Like many great writers, Ian Fleming found inspiration for his fictional characters in real life. The name James Bond, for instance, came from an ornithology book by a man with that, now legendary, monosyllabic name. While he never met the bird-watcher, Fleming felt the name conveyed the strength and directness ideal for the spy he wanted to portray.

The twitcher version of James Bond probably didn’t mind the transformation into a fearless, alcoholic, womanizing, psychopathic character. However, the same can’t be said for the inspiration behind perhaps Fleming’s most famous villain, Goldfinger.

Erno Goldfinger, a renowned 1930s modernist architect, designed iconic buildings like Willow Road in Hampstead and our very own the Brutalist, Trellick Tower. Fleming supposedly got the idea for the name during a golf chat with John Blackwell, a cousin of Goldfinger’s wife.

Erno, a humorless Marxist of Hungarian origin with British nationality, wasn’t thrilled about having his name associated with a Bond arch-villain. The fictional Auric Goldfinger, a short, Jewish Soviet agent, lacked people skills, much like his architect namesake.

In his letters compiled in “The Man with the Golden Typewriter,” Fleming mentioned that Erno felt his name was being tarnished. Although the exact demands are unknown, the publishers, fearing a delay in Goldfinger’s publication, decided to reach an agreement with the architect.

Fleming, however, wasn’t one to back down. He instructed his publisher not to “stand for any nonsense from the Golden-Finger,” suggesting a name change to Goldprick. Despite being confined to an angry letter exchange, Goldprick didn’t make it to publication.

Erno Goldfinger, known for his difficulty and massive rages, was relatively easily placated with an “all characters are fictional…” disclaimer in early editions and a few complimentary copies of the book.

While some stories suggest a clash between Fleming and Goldfinger over modernist architecture, there’s no evidence to support it. Fleming might have disliked Erno’s politics, but perhaps the real truth is that, like “James Bond,” he couldn’t resist the allure of the name “Goldfinger” for a captivating character.