Hesitant about nickname "Stardust"

[Nezhul]

Hello. I'm writing another novel and it's set in space era this time, concerning two planets with very different cultures.

Now, I was thinking that one character (a girl) will be nicknamed "stardust" sometimes by the man she meets on another planet. Being not a native english speaker, I have concerns about that however.

On one hand, the name seems pleasing to the ear to me. There's that.
On the other hand I'm not sure if the word "dust" here is a good one, because it means basically dirt, filth.

Are my concerns well-based, or am I over-thinking things? Thanks

 

[litfan10]

Hello. I'm writing another novel and it's set in space era this time, concerning two planets with very different cultures.

Now, I was thinking that one character (a girl) will be nicknamed "stardust" sometimes by the man she meets on another planet. Being not a native english speaker, I have concerns about that however.

On one hand, the name seems pleasing to the ear to me. There's that.
On the other hand I'm not sure if the word "dust" here is a good one, because it means basically dirt, filth.

Are my concerns well-based, or am I over-thinking things? Thanks

It worked for Neil Gaiman. He had a great book entitled Stardust.
there are good connotations to the word 'dust' such as 'gold dust' and fairy dust.'
I think you would be fine.

 

[NotWise]

Hello. I'm writing another novel and it's set in space era this time, concerning two planets with very different cultures.

Now, I was thinking that one character (a girl) will be nicknamed "stardust" sometimes by the man she meets on another planet. Being not a native english speaker, I have concerns about that however.

On one hand, the name seems pleasing to the ear to me. There's that.
On the other hand I'm not sure if the word "dust" here is a good one, because it means basically dirt, filth.

Are my concerns well-based, or am I over-thinking things? Thanks

Maybe you're over-thinking it. Dust in "Stardust" doesn't have a grimy connotation. To me, "Stardust" has a charismatic connotation. Someone with that name might be a talented dreamer, or maybe flighty and unpredictable, but with star qualities.

 

[ThreeInOne]

The name Stardust has been used before (like almost every name you could come up with), but most recently it has been used in the latest Star Wars tale. I assume this doesn't really bother you, but I feel like it shows that the name can be well received by an American audience and honestly it does sound pretty.

I hope your writing goes well and hopefully I'll be able to read it some day. I love science fiction and world building type of stories.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And at the most elemental level, we are all 'star dust' because the atoms we are made of were forged in the belly of exploding supernovae. It's actually rather romantic, I think.

 

[PuckIt]

Hello. I'm writing another novel and it's set in space era this time, concerning two planets with very different cultures.

Now, I was thinking that one character (a girl) will be nicknamed "stardust" sometimes by the man she meets on another planet. Being not a native english speaker, I have concerns about that however.

On one hand, the name seems pleasing to the ear to me. There's that.
On the other hand I'm not sure if the word "dust" here is a good one, because it means basically dirt, filth.

Are my concerns well-based, or am I over-thinking things? Thanks

Short version: Yup. Overthinking that one.

Long version:

While words tend to evolve from the combination of sound syllables that taken individually have very different connotations, the combination in itself is the most often read as separate from the individual roots. "Stardust" is, yes, as you pointed out the combination of two roots that have a very different meaning when they are taken separately. However, it is also a word recognized in it's own right and as such the individual roots are ignored in favor of the larger combination.

The original etymology of the word was to indicate solid matter that fell to earth from the heavens during a time and in a place where brighter people than I were still arguing science and religion and the term "heavens" itself was still in flux between it being "God's home" and space with twinkling lights known as "stars" we now know are distant suns.

As a result, a secondary, more figurative, etymology came about with a more magical, romantic interpretation. "Gift from the heavens" or "God touched" being some of the previous terms. I don't have accurate data to be able to track the prime usage and time flow, but I blame Walt Disney for the widespread current acceptance of the term. (Although it's marginally less squicky than "fairy dust".)

At any rate, using it as is, particularly with many, many examples of stories, movies, and even place names bolstering the secondary figurative definition, you should run into no issues with the choice. However, you MIGHT be able to get away with some comparative character development exploring the difference in "dust" and "stardust" if the thus nicknamed heroine thought of herself as more the former and had to struggle with being seen as the latter.

Just food for thought.

But, enough of that horse shit. Stop overthinking and let it flow. You'll do just fine.

 

[Nezhul]

Thanks all! I just wanted to make sure in case I'd written something that seemed OK to me but was in fact a cringy nickname for other readers.