no family to depend on him.  That adds a sense of loneliness to this character that Willy is unable to see because all he sees is Dave's "fame."  This might add to Willy's skewed sense of reality and why he thinks being a salesman is so important even when he's clearly destined for another line of work.  (Willy himself KNOWS that being a salesman is a lonely business.  In one of his moments of clarity when Biff confronts him about the affair, that's one of the few things that he says that we can clearly believe.)

 

Howard Wagner
"Howard" means "guardian of the house."  This would explain why he fires Willy because he needs to guard this business and interests (to keep providing) and Willy jeopardizes that.

 

"The Woman"
The nameless woman is also significant.  On one hand, her name isn't important because the character itself isn't important; rather the function of the character is what is important--she embodies Willy's failure, she is the signal to Biff of the sham dream Willy has tried to sell to him his whole life.
Another theory (heard by a little bird in class on Thursday, 3/27) is that the Woman is a representation of Willy's conscience...  (I need to ponder that one for awhile... what do you think?)