Today, I’m opening my three-part series that delves into naming book characters, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I, like many of you, have attempted to write the Great American Novel. But without the right character names, the story can fall flat with plot holes, confusion between characters, and an inaccurate and weak setting. We’re kicking this series off with an overview of do’s and don’ts, vital facts to keep in mind when creating a name to accompany the personality of a protagonist, deuteragonist, romantic interests, and antagonists. Remember to keep an eye out for more additions to the series, and let’s get started!
Where and When is This Story Taking Place?
One key factor that is crucial to choosing a name for a character in a novel or other story is the setting. It’s always unsettling when you’re immersed in 17th century France, following a desperate beggar as he barters for food and all of a sudden, the narrator reveals that his name is Hendrixx. In order to properly build a setting in the past or future, it’s important to take into consideration the interests of baby naming at the time. Likely, Hendrixx should be Joseph or Etienne based on the time period he lived in. It’s the same for the future. Going for choices that are white hot trendy in 2020 when the story takes place in 2085 for your female heroine would be like having all children born just a few years ago answering to Karen, Tammy, and Tracy. Using naming algorithms like the 100 year rule will likely help you pick the cream of the crop in terms of vintage revivals in the future, so that time matches up with the trends. And naming trend considerations are not just for stories that take place in other time periods.
If you’re writing a realistic fiction piece, it’s necessary to keep in mind age. Although you may think Mariposa nicknamed Posy suits your 93 year old character perfectly, it’s unlikely that a woman born in 1927 would’ve received a fairly recent choice like Mariposa. Choosing a name that feels out of place in your setting or on a character in a certain age bracket can distract a reader and take away from the beautiful world you as a writer have created. Another thing to keep in mind when browsing for character names is the ethnicity of your character. If you’re aiming to choose a name for an Arabic character, Farah or Kadija can build an image of your character without the narrator having to awkwardly work in mention of their ethnicity or physical features. Using a name from a particular culture often is a staple more than a tool, especially when creating historical fiction. Naming a Japanese child who survived the bombing of Iwo Jima Mackenzie is likely historically incorrect, and may drive readers mad. Hiroko is a more culturally appropriate name for that particular character and time and will help readers better receive the setting and time period.
Who’s Naming Them?
While it may feel appropriate to name the reckless female teenager in your story Ellyot Blaise, it’s also crucial that you keep in mind that the characters haven’t named themselves. Whether their parents named them, grandparents named them, or something entirely different, it’s of the utmost importance that you consider the intentions of the namers. If the impulsive teenage girl has very conservative, protective parents, it’s significant to have her be Kathleen, and it shows the conflict between her personality and that of her parents. However, the characters do have some control over the nicknames they choose, and Kathleen many go by Kat if that suits her better.
Nicknames and short forms are an excellent way to communicate to the reader the personalities of the character. It can even reveal aspects of a character’s relationship with other people in the story, such as how Kat’s parents may call her Kathleen, but her friend calls her Kat. However, it is important, to avoid confusion, for the character to be consistently called by one name by each of the other characters. Kat’s friends shouldn’t call her both Kathleen and Kat, and the same goes for her parents. It can be confusing to the reader about who’s speaking to whom and the relationships between those characters. She might be Kat to her friends and Kathleen to her parents, just as would typically occur in real life. A child’s first name can even build on the character of the parents. If the character is Octavius, one might assume that his parents are either very Latin or very prestigious. A reader may even infer that Octavius’s parents have very high expectations for their son. Choosing a name with the intentions of the parents at the front of your mind is an excellent way to choose the perfect moniker for the character.
Does Each Character Name Provide Significant Contrast?
Even twin characters with critical roles in your story shouldn’t be Shelli and Sherri. And a villain and hero shouldn’t be Gustav and Gaston. It’s very easy for a reader to unknowingly mix up characters and misunderstand serious plot points. If Shelli is flirting with Sherri’s husband, but the reader is confusing Sherri and Shelli, then the reader could easily misunderstand the whole rest of the book in which Sherri divorces her husband, breaks connection with her sister, and moves to L.A. to pursue a career in entertainment. In addition, if your villains and heroes share similar appellations, the reader may think that one of them has switched sides. Either way, even alliteration within major characters can throw the reader for a loop and ruin the lovely storyline the author intended.
Contrast in character names can also differentiate certain personalities or sides. For example, in Star Wars, the members of the sith all had names beginning with Darth, separating the dark side from the light and making the transition of going from one side to the other even more suspenseful and dramatic. If your character is traveling to get to a certain destination, whether it be to save all humanity or escape capture, the style and ethnicity of names of the people that the character encounters along the way shifting is a subtlety that ultimately improves the realism and imagery of the journey. With the contrast between the names at the character’s home and the names in a foreign place, the author takes the trip to a whole new level of detail, and improves the illusion of travel. Differentiating names through time in novels containing time travel as well is vital to fully immerse the reader in the setting.
That brings my first article in this character naming series to a close. This overview covered some vague basics, but get ready to really explore some more character naming tips and suggestions based on the role of the character. We’ll cover main characters and their endearing sidekicks next, but for now, that’s all!
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
What vital tips did I miss? Do you have a specific problem or naming dilemma that you’d like me to help with? Submit my form under the Contact tab!