Okay, so I need some help. I'm looking for a new name for a character. I origonally wanted to name him Blase, with an accented e on the end, but everyone here agreed it was a weird name. Now I'm left trying to find a new name. I know I can look it up on a Baby Name website, but I'm hoping for advice for real people, here. I was thinking of Matthew or Michael; but I've already got one guy named Mark, and one guy named Nick. The guy is funny and witty yet serious; and both those names seem like too much to take on for a funny/witty/serious guy. Any advice? Thank you all. "The problem with the name Joanna is that she'll want to be called Jo, like trailor trash Jo, like down the park drunk every night Jo. Just don't do it." - From Don't Name Your Baby
Name's are only as meaningful as you make them, if you follow me. If you want him to be funny, make the character funny. No one's going to look at the name Michael and think that he's automatically funny. I think this happens a lot with those looking for evil names. Remember, Voldemort and Sauron are only evil because we know so. But yeah, I guess they are spooky and unusual, but maybe I only think so because I know so...I should take some of my own advice...hope I helped p.s. When you start writing and you decide on a name, after a while, the name will seem perfect to you know matter what. At least that happens with me.
Make all three names as different as possible, but be sure they are not ugly when seen together in a sentence. Mark and Nick are too similar IMO, and two names starting with M would be better avoided. Since I don't know what type of people these are, it's hard to help, but 'neutral' names (not very age, class or region-indicative) are something like e.g. Andy, Nick and Matt, and give a more varied sound--you don't want every name to be one syllable. You'll note they are all shortened forms--a more buttoned-up character, say, would be better with the full form, Andrew, Nicholas or Matthew. Oh, and avoid names ending in S like the plague--it's terrible doing possessives with them.
Just to confuse the reader: Mick. But in all seriousness I don't know where people get the 'place a name to their personality' attribute, I could easily imagine Adolf being Frank, or Stephen Hawking being James, it doesn't matter what you call them IMO as the reader makes the personality and name work. In saying that, would Yossarian still have worked in Catch-22 if he was called Ian?
So look for names that can't be shortened. Malcolm. Eben. Harvey. There are plenty. And just because most of us American's have a tendency to lean toward shorter nicknames it doesn't apply to everyone. I know a Joanna, for instance, and she will lop your head off if you call her "Jo." It's all in how they are raised to respond to the name and how they feel about it.
Think. Matthew Mark Luke and John. Biblical names are always good. My little brother is called Joseph, but he is anything but religious. My little Cousin is called Jacob but is nothing like Josephs Dad. All the children in my family have Biblical names, there cool I think.
Thanks for the great advice - I like the idea of changing Mark's name to Matt and then Blaise's name to Jack... Maybe that would be too simular.
Names are what they are, go with what you feel is right. I personally don't have a problem with Blase. I named a character Blase once. I think it's a cool name to be honest, underused so it should make your character stand out.
