Though I'm not asking for help, just some opinions. I'm writing a story which is slightly based on Norse mythology, so I named the characters Norse names. Now I'm suddenly concerned these names are too hard for non-Norwegians, and since the story is moving further and further away from the mythology, I could at this point just change the names. But I still feel that the old Norwegian culture has a presence in the city they live in. These are my main characters, and the only ones whose last names matter. Solmøy Haldorsdottir Eyolf Haldorson Eirik Haldorson And their father Haldor Kveldulvsson If you're curious about the surnames, I'm using traditional Norwegian naming. So they are basically called Solmøy Haldor's daughter, Eyolf Haldor's son and Haldor Kveldulv's son. These are some other names I'm using Gunnar Frode Guttorm Agnar Balder Astrid Jorunn Gunnhild Gyda Frøydis Are these difficult for you? Or totally fine? Or somewhere in the middle?
I'd have no problem with it - I might take a moment to say a couple of them out loud the first time I encounter them, but I wouldn't have a problem with them
I might be underestimating the world here. It was just a sudden fear that came over me. No one can understand these names!
I totally understand that fear, though I saw screw it, go with your gut! I have a character in my story named "Eoin", he's Irish and I'm sure many people of Irish decent know it's pronounced "Owen", but there are going to be many people that will inevitably look at it and go, "Ermmm, Ee-oyn?" But I'm sticking with the name because I like it
I find the names quite difficult but I'm only familiar with the language through two of my friends - and I can't even pronounce one of their names right. The "ø" throws me off because even though I just looked up the pronunciation (I didn't know how to read it before this) I still can't seem to fit it into the words - probably because I'm pronouncing other parts wrong too. Me too. Except "ee-owen" not "ee-oyn".
I'm kind of curious about how I knew how to pronounce it when I'm pretty sure I've never seen the name before.
you did? Impressive, LOL. But regardless, many people aren't going to know how to pronounce a name of a character, it happens, but that doesn't mean you should change it
I don't see any problem with names since some of them seem familiar. But surnames, that's whole different thing. They're not that difficult, but long and there's lot of s. But I have to say that I like names Stick with them!
I could remove the S from Kveldulvsson at most I'm afraid. It means "son of evening wolf", which is too awesome of a meaning. Also named after a real Viking. But thank's for the critisism nevertheless . The surnames are hardly ever mentioned, so hopefully they won't cause that much bother -.-
