Character Names

[Arch , Mod]

How do you come up with your character names?

I tend to make minds up; at least the first name.

[new_user]

I decide them based on culture, background, and meaning. And sound of course. :)

And if I know a character will go by his nickname a lot then I'll also look for a name with a nice nick.

[Arch , Mod]

new_user wrote: "I decide them based on culture, background, and meaning. And sound of course. :)

And if I know a character will go by his nickname a lot then I'll also look for a name with a nice nick. "

Yeah, can't forget about those nicks.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

I love names. It's a hobby of mine to read name books and to look up names. I have a list of those who are favorites. I try to pick names that suit the character or have a good meaning. For my stories with certain cultures, I do research into names in that culture.

[Nicole]

I don't know how I come up with mine, really. I just start thinking about a character, whenever one pops into my head, and the name comes along somewhere in the early stages of the character forming in my mind. Sometimes, the initial name works and sometimes I end up changing it.

[Arch , Mod]

If I write a future story. A bad boy story, I already have his name. It came to me like 20 minutes ago.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

Cool, Arch. I'm waiting for your bad boy story!

[Arch , Mod]

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Cool, Arch. I'm waiting for your bad boy story!"

It might be a while, before I write a bad boy story.

[A.M.]

When I start a new story I don't know the character's names until they tell me. The story I'm working on now I've been thinking I might change the heroin's name, but she won't let me.

[Arch , Mod]

Hey Brenda. :)

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors]

I can see that, Brenda. I think that the names come to me as I'm conceiving the story, as well. But sometimes I pick a name that fits my character's image and personality in my head.

[new_user]

The one thing I don't care for is when writers take a common name and misspell it. That doesn't make it special... LOL. I notice this a lot with pseudonyms actually.

[Arch , Mod]

new_user wrote: "The one thing I don't care for is when writers take a common name and misspell it. That doesn't make it special... LOL. I notice this a lot with pseudonyms actually."

Give an example of what you are talking about New User.

I know that I like to spell names differently.

[new_user]

Names like, instead of Jennifer, Jinnyfr, or something like that.

[Arch , Mod]

new_user wrote: "Names like, instead of Jennifer, Jinnyfr, or something like that."

But, people do spell names differently.

I like to be unique with names and I show that in my character names. I like taking a name and spelling it differently.

I don't mind authors doing that.

[Stacy-Deanne]

Usually, I look on a names list online to find a name for a character. Sometimes a name will pop into my head. It depends.

I try to make sure my characters' names are realistic. What turns me off about some authors is that the name of their characters are ridiculous. I will put down a book if the names of the characters are too silly.

I read a book one time and the names were so soap opera-like.

Wolff, Skye, Blaze, Stone, Jewel, Haze, Sapphire, Autumn.

Please that's trying too hard to be cute and it doesn't work because it comes off as silly and makes it hard to take characters seriously if you give them such cheesy names. People may have these names in real life but when you got a bunch of these names in one book it takes away from the story and makes it silly.

What I've always liked was women characters with male names. I always thought that was cute.

Arch, I can tolerate the different spelling thing IF it's not too outrageous. I can tell you how many times, I've seen folks hack up the spelling of "Stacy" and it's ridiculous, LOL!

I think as long as the name is recognizable and spelled a little different it's okay but not where the reader can't figure out what the name is.

I'd put up with Jason spelled as "Jayson". But I can't take "Stacy" spelled like "Staycee" or "Stacii". LOL. It has the opposite effect of cuteness and becomes annoying to me. It should still be realistic if the author wants to spell a name differently.

Also, the author can pick a name for a character that has many spellings naturally than to hack up a name where it looks weird.

Just my opinion, LOL!

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Stacy-Deanne]

One more thing, if I read fantasy or paranormal books I'd expect silly and weird names. But not in another genre.

[Arch , Mod]

Stacy-Deanne,

I don't like my characters to have the familiar names. I like to change it up a little.

In Courage, my heroine name is Chocolate and the hero's name is Parris.

In the story that I am working on now - Trespassing. The heroine's name is Sanjar and my hero's nick name is Cop. His real name is Helicopter.

In my NaNoWri story, my heroine name was Diamond.

In one of my future challenge story. My hero's name will be Tokyo.

I already have my children names picked out.

I like different names.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want my children to be name Apple, Pilot or any of the other names the stars are naming their children these days.

I don't recall who shared that she was reading a book and the author's name is Banana.

I always felt that a name can be spelled different. And I will continue to spell my characters names different. Unless I want them to have the normal spelling.