dune - What was the wordplay in the name Irulan?

Frank Herbert is well known for playing word games with character names in all of his works. ("Irulan" and "Noah Arkwright" are two of my favorite examples (from this Q)

Noah Arkwright is kind of obvious.

But what was the word play in "Irulan"? (aside from her mother's name being Anirul, which I guess whasn't what OP referred to?)

Answer

Her name is an anagram of RUINAL, as Ghanima points out in Children of Dune

“The fact that I remember the expression and you’ve never even heard it before should give you pause,” Ghanima said. “It was an old expression of scorn when you Bene Gesserit were young. But if that doesn’t chasten you, ask yourself what your royal parents could’ve been thinking of when they named you Irulan? Or is it Ruinal?”

In spite of her training, Irulan flushed. “You’re trying to goad me, Ghanima.”

“And you tried to use Voice on me. On me! I remember the first human efforts in that direction. I remember then, Ruinous Irulan. Now, get out of here, all of you.”

Comments

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