Written for the LiveJournal community Watsons_Woes for their July Writing Prompts challenge. The prompt for day 12 was: The naming of characters is a difficult matter. For example, 'Sherlock' means 'fair-haired'; John means 'God is Gracious.' Either use one (or both) of these bits of trivia in your story, or include a character whose name means something appropriate to his/her part.
Part of my Spencer-verse (primarily canon with a few details borrowed from the Granada TV series).
_What's in a Name_
"Spencer seems an odd name for an animal that provides nothing at all," Holmes commented idly, glancing significantly toward the orange cat washing himself on the hearth. "A cow or goat with that name might be reasonable, but a cat?"
"He has provided Mrs. Hudson with at least a half dozen dead mice," I retorted with a smirk. "And he provides me with ample entertainment. Besides, you don't have fair hair, so you're one to talk about ill-suited names."
Holmes snorted. "And you don't believe in God, gracious or otherwise."
"What does your name mean, Mrs. Hudson?" I asked as she came in with our tea.
"My first name? Well, I prefer the meanings 'mistress' or 'lady', but there are others."
"I'd say that's the best-fitting one so far," I said after a moment. "You are certainly the mistress of the house."
"I like to think so," she said, chuckling.