Names for characters are often a struggle. there are a few issues that come into play when naming a character.
First, the character might have an appropriate name. It might be symbolic or ironic. For example, a nerd might need to be named Egbert. Unless an ironic name would be better suited, like Romeo. And with dozens of characters, there has to be a balance.
After all, everyone can’t have a name that is too cool. My main characters in the Dixon-Prince series are Jonathon “Jack” Dixon and Amy Prince-Dixon. Those are pretty normal seeming names. But, Gunny, Duke and Gino all have more symbolic names.
In the cases where I am using a “normal” name, I run into issues as well.
I wrote several chapters on one of the books I am working on. I had a name that I was liking… it fit the character. I combined the names of a couple of people I know… first from one, last from another… and ran with it. Until someone in my FB Friends list got married and ended up with the same name. (technically a friend of a friend)
Geez.
Ok, back to the drawing board. I mean, technically, it didn’t matter. The names I used didn’t mean anything except to me. I changed the names… both of them… and tried to rekindle the character. It took me a little while. There was no good reason for it to take a while. But it did.
It’s ok, though. It was probably better than having someone I might know think I am using them as a character, especially when they are VERY much not the character.
There are others that very much ARE the characters. They generally aren’t central to the story, but are colorful additions to give depth. Terry Gates, from several Dixon-Prince and other books, is probably the most prominent. That isn’t his real life name, but the person is quite real… although still fictionalized. Heather Jackson from Lies and Omissions is another. Heather is one that I am still friends with. That’s also not her name. Nicole Dixon-Richter from Unknown Caller is another.
When I am working with real people or fictionalized events, I change the names… usually a lot. I don’t want them getting the wrong idea (that I like or don’t like them more or less than I really do). That is why I seldom want people to know there is a character based on them. It gets messy.
I have only told a couple of people about their characters… but those are people that would have figured it out pretty easily, AND have an interest in reading my books… AND, I know where to find them. And I only tell them. They are close enough friends that they won’t get the wrong idea.
Aside from that, I might use a character name generator. There are numerous examples a search away on the web. I usually end of modifying them, though. I will start with the name, but then change it as I see their personality emerge. “Find/Replace” is an awesome tool. It is great for longer names, too. I can type a stub like ABD and then sub in Anastasia after I have written most of the story. Makes it much faster to type.
Those are a few of my naming secrets…
