Or Jensen. Jason. Jared. James. Jack. Jonathan. Jools. Jimmy. Whenever I see the name Jesse I always automatically think, "It's Jesse and Chester!!!!" lol.
Depends, especially if you're trying for a deeper meaning with the character. I like to go for it, but it's not needed AT ALL. Some writers try to go in depth with this, using unique or significant names, but as I realized in high-school....About 80% of the time you are hitting it at readers who don't get the significance and it's really just there in order to impress some critic who looks way too deep into such things. Do it for yourself, or don't do it at all. The best advice I was ever given was to use names of those important to you or those who have impacted your life and use the feelings you have for them in order to write the character. I named one character after my best friend, the character acts very different, but it was a tribute. Other times I go for important names...Rena for Rebirth, Alex for Defender, Eva for Angel
well,names do have some significance.for example,what do you think when you here the name jean hollister? or kristine rowens? what kind of emotions do the names evoke? -now if the protagonist was a tough chick,i'd pick jean hollister over kristine rowens.if she was just a normal girl,kristine rowens. if there was a demon named steve marshall and one named ariel mortis , who sounds more scarier?are you afraid of steve marshall or ariel mortis?i'd say ariel -i suggest looking at what genre you're writing and fitting names with personalities.
I think names should fit the characters, and I think they're important. Well, at least to me, I guess. That's why I give my characters generic names until I flesh out their personalities a bit more, then I pick a more fitting name.
If you look critically at the names of some of history's greatest villains, they are surprisingly unfitting. It is their actions that mark them as villains and the association of their evil deeds brings the association with their names. Seriously, who could imagine a villain called 'Donald' or 'Pot'. And yet we have Pol Pot and Donald Rumsfield. Then look at some of history's greatest heroes and they often have very ordinary names. Just to pick a few off the top of my head: Neil Armstrong John Simpson Kirkpatrick Charles Upham Abraham Lincoln and so on. On their own the names do not invoke anything at all, but the association with the things they have done make them memorable. A hero called Fred? Look up 'Fred Hollows'. A villain or a martyr called Ned? Well, Ned Kelly of course. Albert Einstein? Buckminster Fuller? Ridiculous! But great men all the same. My thought is that a name should fit a character, certainly. But don't sweat it too much because the character can often grow the name.
To me, names are important because nobody is going to remember Jane Smith. Before I start writing, I form the characters in my head and then find names that suit them. (I admit I'm a babybooker when it comes to choosing names.) Sometimes I'll choose a name by meaning, but it doesn't necessarily sum up the character's personality. I have a character named Rennie, which means brave ruler, but in the story he's a cowardly scumbag. That helps me make his personality stronger in the story, how he has become such a disgrace to himself and his family, and the name doesn't sound too cheesy (does it?).
Then every so often there's the odd guy with a mind-blowingly cool name. Someone you just gotta respect on the basis of their name alone. Like. Isambard Kingdom Brunel. I mean, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. As for naming characters in stories, it's hard, of course. Everyone has different relationships to different names. But the most important thing, I think, is not to overthink it. People aren't going to think nearly as hard about the character names in your story as you do while writing it. They're just going to accept them (provided they're not too ridiculous) and move on.
Heck yes! Brunel is just awesome personified. Also, do a google search for a web comic called 2D Goggles for more Brunel awesomeness.
Names are names, they don't have to fit the personality of the character. Just find the ones you feel most comfortable with for your characters.
If you hate it, you gotta change it lol. I named my MC Heinrich - I actually like that name. Then I discovered that everyone I've asked seem to hate that name. Now it's pretty important for your MC to have a likeable name. For example, I once read a book where its MC was called Pug. I managed 20 pages before I threw in the towel because I could not take the MC seriously, cus every time I just thought of the dog!!! Anyway, I facebooked my friends and had a look at their suggestions of their favourite names, and took my pick. I'm gonna go with Josh but make up something that would be a longer version of the name, though not Joshua lol. You can do that too. Just ask your friends for their favourite names and see what inspires you.
