1. spklvr

    spklvr Contributor Contributor

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    Yay, another name thread!

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by spklvr, May 9, 2011.

    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? :confused:
     
  2. Melzaar the Almighty

    Melzaar the Almighty Contributor Contributor

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    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 :D
     
  3. spklvr

    spklvr Contributor Contributor

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    I might be underestimating the world here. It was just a sudden fear that came over me. No one can understand these names! :p
     
  4. Jessica_312

    Jessica_312 New Member

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    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 :D
     
  5. Chris Gentry

    Chris Gentry New Member

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    I did that just now. Then I read the rest of your post... :cool:
     
  6. Yoshiko

    Yoshiko Contributor Contributor

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    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. :rolleyes: 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". :D
     
  7. Jessica_312

    Jessica_312 New Member

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    /\ LOL @Chris and Yoshiko! My point exactly :D
     
  8. spklvr

    spklvr Contributor Contributor

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    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.
     
  9. Jessica_312

    Jessica_312 New Member

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    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 :D
     
  10. Leah Woods

    Leah Woods Active Member

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    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 :D Stick with them!
     
  11. Earlychop

    Earlychop Member

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    The rest of these names are good. I likey!!!!
     
  12. spklvr

    spklvr Contributor Contributor

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    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 -.-
     

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