tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post7339336299997746417..comments2024-03-28T02:34:34.041-07:00Comments on Rachna's Scriptorium: Choosing names for our charactersRachna Chhabriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-19598223074214165162014-12-16T09:47:59.863-08:002014-12-16T09:47:59.863-08:00I agree, the names of characters are very importan...I agree, the names of characters are very important. For me, I tend to go with the one that first comes into my head, almost like it's "meant to be." But I have changed character's names after the novel is written if it doesn't "feel" right.Kristin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119967346326579747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-30898892127148810252014-12-16T06:05:46.128-08:002014-12-16T06:05:46.128-08:00Usually names come pretty easy for me. A name will...Usually names come pretty easy for me. A name will just jump out as the one.<br /><br />The source I use the most is a website from the Social Security department of the US Government. They list the top 1000 names of children born in the US, going years back.<br /><br />It's great, especially if you want to look up names from a certain generation. You can see what was popular back in the 40s for instance.Suzihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502606950280751205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-73739680956553965912014-12-16T03:37:15.493-08:002014-12-16T03:37:15.493-08:00It's important to have the right name. I use b...It's important to have the right name. I use baby name sites and read through them until names click with my characters. Only sometimes do the names come to me automatically. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-51243392356465109532014-12-16T00:29:19.354-08:002014-12-16T00:29:19.354-08:00Ditto, Rachna! I often get stuck choosing a charac...Ditto, Rachna! I often get stuck choosing a character name, but I start with something reasonable and then research later if needed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-75910269715756603712014-12-15T16:21:14.073-08:002014-12-15T16:21:14.073-08:00I used to just randomly name my "lesser"...I used to just randomly name my "lesser" characters and a few of my main characters, but I've found that the more clear I am on the name, the better I can picture that character in my mind. Clara - my MC in The Champion Trilogy - has a "clear" purpose but has problems wrestling with it . . . so I chose her name specifically for that reason. :)Tyrean Martinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15356604721537744361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-9309527037775975422014-12-15T15:00:19.153-08:002014-12-15T15:00:19.153-08:00Sometimes I use deliberate symbolism when naming a...Sometimes I use deliberate symbolism when naming a character, and other times it works out that a character's name, originally not chosen for any special reason, has symbolism to the character's personality or life. I tend towards classical eccentric and classical unusual names (e.g., Felix, Wolfgang, Ezra, Justine, Ernestine, Livia), and tend to save the more popular, common, or trendy names for minor and secondary characters.Carrie-Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05810154378449825641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-50214598388724850292014-12-15T13:13:41.416-08:002014-12-15T13:13:41.416-08:00I think as soon as you choose a name it starts to ...I think as soon as you choose a name it starts to have an effect on how you think about the character, so the earlier the better. I'm not sure it makes a big difference what that name is so I rarely spend more than a moment on it.<br /><br />moodmooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-35874585334354067512014-12-15T01:42:12.668-08:002014-12-15T01:42:12.668-08:00Do characters names hold so much importance? Never...Do characters names hold so much importance? Never realised only.Akanksha Jainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05257244690251358823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-65276048076716437892014-12-14T19:56:03.845-08:002014-12-14T19:56:03.845-08:00Sometimes the first name that pops into my head is...Sometimes the first name that pops into my head is the right one. Other times it takes me forever to find that right name.Lynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-16187116304788870802014-12-14T08:23:44.501-08:002014-12-14T08:23:44.501-08:00Rahul, yes, character names are important.
Alex, ...Rahul, yes, character names are important.<br /><br />Alex, for one of my books I did a lot of research as its about an Academy where there are students from all over the world. So, I wanted to get the names and surnames right. Btw, my editor named the watchman's cat- Imarti.<br /><br />Natalie, I like nice sounding names too :)<br /><br />Madeline, I always stick to the names that first popped into my mind.<br /><br />Carole, editors usually don't ask for name changes, its the book titles that they want changed.<br /><br />Destination Infinity, I had once used the Find and Replace function of Microsoft Word to change the main character's name.<br /><br />Lee, what a co-incidence, two of my characters have the names Jacob and Jason :)<br /><br />Elizabeth, completely in sync with you. I cant write unless and until I have all the characters' names in place.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-52203514080995380672014-12-14T08:07:52.088-08:002014-12-14T08:07:52.088-08:00I actually have a hard time writing a story until ...I actually have a hard time writing a story until I have character names. For me, naming the character helps me to visualize him/her and thus it helps the action unfold. A couple of times I've given a character a name that didn't seem to work and the story balked until I found a name that the character seemed to like. (Weird, I know, but that seems to be my very weird writing process.) Secondary characters, too. I don't get a real fix on them until they have a name. Elizabeth Varadan, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01708206753256682635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-70503227406132309712014-12-13T12:59:13.757-08:002014-12-13T12:59:13.757-08:00Naming is an interesting part of this writing stor...Naming is an interesting part of this writing stories. In one book I found I'd named at least 4 characters names that started with J: Jacob, John, Jason, Jillian. Good grief, even I couldn't keep them all apart after a while!cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15456109243453726483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-82907163842258799862014-12-13T05:45:51.017-08:002014-12-13T05:45:51.017-08:00Yes, I give characters the first name I think, and...Yes, I give characters the first name I think, and then change it later, if required. The find and replace function in my Libre Office Writer comes in very handy for replacing names in an entire document!<br /><br />Destination InfinityDestination Infinityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17888747736092948085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-5567907838995553092014-12-12T09:10:56.043-08:002014-12-12T09:10:56.043-08:00Fascinating, didn't realise that I might be as...Fascinating, didn't realise that I might be asked to change names,<br />hmmmm... Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957545161716269528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-88810010093884588002014-12-12T05:37:04.401-08:002014-12-12T05:37:04.401-08:00I tend to just go with the names that first come t...I tend to just go with the names that first come to me. The names will either click or they'll end up just being stand-in names for awhile, until I find something better. Madeline Mora-Summontehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-25202271942439830022014-12-12T04:08:20.328-08:002014-12-12T04:08:20.328-08:00I research names too, usually to find a nice sound...I research names too, usually to find a nice sounding name that has a good meaning too. Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-32335633219001316792014-12-12T04:07:20.672-08:002014-12-12T04:07:20.672-08:00What did she name the watchman's cat?
With my ...What did she name the watchman's cat?<br />With my first three books, I'd brainstorm unique but simple science fiction sounding names and then pair them off with the characters. Whole process took about thirty minutes. With my upcoming book though, I did a little research, as I wanted the names to have a British feel.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-31258799199575855222014-12-12T02:13:13.219-08:002014-12-12T02:13:13.219-08:00Never given too much thought to this but I suppose...Never given too much thought to this but I suppose it is important!Rahul Bhatiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09690287853990880735noreply@blogger.com