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How important are the names you pick for your Characters

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bob03567
Active Ink Slinger
I find it very important to try and pick a good name for the people I'm writing about. Some names just jump out as to what type of a personality they are portraying. Example. When I hear the name 'Charles' I picture a stuffy old guy set in his ways. vs. 'Iris' which to me would be a woman that is up for anything mysterious or chancy.
Unblemished
Active Ink Slinger
Not hugely important, but there's a minimum bar to clear. As you said, some names give off specific vibes which may or may not fit the character's needs. Beyond that though it's usually alright.

I do feel weird about giving characters the same names as people I know well, though. I try to avoid that.
CarltonStJames
Trust people to be themselves...
For a one off story, it could be either here or there. Series on the other hand, I believe more attention needs to be paid.

I think the genre plays into it as well. Sci-Fi and Fantasy, you can be more creative with the names, whereas something like the Crime genre would be better to have names not too fancy.

My last published story: Ho For The Holidays
laura
Mana wahine
I remember reading a blog post of some sort years ago, where the person who wrote it said, that she only ever gave names she personally liked, to her characters. To each their own, that's her personal style, so whatever, it doesn't affect me in any way, but that can be rather limiting, I feel. Sometimes a name hits me, and I can create a character and a scenario around just hearing a name, but other times, the world comes first, and the character names second. I've used names I don't personally like for my characters, because they've had the best feel to them, or they've fit the character the best. My wasted years playing The Sims games have honed that skill for me. Just because it's a name I don't personally like or wouldn't name future children, it doesn't mean it's not a good name, or that it doesn't suit.

The first run of my story Deceit, the mother had the name Angela. I had a name for the daughter, but because I abandoned the story and then returned to it a while later, I couldn't remember the name I had picked out in my head for her. I eventually scrapped the name Angela in favour of Ella for the mother. Don't ask me why, because I don't really know, but a somewhat younger/trendier sounding name suited the character better in mind. I guess to play into the fact that she wasn't that old and had been a teenage parent. I don't know where I pulled the name Julianna from, but it worked.
Ensorceled
Easily amused
Quote by Unblemished
Not hugely important, but there's a minimum bar to clear.


I agree. I'm pretty bad at it. What I usually do is just throw some random-ish name in the story, so I don't spend three frikkin hours trying to come up with a good name. I figure I can always do a search-and-replace once I come up with a better name. Half the time I never bother and just end up using the random-ish name I spent no time on.

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LakeShoreLimited
Active Ink Slinger
Since many of them are New Yorkers or living near New York, their ethnic identity is important. Sometimes I look through my high school yearbook for a first name and then a last name. Since my classmates were all New Yorkers, I feel pretty good about the names I pick. Sometimes they have mixed ancestries. A few of them are indeed WASPs. I even had one who was part French-Canadian, which is unusual but not unknown here. For that girl, I picked the last name from the movie Paths of Glory. where everybody is French.
WannabeWordsmith
Writius Eroticus
It matters to me, both as reader and writer. If I read a story about a wild hellcat with nipple piercings and a penchant for anal sex in public, it seems incongruous to discover she's called Edna. Not that old names associated with grandmas can't come back in vogue - they do - but a well-chosen name can add to a character's gravitas and finish off the mental imagery.

I do what Ensorceled says, mainly. Pick a name that seems to fit and run with it. Sometimes it sticks, other times Find n' Replace is my friend. And other times, the name defines the story, like in my Flash piece "Holy Trinity".

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Master_Jonathan
Active Ink Slinger
For me, it doesn't matter too much generally speaking unless my character needs a specific kind of name. For example, if I am writing about a Spanish girl, I pick a Spanish girl's name. For a black man, I would pick a black-sounding men's name like LaShawn or something. But for regular characters, I pick whatever feels right for them. I have a list of 500 men's names, women's names, and surnames that I can pick from, which helps a lot. Plus I have a few sites I can go to for those special names.
Unknown User
My approach to names in real world fiction set in Western Anglophone culture, ie. most of what I write here, is just to find one that fits the character. Which mostly comes down to, if it feels right, it's right. Obviously, that doesn't work as well for a character from a non-Western, non-Anglophone culture and I would probably do some research on what names are common in a given culture and how names work (e.g. in Chinese culture, which is one I do know, they put surname first and don't really have a set list of given names, though some character combinations are more popular than others).

Then there's fantasy worlds, where I need to work out the naming conventions for myself. The aim there is to make something that sounds like a name and to develop some kind of consistent patterns so it feels a bit real. I don't write many of those on Lush, though.
Meagananne1986
Sexy Seductive Siren
Usually names of people I know or have known, but other than that, don't give it a lot of thought generally.
Meagan
LakeShoreLimited
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by WannabeWordsmith
It matters to me, both as reader and writer. If I read a story about a wild hellcat with nipple piercings and a penchant for anal sex in public, it seems incongruous to discover she's called Edna. Not that old names associated with grandmas can't come back in vogue - they do - but a well-chosen name can add to a character's gravitas and finish off the mental imagery.

I do what Ensorceled says, mainly. Pick a name that seems to fit and run with it. Sometimes it sticks, other times Find n' Replace is my friend. And other times, the name defines the story, like in my Flash piece "Holy Trinity".


I like the idea of a hellcat named Edna. It suggests that when her parents named her, they had no idea of what she'd turn into. And let's face it, no one really can know at the beginning what their kids are going to be like.
Unknown User
Quote by LakeShoreLimited


I like the idea of a hellcat named Edna. It suggests that when her parents named her, they had no idea of what she'd turn into. And let's face it, no one really can know at the beginning what their kids are going to be like.


Giving a character like that an incongruous name can really set up a nice contrast between reality and expectations. Unfortunately, the reality is that "hellcats" with incongruous names often change their name or go by a nickname. Though discovering that the hot chick you're about to bang is actually named Edna could setup some interesting scenes.
WannabeWordsmith
Writius Eroticus
@LakeShoreLimited and seeker4. True. If it's used well and is totally left field like that, and feeds the story with intrigue then why the hell not! But if it's just thrown in as a name because the author picked one at random and it doesn't fit the character and their backstory, then it can be momentarily jarring for a reader.

For fantasy and sci-fi, I sometimes find authors go too far the other way to call their characters unpronounceable or obscure things (or bad spellings of conventional names) to push the idea that it's an alternative reality. If I'm reading and can't figure out if the object being referred to is a person or place, I tend to switch off.

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Buz
The Linebacker
I pick names that fit into the region, culture, and time of the story.
Unknown User
Quote by WannabeWordsmith

For fantasy and sci-fi, I sometimes find authors go too far the other way to call their characters unpronounceable or obscure things (or bad spellings of conventional names) to push the idea that it's an alternative reality. If I'm reading and can't figure out if the object being referred to is a person or place, I tend to switch off.



That's part of the trick of it. Making names that sound strange and foreign without making the text unreadable. Niomi Shen, a character in one of my fantasy stories over on blue, is the kind of thing I shoot for. It might just be a real name, but is off enough to make it foreign. I save the unpronounceable gibberish for things like unfathomable alien gods, e.g. Lovecraft's Great Old Ones, and then I use them sparingly.
WannabeWordsmith
Writius Eroticus
Quote by seeker4
Making names that sound strange and foreign without making the text unreadable.


This.

Niomi is a great character name. As you say, nicely nameish without being too obscure.

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LakeShoreLimited
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by seeker4


Giving a character like that an incongruous name can really set up a nice contrast between reality and expectations. Unfortunately, the reality is that "hellcats" with incongruous names often change their name or go by a nickname. Though discovering that the hot chick you're about to bang is actually named Edna could setup some interesting scenes.


The craziest woman I ever knew - no, I did not come close to banging her - in terms of sex and drugs and other things, was simply named Nancy, and I assume that was her real name. She managed to be a college student and a stripper at the same time, which was probably less common back then (the late 1970s) than it may be now.

There is a long tradition of actors and musicians taking stage names. Years ago it was done partially to hide their ethnic identities, often Italian or Jewish. Nowadays, Lana Del Rey sounds more glamorous than Elizabeth Grant, and Vin Diesel sounds more badass than Mark Sinclair.
HeraTeleia
Top Shot
Not at all important. I would need to go check, but I know at least a handful of my stories lack any names at all. If the characters have names at all, they're usually random.

That said, I do keep running mental list of names that I absolutely won't use, for any reason. The ephemera--like the names of my dogs, or my favourite Islay single malt--those are all very real. Then there's Losing It , which was a collaboration, one in which each of us used our real names. The other thing is, I set my stories in places with which I am intimately familiar, and those places have names.

Sometimes I do slip up and use someone's real name--first only--because that individual is so enmeshed in my real life activities no other name would suit the fictionalized version. The most recent and glaringly obvious example of this is in Drill Day. I wouldn't recommend using real names at all, though, if it can be avoided.

I only use real names because a) I am by nature impatient, and not the sort to waste time trying to figure out what any given character should be named and b) exactly zero people in my everyday life, with the exception of my pastor (yes, pastor), believe that I've written whatever it is they're reading. I don't fit the mold, or something.

Pay attention to Ensorceled, WannabeWordsmith, and others, all far more devoted and accomplished than myself.
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Unknown User
For me, naming characters is immensely important. It's the start of defining their personality, there are certain first names that can do just that.

I do have some personal favourites which readers might notice. I will spent ages choosing them if not. Another thing I have to do is they will never, ever alliterate with either other characters or their surnames. They have to contrast in pronunciation to really stand out too.

Yes, I can be that anal and pedantic.
RejectReality
Testing The Waters.
Quote by WannabeWordsmith
@LakeShoreLimited and seeker4. True. If it's used well and is totally left field like that, and feeds the story with intrigue then why the hell not! But if it's just thrown in as a name because the author picked one at random and it doesn't fit the character and their backstory, then it can be momentarily jarring for a reader.

For fantasy and sci-fi, I sometimes find authors go too far the other way to call their characters unpronounceable or obscure things (or bad spellings of conventional names) to push the idea that it's an alternative reality. If I'm reading and can't figure out if the object being referred to is a person or place, I tend to switch off.



*snore*


For some reason, my world has bent toward women having real-world names like Alicia, Christi, Carol, etc. Men seem to have a weird convention where their names are conglomerations of ancestor's names. Thakkorias. Darkniciad. Sagittariad. Cerebus.

Of course, they all have shortened versions/nicknames that are easy to deal with. Thakkor, Darkni, Saj, Mindblind

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Koba17
Active Ink Slinger
I was just thinking about this subject the other day as I was writing my newest story. It's an erotic horror story. I have been reading Poe to give me a mood when writing and I noticed his name choices: Fortunato, Prospero, Usher, etc. It's funny, sometimes the names will slip by without my noticing the significance. I think I watched Apocalypse Now a dozen times before I noticed Robert Duvall's character was named Kilgore. I was trying to come up with a name for a nightclub on the beach for my story. First I settled in on the nondescript and boring 'The Wharf'. Then I tried 'The Open Clam' but it sounded too Family Guyish. Then it hit me: 'The Tentacles'. BINGO!!!!! Great name for a beach bar and it fits in with what's happening in the story. Yeah!
Unknown User
I don't think the actual names matter too much. I do try to not overuse the same ones, and try to use some weird names at times too. Keep it somewhat fresh, again, I don't think the actual names make or break the story.
Just_A_Guy_You_Know
Wouldn't you rather have a nice cup of tea?
Not important. In fact, an author that spends too much time on thinking up clever or unique names distracts readers' attention from the story and calls too much attention to themselves.

Don't believe everything that you read.
WiseGinger
Active Ink Slinger
Very important for me. I have to "feel" the names for my characters. But I don't have a rule. When I imagine a story, I also imagine the right name for the characters.

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LordCephius
Rank: Occasionally
I put a lot of thought, and some research, in the names of my characters. I feel they have to represent their age and social setting. Once I flush out a character with an age, description, and attitude, I'll use that name in other stores when I want to represent the same type of character.
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TroublesomeBard
Maker of Mediocre Jokes

Not important at all. I have several stories where characters, even main characters, go unnamed. With that being said, names can be part of characterization, and the absence of names can evoke a lot.

Then again, I'm usually experimenting with narrative styles and voices, and sometimes names get in the way of the experiment.

wiha
Word Hacker

Both at the same time. For some stories, the names aren't important, some others they are absolutely important. For characters out of the franco-englo society I live in, I research names to fit the local culture and find idioms or words that are used to give some realism.

That being said, there is one character name that I use specifically because it is my second name, using it when the story has a very personal meaning (Alex if you are wondering).

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Unknown User

I've always just used my user name as the female lead and the name Mike for the male lead. I don't know a Mike here and I don't want someone to think that I wrote a fantasy specifically for them. I write for myself.