Naming Your Characters

[ducklauncher]

I have one character for whom I used the chinese "xaio" (pronounced "sha") as a basis. Most of the others in that world are based on Gaelic and Spanish sounds (and I used Sidhe for a river), although I can't deny the Hebrew influence of a couple...

The names for the book I've already written were much different, because they are all more or less commonly used in America (since it's based in California), like Shawn and Eleanor. I considered the meanings of those names, but the final decision was mostly arbitrarily the sound and the feel of the name with the character. Except for Niles, but that one just sort of stuck. ><

[twyrch]

ducklauncher said:

I have one character for whom I used the chinese "xaio" (pronounced "sha") as a basis. Most of the others in that world are based on Gaelic and Spanish sounds (and I used Sidhe for a river), although I can't deny the Hebrew influence of a couple...

The names for the book I've already written were much different, because they are all more or less commonly used in America (since it's based in California), like Shawn and Eleanor. I considered the meanings of those names, but the final decision was mostly arbitrarily the sound and the feel of the name with the character. Except for Niles, but that one just sort of stuck. ><

I used Sidhe in my story as the realm of Hades.... ;D

[Riothamus]

Well, since we've moved into general naming-talk, I suppose I'll jump in.
I tend to be very intuitive in short stories. I sit down with a pad of paper and write down three or four names, just off the top of my head. Then I change 'em as I see fit and set to work.
Novels are different. I tend to look for two things: uniqueness and euphony. For instance, I named one character Lillian Ophelia Brown (unwittingly influenced by a certain author of dreadful cat-mysteries. Three guesses on her name.) The Lillian and Ophelia were chosen because, first, they sound nice (I think I picked 'em up in a handy name-book,) and the Brown was chosen to contrast with the first two names. As with naming a character Lobilia Smith, the commonness of the first name contrasts with the unusualness of the first (or in this case, the middle.)
Of course, there are other considerations. I want the name to somehow reflect the character, and the character must in some way reflect the name. So that I make certain that the elderly librarian's name sounds like an elderly librarian's name (unless part of his character is contrast. A very drab girl could be called Gloria, and that contrast would of course be part of the narrative warp and woof.) Sometimes meaning comes into play, but most of the time as an afterthought. Most parents give very little thought to the meaning of their children's name, so in pseudo-realistic fiction, too much emphasis on meaning can be deadly.
Of course, for epic fantasy my system would be different; I tend in the nonsense-word direction there. Make up a name--Don-Riliomitaht (although I would never name a person something so difficult to type,)--and then give it a meaning. Then one can deconstruct other nonsense-words in the story and create links between them. That's always fun. ;D

[Splitshell]

I am in the beginings of writing a mystery set in the last ten years but the murder took place in the 1920's.
I used the phone book...(hangs head in creative shame) just pointed to a name...then randomly picked a last name...discarded the awfuls like Dorcas Fishblender or whatever ...
Then a friend of mine killed himself and I changed a last name to his as a tribute. Semed like the right thing to do...
I just made sure I didn't end up with anything tacky like Flint Steele because he would have to be a strong jawed, blue eyed Adonis right?

[Riothamus]

Fascenating story idea; I did something like it in my first (unpublished,) novel.

What's wrong with Dorcas Fishblender? Blenderfish? Blishfender? Perfectly valid for comic relief. Di-ckens did it all the time.

(LOL on Flint Steele)

[Messenger of Eden]

amodman said:

Bah, I'm a name machine. Just give me the general mood of the character and I'll play around with letters and sounds in my head until I come up with something I like. Just a couple of examples - Elgar Van Torrengar, Darityl Starwing Moonsong, Kaylos, Yashanin, Kalayna, Tolim, etc. Seriously, I could write nearly infinite names...it's just something I can do.

I'm the same way--Names just come to me, whether it is restructuring of existing names, or pulling up a completely unique name for a person or land or whatever out of the air.

Some of my favorites:

Jame Matharsil
Mishanahel (Misha for short)
Jashok the Elder
Molen


I like to let certain languages sway the pronunciation of words: I find that they flow better and bring better images to mind if there is some basis in the familiar. Sometimes all it takes is a twist. Jashok came from Josha. Mishanahel reminds me of a combination of the Russian nickname "Misha" with "Raphael" and I thought it flowed quite easily. Molen is a somber character, blinded from birth, born of a race that mourns the evil deeds committed by thier brothers, the Moreccai.

Fun stuff, names. ;D

[twyrch]

messenger said:

I like to let certain languages sway the pronunciation of words: I find that they flow better and bring better images to mind if there is some basis in the familiar. Sometimes all it takes is a twist. Jashok came from Josha. Mishanahel reminds me of a combination of the Russian nickname "Misha" with "Raphael" and I thought it flowed quite easily. Molen is a somber character, blinded from birth, born of a race that mourns the evil deeds committed by thier brothers, the Moreccai.

Fun stuff, names. ;D

I agree as well... As I was finding names for my story, I pulled many names from the Baby Name Network as it gave names for different countries. Really beneficial site.

[Child of Immanuel]

behindthename.com

I often combine elements, as the site gives the original elements of the name, such as Robert: from the Germanic hrod 'fame' and beraht 'bright'.

[Bard Child]

Hmm I try find names that fit my chara personality or some sort of qurik.
Or I make them up
Example

Sekar: means "Crest or Hill" in sankrit and he works as a healer on a hill.
Chiko: means "earth-child" in japanese and he's a pretty grounded by nature and humble to boot
Tzechek means "To laugh" in hebrew and, he's a bit of flirt and prankster.
I just let my mind wander and see what name it wants for my charater. Or use sounds that sound good together

[aprikores]

dinadan said:

I've got a set of interrelated short stories that I've been working on for a while...the premise is this pseudo-Christianized "Order" who are working to eliminate certain kinds of evil from the world (I'm trying not to give too much away). Anyway, my characters (at least, the good ones) names are as follows--and each name has something reflective in it about the character:


Erik Yrenstein - Galician Jew who is the group's expert on the Kabbalah and the western esoteric traditions

Speaking as a Jew, (1/4 Galician), I never heard of the last name Yrenstein. Erik is also a Norse name, not a Jewish one. Jews from Galicia tend to have Hasidic backgrounds, hence he would most likely have been named after a dead relative.
Also, most Jews of that don't believe in studying the Kaballa until after the age of 40.
If I may suggest (sorry if I sound like a know-it all), I'd make him a member or student of a Hasidic dynasty, some of them were known to dabble in the estoric arts. I don't know much about the dynasty of the Belzer line (my own) but I'd be happy to research for you to help you with your character.



Also, Daae, nitpick. Nathan means giver, not gift of God. That would be Natanya or Natanel.

[hoodedwarrior]

Naming my characters is a struggle for me. I want it to mean something, and it has to be Just Right, and fit their character too. I use 'behind the name' (like a few people here) plus my own imagination. I tend to lean towards ancient scandinavian or welsh names. Sometimes in their more original form.
like instead of Eric, Eirikr or, "ever ruler"
Sometimes, just sometimes, I get brave enough to make up my own name. Like Leuki. (meaning undecided) or Cielwin. (skywing)

[gracebridges]

I always take ages to come up with my names, and sometimes I change minor ones later. The main ones have to have the right "feel", be somewhat original, and neither be too weird or too ordinary. Often I use names of actual people I know, that brings the character to life

In my current project I have Mariah, Peter, Faith, James, Marcelle, David, Toni, Esther, Anna, Xu, Lucas, Bastian, Angela, Nathan, Josh, Sarah, Naomi, Jontie, Noah, Deborah, Manu, Jemima, Elliott, Wallace, Teresa, Callum, Linda, Tom, Cindy, Penny, Jan, Jess, and a few more. The first four are the main people, the next six secondary, and the rest are background characters.

This is a sci-fi thing, so no fantasy names for me... maybe another time!

[wildice]

I play on a few RPGB's and coming up with names is always problematic. This name generator has helped me: Yafnag.

[Jherprincess]

I generally use Welsh words or names. But then sometimes I tweak them so that they sound better or something. Although for some reason most of my main characters ended up with regular names. Rilla and Tristan for example.

[Seeker Of Truth]

I've found this website very helpful in picking names and finding meanings/origins:

www.behindthename.com/

It also has a handy name generator that's given me some good ideas for names.