Showing posts with label character naming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label character naming. Show all posts

Monday, June 14, 2010

What's in a Name?



As a reader...

... I like a character's name to either be "fitting" (it suits the character somehow) or deliberately ill-fitting (for example, an ugly person named Beauty). 

... I don't like characters with similar names (for example, Henry and Harry). 

... I'm also getting pretty tired of female main characters being given traditionally male names. I guess this is supposed to suggest that they are in touch with their masculine side? Or maybe it's supposed to attract male readers?

Fellow Readers: 
Do the names of the characters in books matter to you?
Do you have any pet peeves about the way authors name characters? 
Should a character's name somehow reflect or relate to his or her personality or purpose in the book?


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As a writer...

... I use a lot of different sources for names, and I do try to choose "suitable" names. 

... I also try to avoid using the same initial letter for more than two characters' names, especially if they are prominent characters.

Fellow Writers:
How do you name your characters? 
What tips, tricks, or techniques have you learned about naming characters?
What sources do you use?