Unkar

Unkar is a name used in different contexts, notably in geology and popular culture. In geology, the Unkar Group refers to a late Precambrian to early Paleozoic sequence of sedimentary rocks found in the Grand Canyon region. Named for Unkar Creek near the canyon, the group is commonly divided into several formations, including the Hakatai Shale, Bass Formation, Shinumo Quartzite, and Dox Formation. The Unkar Group is part of the region’s stratigraphic framework and records early sedimentation that predates the Cambrian period.

In popular culture, Unkar Plutt is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, appearing in The Force Awakens (2015). He is depicted as a corpulent alien merchant who dominates the scrap trade on the desert planet Jakku and interacts with the film’s lead, Rey. The character is portrayed on screen by Simon Pegg, and is characterized as a powerful figure within Jakku’s economy who exercises control over parts of the scavenger market.

The two uses of the name are unrelated beyond the coincidence of the phonetic form. The geological term derives from a geographic feature in the Grand Canyon, while the Star Wars character is a created proper name within a fictional universe. Unkar thus serves as an example of how the same word can appear in disparate domains with distinct meanings.