Fans of The Testaments may have missed the sinister meaning behind the Aunts' names in the new Disney+ series. The sequel to The Handmaid's Tale follows a new generation of women living under Gilead's oppressive rule.
In Margaret Atwood's novels, the Aunts are named after commercial products popular among women before Gilead's rise. The founding commanders introduced this tradition to ease the transition into the new regime, selecting names that were 'familiar and reassuring' to them.
These include cosmetic lines, cake mixes, frozen desserts, and medicinal remedies. For instance, Aunt Estee (Eva Foote) appears to be named after Estée Lauder, while Aunt Gabbana (Zarrin Darnell-Martin) derives from Dolce & Gabbana.
The brand names hold meaning only for older generations. In the novel, character Becka (Mattea Conforti) becomes an Aunt and learns about the 'approved list' of names. Atwood writes: 'Becka said the names were made from the names of products women had liked once and would be reassured by, but she herself did not know what those products were. Nobody our age knew, she said.'
Since Becka and Agnes (Chase Infiniti) were raised in Gilead, they lack the connection to these gender-specific brand names. The series is available on Disney+ from £5.99 per month.
