So I got my hands on a copy of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville, which Paolini has said was one of his favourite books as a kid And here's the scene where Jeremy names the dragon.
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And now, here is the scene where Eragon names Saphira.
He looked at the dragon thoughtfully. “You need a name. I heard some interesting ones today; perhaps you’ll like one.” He mentally ran through the list Brom had given him until he found two names that struck him as heroic, noble, and pleasing to the ear. “What do you think of Vanilor or his successor, Eridor? Both were great dragons.”
No, said the dragon. It sounded amused with his efforts. Eragon.
“That’s my name; you can’t have it,” he said, rubbing his chin. “Well, if you don’t like those, there are others.” He continued through the list, but the dragon rejected every one he proposed. It seemed to be laughing at something Eragon did not understand, but he ignored it and kept suggesting names. “There was Ingothold, he slew the . . .” A revelation stopped him.That’s the problem! I’ve been choosing male names. You are a she!
Yes.The dragon folded her wings smugly.
Now that he knew what to look for, he came up with half a dozen names. He toyed with Miremel, but that did not fit—after all, it was the name of a brown dragon. Opheila and Lenora were also discarded. He was about to give up when he remembered the last name Brom had muttered. Eragon liked it, but would the dragon?
He asked. “Are you Saphira?” She looked at him with intelligent eyes. Deep in his mind he felt her satisfaction.
Yes. Something clicked in his head and her voice echoed, as if from a great distance. He grinned in response. Saphira started humming.
Wow, I forgot what an asshole Saphira turned into the moment she started talking. But basically what we have here is the exact same scene, except without the good writing or the characterisation. But I'll give him this - at least Eragon kinda sorta sounds like a human being here. Can't say the same for him by the end of the series, I'll tell you that right now.
And now, here is the scene where Eragon names Saphira.
He looked at the dragon thoughtfully. “You need a name. I heard some interesting ones today; perhaps you’ll like one.” He mentally ran through the list Brom had given him until he found two names that struck him as heroic, noble, and pleasing to the ear. “What do you think of Vanilor or his successor, Eridor? Both were great dragons.”
No, said the dragon. It sounded amused with his efforts. Eragon.
“That’s my name; you can’t have it,” he said, rubbing his chin. “Well, if you don’t like those, there are others.” He continued through the list, but the dragon rejected every one he proposed. It seemed to be laughing at something Eragon did not understand, but he ignored it and kept suggesting names. “There was Ingothold, he slew the . . .” A revelation stopped him.That’s the problem! I’ve been choosing male names. You are a she!
Yes.The dragon folded her wings smugly.
Now that he knew what to look for, he came up with half a dozen names. He toyed with Miremel, but that did not fit—after all, it was the name of a brown dragon. Opheila and Lenora were also discarded. He was about to give up when he remembered the last name Brom had muttered. Eragon liked it, but would the dragon?
He asked. “Are you Saphira?” She looked at him with intelligent eyes. Deep in his mind he felt her satisfaction.
Yes. Something clicked in his head and her voice echoed, as if from a great distance. He grinned in response. Saphira started humming.
Wow, I forgot what an asshole Saphira turned into the moment she started talking. But basically what we have here is the exact same scene, except without the good writing or the characterisation. But I'll give him this - at least Eragon kinda sorta sounds like a human being here. Can't say the same for him by the end of the series, I'll tell you that right now.