Hi. In the project I'm currently working on, there is a minor character who had a very well known real surname. His name is Peter Astor II, of the historically powerful Astor family. He is a minor character and is shown in a neutral way. He has a relatively positive character. I think that having this character connects my piece of fiction to the real world. The time period is 1906 and it is set in a realistic US. Is this ok? Or am I doing something wrong? I don't know the rules or laws about things like this. Are you guys against using a real name in fiction? Or is it a good idea? Thanks for any feedback.
It's commonplace to use real surnames. You're right: it can confer realism to your work (especially if you take nationality and so forth into consideration). I do it all the time. You might find this thread relevant: https://www.writingforums.org/threads/searching-your-characters-names-in-google.134118/ I suppose the main legal caution would relate to libel, if your character is too similar to someone real who bears the same name (especially if it's not a common name). Afraid I'm no buff on specific legalities, but I've always found this amusing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_penis_rule . Possibly because my sense of humour never developed past adolescence. Apologies if I've made any ignorant transgressions in posting links.
As long as the character is fictional and never existed in the real world there should not be a problem. In The Five Greatest Warriors the author (Matthew Reilly) has created a character who is related to the House of Windsor (the UK Royal Family) and holds the title of princess. This character is quite important for the general plot, and not a minor character. So if Peter Astor II has never really existed (at least during the years 1800-200) I can't see there to be a problem if you use that name for a minor character. Though maybe someone else around here, someone more knowledgeable knows more.
No apology needed. My sense of humor hasn't hit puberty yet either. I still laugh at "that's what she said jokes". Thanks for the reply
It sounds fine to me. Could definitely help on setting the story in that time. My only note is that to give a character a surname, they should usually be important and have a major role. You are naming a historical figure and there is no way around it. You're good. But I have read some books that gave surnames to characters who were only in a scene or two and I think the characters could have even been nameless, much less given two names. The usual rule to make them a major character, but in your case, go for it.
