How do you pick names? - Page 2

DArenson · 01-05-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AgentBEATS

I did a quick search and didn't find a topic so I How do you pick the names for characters in your writing?

I write fantasy. I try to consider the imaginary culture they're from, and give them names that match their language and background. I spend quite a while world building -- thinking about the history of my fantasy cultures, their way of life, and even their languages. I can then give my characters meaningful names that reflect their background.

David Munch · 01-09-2011, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRM

Sometimes, because I'm not German, I take a word like "weaver" and translate it to German ("Weber") and call that the surname. I'm not saying it's a *good* idea, just one I've used.

-David

Haha, that is great!

bthrowsnaill · 01-10-2011, 10:27 PM

Typically names just come to me, and often they suggest or are accompanied by a character profile to go with them. I've come up with some names like this and quickly forgotten them because I didn't write them down.
I try to fit these names/characters into whatever I'm writing, where possible.
My point here is that you can be successful by methodically generating names, but I think you can also "channel" them if you are willing to take the time to let them come to you over time.

bobavey · 01-11-2011, 01:54 PM

The names of characters just sort of come to me as I determine who they are. You know, how when you meet someone who's name is Betty, but you can never remember it, because she looks like a Sally.

G J Lau · 02-11-2011, 06:31 PM

I had to laugh when I read this. I obsessed over my main character's name, as well as the names of the other principals in the novel. Tried to find unique names. Can't be done, not if you use semi-normal names. Then after I came up with a name I liked I would audience test it and find myself back at the drawing board. the whole thing made me crazy.

After I got the main names set, though, I just made up names as I came to characters in the story. I did maintain a separate document where I listed all the names, along with critical dates in their back story. Had a hell of a time with birth dates. Oy!

jrlewis · 02-18-2011, 07:00 PM

I try to always use real names and not invent them. And still I have people saying, "I had trouble with all the fantasy names" and I have to say, "No, that's actually Amazigh, or Vietnamese, or Iranian."

I like to use baby naming sites, pick the appropriate nationality for the character, and then just start scrolling until something catches my eye. I have one criterion - Whatever it is, I have to be able to pronounce it.

mikeayers · 02-18-2011, 08:42 PM

I'm a reader, not a writer.
But I recently read a book where all the last names were from towns from eastern North Carolina. At first I thought it was cute, but by the end of the story I was way tired of it. I guess if I didn't know what they where I would have been alright with them....

crich70 · 02-18-2011, 11:50 PM

I think sometimes the name comes before the character. Of course there are books like "The Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook" or a multitude of Baby Names books out there to choose from as well. You can also consult the phone book. Take a 1st name from one person and a last from another. I understand that idea is especially good for when you set a story in a known area. I mean some names are common in a given area of the world.

Anke Wehner · 02-19-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRM

Sometimes, because I'm not German, I take a word like "weaver" and translate it to German ("Weber") and call that the surname. I'm not saying it's a *good* idea, just one I've used.

Well, makes perfect sense for German characters. German last names include ones based on jobs just like English (though the equivalent of "Fletcher" which doesn't seem uncommon in English, is nothing I encountered so far).
I know there was at least one kid in my class at school with the last name of Weber.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRM

In the US, there are even "most popular baby name" lists by year, going back to the 1930's. So I sometimes use the age of a character to pick a year to comb through. 20 year old girl? Popular girl names of 1990. 45 year old man? Popular boy names of 1965.

There's something like that for German first names, with the by-decade lists going back to the 1890: http://www.beliebte-vornamen.de/

Freeshadow · 02-19-2011, 11:59 AM

Anke, have you looked for both alternatives?
fletcher would be a basket- or an arrow maker

nicht nur "flechten", sondern auch (pfeile) befiedern

JJWestendarp · 02-19-2011, 12:02 PM

I go here for first names: http://www.babynames.com/

Then I go here for last names: http://names.mongabay.com/most_common_surnames.htm

Rinse and repeat as necessary. I usually try and grab a name from the middle of each list in order to get away from the common names.

TJager · 02-19-2011, 01:48 PM

I have to have names that I like in my books. I usually look through baby name sites or books for first names and phone books for last names.

HistoryWes · 02-20-2011, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonroyle

In some cases I choose based upon people who have screwed me over at some time in my life...

These characters always meet a grisly end

Ha! I've done that too! Notably several characters that are fantasy stand-ins for Nazis-- one of whom gets eaten by a tyrranosaurus.

Anke Wehner · 02-20-2011, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Anke, have you looked for both alternatives?
fletcher would be a basket- or an arrow maker

nicht nur "flechten", sondern auch (pfeile) befiedern

Do you have a reliable source for the idea that "fletcher" has anything to do with baskets?
Everywhere I look, "fletcher" means "someone who makes arrows (and/or possibly bows)". It refers to the feather vanes, called fletchings...
Nothing to do with "flechten" that I can find. Korbflechten is "basket weaving".

But while looking up the definition I came across the "arrowsmith" as a synonym/definition, and "Pfeilschmidt" does exist as a German last name, so, yeah, my gut feeling was wrong.

Hobby language nerd, don't mind me.

Lirael · 02-20-2011, 08:59 AM

I have such trouble with names, my characters usually either go through a name change or have a placeholder nickname until I can come up with one that fits. I mostly write fantasy. Usually I'll try to make up some basic phonetic rules for whatever culture the character's from and throw some sounds together based on that until I come up with something. For non-fantasy I love love love behindthename.com - so useful!

Foreign words (with appropriate meanings) can be cool, as well as providing kind of a 'bonus' for people who actually speak the language. One thing I'd advise people to be wary of, though, is taking random words from foreign languages and making them names - it sounds great until someone actually speaks that language and your characters are named things like "Table", "Rug" and "Lamp"! I read a story like that once, and just couldn't take it seriously at all.

02-18-2011, 11:50 PM	#23
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,305 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I think sometimes the name comes before the character. Of course there are books like "The Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook" or a multitude of Baby Names books out there to choose from as well. You can also consult the phone book. Take a 1st name from one person and a last from another. I understand that idea is especially good for when you set a story in a known area. I mean some names are common in a given area of the world. Last edited by crich70; 02-18-2011 at 11:52 PM.

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01-10-2011, 10:27 PM	#18
bthrowsnaill Dreamer Posts: 112 Karma: 501282 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Philadelphia, PA Device: kindle	Typically names just come to me, and often they suggest or are accompanied by a character profile to go with them. I've come up with some names like this and quickly forgotten them because I didn't write them down. I try to fit these names/characters into whatever I'm writing, where possible. My point here is that you can be successful by methodically generating names, but I think you can also "channel" them if you are willing to take the time to let them come to you over time.

01-11-2011, 01:54 PM	#19
bobavey Bob Avey Posts: 117 Karma: 501082 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Device: none	The names of characters just sort of come to me as I determine who they are. You know, how when you meet someone who's name is Betty, but you can never remember it, because she looks like a Sally.

02-11-2011, 06:31 PM	#20
G J Lau Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 415116 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Frederick MD Device: Nook	I had to laugh when I read this. I obsessed over my main character's name, as well as the names of the other principals in the novel. Tried to find unique names. Can't be done, not if you use semi-normal names. Then after I came up with a name I liked I would audience test it and find myself back at the drawing board. the whole thing made me crazy. After I got the main names set, though, I just made up names as I came to characters in the story. I did maintain a separate document where I listed all the names, along with critical dates in their back story. Had a hell of a time with birth dates. Oy!

02-18-2011, 07:00 PM	#21
jrlewis SF/F Author Posts: 160 Karma: 349656 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: Adobe Digital Editions	I try to always use real names and not invent them. And still I have people saying, "I had trouble with all the fantasy names" and I have to say, "No, that's actually Amazigh, or Vietnamese, or Iranian." I like to use baby naming sites, pick the appropriate nationality for the character, and then just start scrolling until something catches my eye. I have one criterion - Whatever it is, I have to be able to pronounce it.

02-18-2011, 08:42 PM	#22
mikeayers Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 432377 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle PW 10thGen, Kobo Clara HD	I'm a reader, not a writer. But I recently read a book where all the last names were from towns from eastern North Carolina. At first I thought it was cute, but by the end of the story I was way tired of it. I guess if I didn't know what they where I would have been alright with them....

02-19-2011, 11:59 AM	#25
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,793 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	Anke, have you looked for both alternatives? fletcher would be a basket- or an arrow maker nicht nur "flechten", sondern auch (pfeile) befiedern

02-19-2011, 12:02 PM	#26
JJWestendarp Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 3	I go here for first names: http://www.babynames.com/ Then I go here for last names: http://names.mongabay.com/most_common_surnames.htm Rinse and repeat as necessary. I usually try and grab a name from the middle of each list in order to get away from the common names.

02-19-2011, 01:48 PM	#27
TJager Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 510020 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: TX Device: Kindle	I have to have names that I like in my books. I usually look through baby name sites or books for first names and phone books for last names.

02-20-2011, 08:59 AM	#30
Lirael Moomin Posts: 137 Karma: 202147 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: Sony PRS-350	I have such trouble with names, my characters usually either go through a name change or have a placeholder nickname until I can come up with one that fits. I mostly write fantasy. Usually I'll try to make up some basic phonetic rules for whatever culture the character's from and throw some sounds together based on that until I come up with something. For non-fantasy I love love love behindthename.com - so useful! Foreign words (with appropriate meanings) can be cool, as well as providing kind of a 'bonus' for people who actually speak the language. One thing I'd advise people to be wary of, though, is taking random words from foreign languages and making them names - it sounds great until someone actually speaks that language and your characters are named things like "Table", "Rug" and "Lamp"! I read a story like that once, and just couldn't take it seriously at all.

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