Are you good with names?

Discussion in 'Character Development' started by jazzabel, Jan 9, 2012.

  1. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    That's a good idea and I'll try to do that again. But so far, I just haven't managed to make it fit, but maybe it will happen :)
     
  2. Kallithrix

    Kallithrix Banned

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    Hmm, I never even thought about the problem of the possessive when a name ends in 's'. But come to think of it, none of my characters' names end in 's'. Perhaps that's because my novel is set in ancient Egypt, and it's not a common ending? (exception being Rameses, Moses - although I think those are actually Greek transliterations)

    When it comes to naming characters, some just pop into my head, whereas I can struggle on others for a while - I use all kinds of sources, from baby name sites to historical texts, studies, documentaries, even films... Several of the names in my current WIP came from a docu-drama on Egypt and I just loved the way they sounded when the narrator said them ;)

    When it came to naming my pet rabbit, that was quite hard. I wanted it to be something 'human' rather than a pet name like fluffy or toffee, so I would sit there staring at him trying to think who he looked like. Then I tried calling him a few different names like James or Thomas, and they didn't really seem to fit him. Finally, for no apparent reason whatsoever, the name 'Fraser' popped into my head. Dunno where it came from or why it stuck but he's definitely a Fraser now :)
     
  3. Betrayal

    Betrayal New Member

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    Here http://www.bored.com/playmash/
    Try it, basically it's a game of the random picking of different items listed.
     
  4. Kallithrix

    Kallithrix Banned

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    You will live in Shack.
    You will drive a Cream Porshe 911.
    You will marry Gerard and have 4 kids.
    You will be a Chief Exec in Dubai.

    Well, at least I get to marry Gerard Butler - DAMN! I didn't put his last name! That counts still though, right???
     
  5. Anonym

    Anonym New Member

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    I'd like to think I'm okay at devising names, but then again I don't put a whole lot of symbolism or ulterior meaning into them, which seems to stop some people up somewhat. Actually, if you'e going for something creative but not laboriously so, otherwise normal words sometimes work surprisingly well - Armada, Reason and Nothing being a few of my characters, although the later one is rather symbolic. It depends I guess. Realistically though, people are named irrespective of their personality, seeing how as we're born without one, so I guess I'd recommend not overthinking it. You can kinda tell when someone's spent weeks trying to find the "perfect name".
     
  6. Tesoro

    Tesoro Contributor Contributor

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    Maybe the "right" name is more important in a fantasy setting where you have to make them up? But even then i think it's important to not choose a name that is practically impossible to pronounce for anyone else than the writer. I write about the "normal" world so I can use normal names and I usually have no problem coming up with one, the names of the mcs appear almost always together with the story idea. I don't think it's necessary if you write about normal humans to have a name that is really unique, IMO it will probably make it more difficult for the reader to relate to the character if they know no one with that name or they don't have an image in their head what someone with a certain name could be like and spend the entire novel trying to figure out that name.
     
  7. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    ah, lol, yes, I remember that when we were kids, there was this elaborate "future telling device" made out of paper that served that purpose :D
     
  8. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    Haha, yes, I so know what you mean :D I find the simple names most difficult, and it is precisely that effortless but fitting name that I aim for most of the time. Armada, Reason and nothing are very intriguing names :)
     
  9. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    It's funny because one pf my favourite novels, "The Three Musketeers" has 3 major character names end in "s" and I never had trouble reading it! But since I am stumbling in the dark somewhat, I think I was eager to take all advice, and now I think there is just too much to think about... :eek:
     
  10. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    Oh, and how could I forget! A bunny named Fraser, that's so cute :D awwww
     
  11. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    That's a really good point Tesoro. I think most people grow to suit their names, but when they don't it's really distracting.
    I completely agree with keeping the names "real". Even though I am trying to write a novel that contains elements of the supernatural, futuristic, gothic and suspense, still, maybe one or two characters can have a more colourful names, otherwise, I feel that keeping that aspect simple will give the story better readability. Otherwise, I'm running into a "Is your special character just too SPECIAL?" problem :D
     
  12. yagr

    yagr Senior Member

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    I am working on a young adult book at the moment which I hope to be part of a series. One of the main characters is a 12-yo boy. To create a name for him I went back twelve years and looked up the most common names for boys in 1989 and went down the list until I found one I was comfortable with. Josh was born.
     
  13. Ellipse

    Ellipse Contributor Contributor

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    Sometimes if I need a really exotic name, I'll look around until I find one, butcher the pronunciation for it, then write it out phonetically. I come up with some pretty intersting names sometimes: Ahgren, Jenghas, Madiva, just to name a few. :)
     
  14. BFGuru

    BFGuru Active Member

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    My struggle is that my characters are in a fictional kingdom within the Basque lands and well, Euskari just sounds soooo different than most languages, so their names are odd sounding to me as well. And the further back in history I go, the weirder they sound to me, so name picking has become somewhat of a problem.
     
  15. Kallithrix

    Kallithrix Banned

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    So, your novel is now almost the same age as your character then? Must be if you started it in 1991... hehe
     
  16. Kallithrix

    Kallithrix Banned

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    A problem with ancient Egyptian names - I'm going to have to add a pronunciation key, I think ;)
     
  17. joanna

    joanna Active Member

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    I've had the same problem with thinking of titles. Really, I think it's just a subconscious procrastination technique I've picked up, a block that distracts me from writing in order to concentrate on something frivolous.

    Really, your reader won't think it's such a big deal about the name of the character, unless it's something obnoxious to read.

    I don't have this problem with names, because my characters tell me what their names are. Actually, I maybe have the opposite problem. Once I tried changing a character's name, but that was stupid because that wasn't her name and she told me so. Another character told me her name is Ana. I'm not a fan of that name, but it is what it is.
     
  18. Protar

    Protar Active Member

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    Why thank you very much Jazzabel :). Generally for the main kingdom my WIP takes place in I take normal names and change them slightly to feel more fantasyish (or just leave them be.) or If I do make up a name I make it sound like a plausible medieval English name. The name Yewdrinn I derived from the Yew tree, as Yewdrinn's a necromancer and Yew trees have associations with death and paganism. Marketh Tyron, I basically just added eth to mark (obviously.) and for the surname changed the name Tyrion, which is a fairly popular fantasy named.
     
  19. seratone

    seratone New Member

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    *nod* agree. I sometimes spend so long thinking bout titles that i dont work on my book at all.

    in regards to name - I use a few methods already in this list such as looking up names of the right period and things like that but my most important method is to think of a name before ive given the character too much personality. That way they grow into the name rather then trying to fit a name to an already molded character.
     
  20. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    As far as it being a procrastination technique, it really makes sense, because that's how it feels. "Until I have a name, I can't write "her"" has been my main issue with this novel.
    I think you are right, reader will probably accept whatever name there is, it's not them it's me!
    It feels good when the character reveals a name, it happens to me sometimes, but it isn't always someone important...
     
  21. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    You're welcome Protar :D Oh yes, I had fun looking through English and Cornish medieval names, for a while there (in the book), someone's mum was called Rozenwyn :D Then I started questioning it and now I just don't know, lol
     
  22. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    They always say that the reader should be able to easily pronounce the names, but it would be interesting to do that too :)
     
  23. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    I had a similar problem looking at Cornish names. I suppose the best thing is to choose from the ones that are most easily pronounced :)
     
  24. GinnyB

    GinnyB New Member

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    That's great Jazzabel!

    Another source for names to play with is your email spam box. Just cast your eyes down the list without opening the emails and you'll be amazed at the weird and wonderful names people come up with.
     
  25. Corgz

    Corgz New Member

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    I find my self fairly good with names, i simply read a newspaper or jsut go through names i like, mixing them up and stuff...
     

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