1. TheApprentice

    TheApprentice Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2013
    Messages:
    1,209
    Likes Received:
    155

    What would they name a boy with no records?

    Discussion in 'Research' started by TheApprentice, Nov 27, 2014.

    So a boy is found in an abandon shack. He is 13. He is severely injured and taken to a hospital. They search for parents or any relatives and find none. The boy has no clear memories of anyone he might of known or his past and is sent to an orphanage as nobody comes claiming to know the kid. They search for any records of anyone who looks like him who the kid might be and come up with nothing. Most importantly to my question, the boy doesn't even know his own name, and their does anyone.

    What do they call the boy?
     
  2. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2010
    Messages:
    15,262
    Likes Received:
    13,084
    I assume they'd just pick something. If I recall correctly, in Brat Farrar, the matron of the orphanage closed her eyes and pointed at a page of...maybe it was the phone directory. And then cheated and did it again because the first name was awful.
     
  3. Some_Bloke

    Some_Bloke Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2014
    Messages:
    110
    Likes Received:
    34
    Location:
    Northern Ireland
    Something common like John Smith (which is used as an alias sometimes)
     
  4. chicagoliz

    chicagoliz Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 30, 2012
    Messages:
    3,280
    Likes Received:
    817
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    If he's 13, they might ask him what he'd like to be called.
     
    Link the Writer, Okon and Sifunkle like this.
  5. Sifunkle

    Sifunkle Dis Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2014
    Messages:
    478
    Likes Received:
    586
    Great! I've been looking for a way to work in a character called Studly McSexmonkey!

    @TheApprentice : does he have anything with him that he or they might draw a name from? I can think of one series where a character of similar background is named Johan, because he has a picture book with him in which 'Johan' is the only named character.
     
    daemon likes this.
  6. chicagoliz

    chicagoliz Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 30, 2012
    Messages:
    3,280
    Likes Received:
    817
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    McLovin aside, I don't think that most 13 year old boys would actually want a name like that. A child that age would, though, certainly have some say over what name they ended up giving him. Anyone could suggest almost any name for any reason -- a nurse, or the head of the orphanage or a social worker, or lawyer or doctor could say he reminded him of some character from his favorite book or movie, or he reminds her of her brother, or they just read a magazine article about some celebrity that had something in common with the boy - the list is endless.

    Incidentally, when and where does this take place?
     
  7. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    10,742
    Likes Received:
    9,991
    Location:
    Near Sedro Woolley, Washington
    Kaspar Hauser?
     
    Okon likes this.
  8. Swiveltaffy

    Swiveltaffy Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2014
    Messages:
    555
    Likes Received:
    201
    Location:
    Roanoke, TX
    Name him Minstrel. <insert emoticon>
     
    minstrel and daemon like this.
  9. stevesh

    stevesh Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2008
    Messages:
    966
    Likes Received:
    651
    Location:
    Mid-Michigan USA
    In Joseph Heywood's new series, the main character is Lute Bapcat. He was a foundling and the orphanage named him using the three religions that had churches in the town - Lutheran, Baptist and Catholic.
     
  10. J Faceless

    J Faceless Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2014
    Messages:
    115
    Likes Received:
    53
    Location:
    New England
    I've heard of dumpster babies being named after the cops/people that found them. First and last names.
     
    Howard_B likes this.
  11. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2009
    Messages:
    12,140
    Likes Received:
    257
    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    I know a lot of times, what the name is depends on the dominant religion of the area. If it's a Christian area, they'd probably give him a common Christian name like John or David. Now you have a name, and you can extrapolate about how that character feels about that name (honored, because it's a name from the god of this area, or sad, because it's rather generic and not terribly individual?), as well as say something about the region your story takes place in.
     
  12. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    Messages:
    15,023
    Likes Received:
    9,676
    Location:
    Alabama, USA
    Exactly, he's old enough to think for himself. It's only fair to ask him what he thinks they should call him rather than deciding it for him.
     
  13. Yelnoc

    Yelnoc New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2014
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    7
    Location:
    Georgia, US
    True. Though it possible a nickname sticks before anyone asks what he wants to be called. Like if he has red hair, he's going to be called Red. Or since he was found at an abandoned shack, he might be called "the shack kid" which could get shortened to Shack. etc.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice