Quirky Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

You have a lot of choices when it comes to figuring out a character’s name. You can go with a first name that’s popular or common—one that everyone has heard before. Or you can go with something that’s a little more unique.

What exactly makes a name quirky or unique? It could mean different things depending on the name. There are plenty of names out there that aren’t as common as others. A unique name could just be one that you’ve heard of maybe a few times, but isn’t quite as popular as those names you tend to hear every day. Some names may be more common in different places, but unheard of in others. And there’s always the option of creating a brand new name, which could work depending on your genre or your character’s backstory.

So why would you want your character to have a quirky name? The good thing about a unique name is that it will stand out. People will remember it. It’s a great way to have your main character stand out right from the very beginning, and it may just give your character a little something extra to their personality.

The bad thing about a unique name is pretty much the same as the good thing. It’s going to stand out, meaning that people could question it if it’s really out there. This probably won’t be a problem if it’s just a name that’s fairly uncommon. If you choose a name that no one’s ever heard of, though, you’ll probably need to address it. The reader will want to know where this name came from and how it affects your character’s life. How does he/she deal with having this name? Is it something she embraces or does she hate it? A unique name could impact how a character sees herself.

FUN TIP: If you do want a unique name for your main character, it may be a good idea to give your supporting characters more average names. Your main character’s name will be more memorable than the others’, and it will make the characters more believable. If you think of the names of all the people you know—how many of those names are unique vs. average? There could be a mix, but there are probably more common names in that group. You’ll want your group of characters to be the same.   

Do you prefer quirky or common names? Have you ever made up a name? 

Popular Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

There are so many different things that can influence how you choose a character's name. You may want to choose a name that is unique and interesting, or you may want to choose one that is more common and believable. It will all depend on who you want your character to be and the kind of story you’re writing. One thing you can take into consideration is how popular a name is.

Think about the first names that were popular when you were growing up. When I was in school, there were a lot of Ashleys, Brittanys, and Michaels, for instance. A popular name will probably come to mind first if you just try and think of a random name, because it’s probably something that you’ve heard over and over again. The more people who have a particular name, the more popular it is.

When it comes to naming your fictional characters, knowing which names are popular may help you figure it out. If your book takes place in a particular year, knowing which names were popular is important. Even if you want a unique name for your main character, you still have plenty of other characters who need names. Giving them popular or common names may make your cast of characters seem more realistic. If every single character has a unique or strange name, the reader could be thrown off. Popular names occur in real life, so they should probably occur in your story.

FUN TIP: The Social Security Administration keeps track of name trends in the US. If you want to see which names have been popular from year to year, check out their website!

So what causes trends in name popularity? Pop culture can be a HUGE influence on what people name their babies. If a TV show or movie is particularly popular, new parents often jump on the bandwagon and name their children after its characters. For instance, the name Arya was at #942 in the US in 2010. In 2013 it had risen to #277. Game of Thrones premiered in 2011. Coincidence? Not even a little bit. 

Movies, television, and books are constantly influencing name trends. The name Luke started to rise in popularity after the first Star Wars movie was released, and has been popular ever since. Willow gained popularity after Buffy the Vampire Slayer first premiered. Official 2014 numbers aren’t out yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Elsa is in the top 100 after the popularity of Frozen.

You can, of course, name your characters after other characters, although this can be tricky. But just knowing what names are popular can help you figure it out, whether you want a popular name, or even if you want one that isn't...

Do you choose popular names for your characters? Come back on Monday for pretty much the exact opposite of this post...

Other Things that Need Names

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

Today we're going to play a little bonus level of The Name Game. This post isn't about naming characters, but about other things that may be in your stories that also need names. We've talked about people and animals, but what about all of the various objects that go by specific names? Coming up with names for these things could be as hard or even harder than deciding on a character name. Here are just some possible examples of things that you may want to name in a story. 

Places. If you create a fictional setting, you may need to name a town, country, or even a planet. Plenty of buildings and businesses will also need names: schools, stores, restaurants.

Groups and Organizations. Clubs and teams will most likely need names. If you’re creating a fantasy or even a cult story, you may need to name a religion. BAND NAMES (I still haven’t come up with a name for Jordan’s band. I’m avoiding it because I don’t need it right now and it’s the hardest thing ever.). And evil organizations, of course. 

Body Parts.  I know your mind just went straight to the gutter, but let’s not forget things like fists or muscles. Obnoxious? Yes. But do people do it sometimes? Yup!

Vehicles. Boats usually have names. So do spaceships if you’re writing Sci-Fi. Some people even name their cars (I named my car after a character in my favorite musical! Because that's normal, right??). 

Weapons. Lots of people name their guns, knives, and other weapons.

Other Inanimate Objects. Your computer, laptop, or phone might have a name (most likely so you can yell it when there are technical difficulties). Children will usually name their stuffed animals and other toys (I had over 300 stuffed animals and they all had names…and I knew every last one of them).

Really, anything could have a name if you wanted it to. You could have a character who names every dish, utensil, and piece of furniture, although that may get a bit confusing keeping track of all those names. Some of these things like places or organizations really should have a name if you want it to seem realistic, whereas something like a car or gun could just be an interesting character quirk. 

How do you come up with names for places or groups? Do you have names for any random objects?

Nicknames

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

Pretty much everyone has had a nickname at some point in their lives, whether it was something your friends called you in high school, or just your significant other calling you “honey.” There are so many different ways to get a nickname, whether you love it, hate it, or just put up with it. Choosing nicknames for your fictional characters can make a huge impact on your readers. You can pick something that is significant to the character and shows who he is and how he lives his life.

A nickname can hold a lot more meaning than a first name. It’s most likely chosen or created by someone close to the person or even the person himself. It can be reflective of his personality, or something that he has done or has happened to him. A character’s actual name would be chosen by his parents before he’s even born. A nickname, however, is usually something that holds meaning to who he actually is as a person. It can come from his physical characteristics (like hair color or body type), his occupation, or where he comes from. Really, the possibilities for nicknames are endless.

There are plenty of ways to use nicknames within your story. Your character could already have it before the story begins, or something could happen during the story that causes its creation. Maybe something embarrassing happens that creates a nickname that continues to haunt him. Nicknames could be good or bad. A person’s friends might give him a nicer nickname, whereas people who aren’t that close to him could call him something derogatory. A nickname can be a great source of emotion for your character. If he hates it and has to deal with it on a daily basis, then that could just be another thing he has to work through during the course of the story. 

When you choose a nickname for your character, think about why he needs it, who gave it to him, and how he responds to it. All of these things will factor in to how significant the nickname turns out to be in your story.

Terms of endearment are another form of nicknames you can use. If you have a couple in your story, they most likely won’t refer to each other by their first names all of the time. They’d be more likely to use something like “baby,” “honey,” or “sweetie.” These terms are just something that will make the characters feel more realistic, because using them is something that we all tend to do. It’s also just something that hopefully the reader will find adorable when they picture these characters interacting.

WHAT I’VE DONE: Surprisingly, I haven’t thrown in too many nicknames into my fiction, but a few terms of endearment do pop up now and then. Tom repeatedly calls Jordan “gorgeous” in UL. In real life, my fiancé and I call each other “sweetie” and he calls me “princess,” as well.

Have you ever given one of your characters a nickname? What do you call your significant other? 

Middle Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

Most of these posts have been about first names, and yesterday I talked about giving your characters last names. Now there’s just one portion of a person’s full name that’s left: the middle name! Like the last name, the middle name isn’t always necessary to have for your fictional characters. It isn’t usually something that will pop up very often within the story. But it does help you form a stronger identity for your characters.

Middle names aren’t all that likely to show up within a story. Like real life, they’ll probably be used mostly when you’re in trouble with your parents. When you hear your full name, you know things are serious. Whatever reason you have for using a character’s middle name will vary from story to story. A character’s middle name can mean nothing, or it can be very significant, whether it’s through symbolism or just family backstory.

If you don’t end up actually using the middle name, choosing one can still be fun. Your character will feel more real to you because you know his entire name. So how do you choose one? A middle name can be something traditional within a family. The middle name Elizabeth has been passed down from my mother to my sister to my niece. I got my paternal grandmother’s middle name. Another common tradition is using the mother’s maiden name as a middle name. Or you can just choose whatever middle name you’d like. It can be as random or as significant as you’d like it to be.

You’ll want to think about how the whole name flows together—first, middle, and last. Choose something that sounds good and feels right to you for this character. There are plenty of possibilities when choosing your character’s middle name. Some people have more than one middle name. Historically, having a very long name shows a higher rank in society. Some people choose to go by their middle name rather than their first. Maybe your character hates his first name or is named after a family member he wants to forget. Middle names don’t have to be useless for a character. They can hold some significance as well.

WHAT I’VE DONE: I’ve only given four of my characters middle names, but for some reason, Jordan’s was the hardest to come up with (he couldn’t just tell me because he wanted to be a jerk, apparently. *snort* Muses…). For a while I knew I wanted it to start with an M and eventually settled on Mason, and created a whole backstory for it as well. Mason was his grandfather’s name and would have been his, too, if his grandmother had her way. Since his mother hates her parents, she never uses his middle name. I can picture her starting to yell at him, screaming, “Jordan M—” then getting thrown off and forgetting what he had done to get in trouble in the first place.

Do you give your characters middle names? Where did your middle name come from? 

Last Names

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

When it comes to naming a character, the first name is most likely going to be the most important thing for you to figure out. But if you look at your characters as if they were real people, then their first names really only make up part of what their full names should be. And if you want your character to feel like a real person, then he should have a last name. 

Of course, last names usually won't be as important as figuring out the first name. It won't be used as often. Depending on the character, it may not be used at all. Every single character who pops up in your book doesn't necessarily need a last name. It would probably be distracting trying to keep track of all of them. Your minor characters probably don't need them, but it's probably a good idea to give last names to your main characters. It may come up, and it may not, but it's good to have it in the back of your mind. 

You probably won't be as passionate about a character's last name as you will be about their first, and that's perfectly fine. It doesn't always make up a huge part of their identity like a first name does. It can be something common or generic and still not make the character seem boring. What it really does is make them feel like a real person. Even if you don't use the last name, it's a good idea to know it so they feel more real, more concrete in your mind. And if you need to sneak it in somewhere, then you already have the name on hand and don't have to spend a lot of time searching for one. 

FUN TIP: Can't come up with a last name? If you've got a phone book lying around (yes, they still exist...), close your eyes, pick a random page, and point your finger somewhere on the page. If you like the last name you land on, use it! 

So when will you actually use a last name within a story? Some people go by their last names more often than their first. At my last job, pretty much everyone called me Foster. So whether your character goes by his first or last name can depend on where he is and who he's with. His family will most likely use his first name (or his full name if he's getting yelled at, but more on that tomorrow...), but maybe some of his friends call him by his last name. 

It can also come up when mentioning family members. If your MC's parents are constantly being referred to as Mr. and Mrs., then obviously you need to know your MC's last name. You'll want a last name that actually fits with the first. They shouldn't have similar letters or sounds, or both have a ridiculous amount of syllables. You'll really just want them to flow together, to actually sound like a name that someone would have. 

WHAT I'VE DONE: I only gave the two main characters in Uneven Lines last names (plus the MC's mom, of course). One of Jordan's friends, Brian, pretty much always calls him by his last name, Palmer. I don't even know why. He's just one of those guys, I guess. 

Do you give your characters last names? Has anyone ever called you by your last name? 

Killing the Name

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

Sometimes a character’s name comes to you right away. Other times you have to research it, go through countless lists of names before you find the right one. No matter what works for you, at some point you will choose a name for your character and you’ll start writing. Sometimes, though, you may discover that the name you chose is no longer working, and you have to change it. This can be devastating, but if you feel it’s necessary, it may be the only choice to make.

There are plenty of reasons why a name won’t work for a particular character. If the names of all of your characters have too many similarities (same number of syllables, starting with the same letter), it may be smart to mix this up a bit (I’ll have a whole other post on this subject for the letter V). Maybe the name is too similar to someone you know or someone famous. Or maybe the name just doesn’t feel right. Every time you write it, it just feels off. It doesn’t fit the way you picture this particular character.

There’s also other people’s perspective on the name to consider. If you have one person read your work and they don’t like a name, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to change it, unless they give you a good reason. If everyone you have read it hates the name, and their reasoning makes sense to you, then you probably should take it into consideration. Ultimately, though, the choice to kill a name is totally up to you. If you love a name and think it’s working, then stick with it.

WHAT I’VE DONE: I actually need to rename a character who is in my sequel ideas for Uneven Lines. The drummer in Jordan’s band so far has been named Joe, but I thought having two characters’ names start with the same two letters wasn’t going to work (and I certainly wasn’t going to rename Jordan!). I’ll probably pick another one syllable name, since the other two guys in the band also have two syllables in their names (Eric and Adam).  

It can be difficult to change a character’s name when you’ve already grown accustomed to it. A secondary character may not cause you as much grief as a main one, but there is still a process to work through. You’ll have to consider everything about this character’s identity. Why wasn’t the name working? What sort of name will work? Will the new name go well with the other characters’ names? It may take a while to find that one perfect name, but it’s out there and you can find it.  

It’s kind of like ripping off a Band-Aid. Once you know you have to change the name, try to figure out the replacement as soon as possible. You don’t want to dwell on the decision or you may second guess it. Also, be sure any mentions of the original name are replaced with the new one. Do a search in your documents to find and replace them. You don’t want your character’s old name haunting your story like a ghost!

Have you ever had to change a character’s name? Why did it need to change?