I had an argument with a friend regarding etymology of the word "Oz" in "The wizard of Oz". I believe that it doesn't have any etymology, and that generally most proper nouns don't have any origin. He believes that literally all words have etymology, even though I could come up with a random name that doesn't have any meaning whatsoever right now. What's your opinion?
Learn English – Etymology of proper nouns
etymologyproper-nouns
Best Answer
The Wizard of (the land of) Oz, actual name Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs (shortened to OZ exc. pinhead ) hailed according to the story from America not Australia. Baum is reported as saying that the name "OZ" came from his file cabinet labeled "O–Z".[1]
Strictly speaking since Baum did not originally intend for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to have any sequels, it appears that until 1907 most like me would have to assume from the first book, the land or wizard were named after the other.
However Later in Dorothy and The Wizard in Oz. (1908) p192-196
"Please tell me, Mr. Wizard, whether you called your-self Oz after this great country, or whether you believe my country is called Oz after you. It is a matter that I have long wished to enquire about, [...] No, one, I am sure, is better able to explain this mystery than you."
[...] my father, who was a politician, named me Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs, Diggs being the last name because he could think of no more to go before it. [...] I just called myself O. Z., because the other initials were P-I-N-H-E-A-D [...] I painted the two initials : 'O. Z.', to show that those things belonged to me [...] I announced myself the Ruler of the Land of Oz, [...] the Ruler's name was always 'Oz' "
Thus I would say Oz or OZ has certainly much etymology.
[Further edit] Baum is toying with us about "Proper Nouns" (onomatology), since he is trying to explain OZ (the Wizard) is in no way related to Oz (the Land). However he anecdotally evolved both from a common ἐτυμολογία root:-
It matters not if this is true, since additionally, after the success of his books, Baum frequently signed autographs “Ozily yours.” image 2 of 3 and in 1909 the Baums moved [...] and ordered the construction of Ozcot, a whimsically designed house located off Holywood Boulevard. Thus all variations including those such as Ozily and Ozcot came from the single hand of L. Frank Baum (1856-1919).
Most proper nouns are either names of places or people , New York, New York, has its name derived from another place and equally many places can proudly show their pedigree derived from local historic roots. Naming children after their ancestors, or other characteristics, is common throughout the world. Onomastics attempts to find those roots and their increase decline and spread.
My argument to the implied question "Do most orthonyms have etymology" is that no mater how long or short their life they have a meaningful root, even if they are Ugg or Zog from 'Savannahstan'.
[1] supposedly from Schwartz, xiii, p. 272-273 Schwartz, Evan I. (2009). Finding Oz: how L. Frank Baum discovered the Great American story. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-547-05510-2.
[2] The Publishers’ Weekly April 18, 1903 [No. 1629] p 1021 L. FRANK BAUM, author of “The Wizard of Oz,” thus explains how he found the title for his very popular book: “I have a little cabinet letter file on my desk that is just in front of me. I was thinking and wondering about a title for the story, and had settled on ‘Wizard’ as part of it. My gaze was caught by the gilt letters on the three drawers of the cabinet. The first was A-G; the next drawer was labelled H-N, and on the last were the letters O-Z. And ‘Oz’ it at once became." A new edition of "The Wizard of Oz” will shortly be issued by the Dobbs-Merrill Company. The Publishers Weekly
see comments below and my previous source https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-oz-files/