what was Sandys' first name? :( its so beautifully tragic that we never know.
but maybe we can come up with a few of our own. I like William. A strong name, goes in a nice cadence with the surname, and the meaning/origin is about willpower and determination, as well as protection. We could see Sandys as a protector of Gaunt in some ways, teaching him things and keeping him from other boys who could have been careless and cruel. It's also a popular and timeless name today, one that transcends class, hinting towards Sandys' progressive beliefs and setting him apart from other boys with more traditional or upper class names. If his middle name was beginning with A, the initials could also spell 'was', in a melodramatic character tribute to his fate.
William Sandys. Will Sandys. Not that Gaunt would ever have called him by his first name. But Stephen would. Stephen and William sounds nice, too. They'd probably have called each other Steve and Will, had they had more time and settled into a life with each other.
Here is a poem I found in the real Preshutian (TM) that reminds me of something Ellwood would have written, and that fits the melancholy theme of time and death that seems to be on everyone's minds for the past day or two here <3
