TnT: Naming Characters

[pipisafoat]

I'm the kind of person who has to name the things around me, the things I use a lot. I also tend to use names that, um, aren't exactly normal. For example, my old computer was named Kaidon. I have various externals & the like named things like Jzaenya, Kalenye, and Evyenic (though this one is, apparently, spelled with Greek letters. Did I mention I don't speak Greek?). However, most of the time when I'm writing original characters, I give them pretty run-of-the-mill names. Sammy, Jessica, Jake, Brian....

How do you name your characters? Strange or common names, after someone you know, research into the meaning behind the names?

(Also, don't forget about submissions for the current challenge contest.)

Comments

[ex_pippin880]

Sometimes I just shuffle sounds around in my head until I have something I like (Alaris, Jetoira, Paldoran Veer nel Chivaster). Sometimes I take inspiratioon from existing names (Isaachary, Zelkrimbeloi Tembrenis Lashroze, Tressam (though I later found out it's an actual name). Sometimes I use existing names (Illya, Aoife Saoirse Venya Hughes, Farrel Sascha Turnstoat). Sometimes I try to make names that evoke an Earth society's language (Georgia Fidessa Edusa, Thomlie Amarkhos-Somiane, Pyphthadaemo). Sometimes I take inspiration from existing places or objects (Irian, Thyme Morgrave, Glass). Sometimes I use names that are a bit out of fashion (Tiffany for a boy, Iolanthe, Theodore). Occasionally I use common names (Samantha Meriabelle Baglin, Daniel, Roy).

I only choose names because of meanings when the character's parents would have done so.

I like naming characters a lot. :) I wish I could do fictional genealogy for a living...

[so_wordy]

The names I choose aren't usually too uncommon, but I don't like them to be run of the mill either. Most importantly, they have to "feel right" for the character.

After I name a character, I'll research it over at here. It's scary how much the planned character's personality matches the description sometimes.

Some examples of character names are: Dee, Maiya, Hailey, Roman, Marguerite, Alphonse. But, if the character has history (like in a Malakhim/angel story I have going on), there has to be a meaning behind the name. (i.e., Eluzai = warrior of God & Lysanias = that drives away sorrow).

Research is always a good thing. :)

[scarlet]

Wow, I could write an essay on this...

A lot of my characters are named after other characters/people that I like (whether currently or as a child). Sometimes - thought very rarely - I start out with a nickname and come up with a full name from there.

My strangest and most memorable naming incident was when I had to name an important male character. I remember going to bed fretting about the name of the character (because I knew it was important - as names usually are) and I thought to myself: "Gosh, I really need a good last name for this character." And I woke up in the morning with the line "Cavanaugh baby..." repeating over and over again in my head. Hence the character was called Damien Cavanaugh.

In my last major RPG, my main character was called Isabelle Sterling. I settled on 'Sterling' as her last name because I wanted something grand and rich and English. Isabelle was derived from 'Isabel O'Sullivan', a character in Enid Blyton's St. Clare series.

A character of mine who had a nickname before her name came to be is Casey. I wrote her as 'Casey' for some time before her full name of Anacacia was decided upon.

I always try to match my characters names to their backgrounds, etc. Both Damien and Isabelle are English. Anacacia is a character from a modern fantasy dalliance I sometimes work on...

The only "odd" object I've named (for a short time) is my iMac. I called it 'Bella' for awhile - after Isabelle Sterling - but soon got sick of explaining that it was in no way related to that god damn Twilight-thing... so I just call it 'Pomme' now.