Tuesday, 2 April 2013

A-Z of Writing - B

 


One of my favourite parts of writing is developing characters and I love picking out names. I sometimes use online name generators or popular baby names lists but I also have a trusy baby name book. I've had this book since I was about 13 and it cost 50p - bargain! I like how I can flick through the book and pick a page at random or match a character with the meaning or origin of a name.

The funny thing is, it was NO USE at all when it came to naming my oldest daughter (her name isn't even in there).

How do you decide on names for characters?


 
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18 comments:

  1. Anonymous2 April 2013 at 09:05

    I find names quite difficult. Often names of people I know can creep in, though obviously not the traits of the people, or I'd be in real trouble! I tend to look at the credits on TV programmes I'm watching and get some idea's from there.

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    1. Jennifer Joyce2 April 2013 at 11:22

      I look out for names in the credits too, particularly surnames.

      Delete
  2. Unknown2 April 2013 at 09:08

    Absolutely me too! I remember from literally the minute the blue line (or pink dot in my case) appeared on the pregnancy test I was picking names. That failed as we actually changed our minds when we saw both our boys, we'd picked Kane for the eldest and Bradley for youngest. They turned out Elliot and Ciaran!
    I love picking character names but I've been known to change them as often!

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    1. Jennifer Joyce2 April 2013 at 11:34

      Our oldest didn't have a name for a couple of days (because we didn't have 9 months to choose one *rolls eyes at herself*)

      With my last book, I wrote the 90,000 word first draft before deciding my two MCs didn't suit their names and changed them in the second draft.

      Delete
  3. Nick Wilford2 April 2013 at 13:45

    My characters often go unnamed for a very long time. Then something just arrives and tends to stick.

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    1. Jennifer Joyce2 April 2013 at 21:30

      I like it when you find *the* name. Feels like it was always meant to be.

      Delete
  4. Jean Davis2 April 2013 at 13:46

    I usually gather names from movie and tv credits. If that fails, I pick a starting letter and then play around with the keyboard until a name clicks.

    Those baby name books didn't help when it came to naming my kids either. :)

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    1. Jennifer Joyce2 April 2013 at 21:34

      Baby names books are rubbish for actual baby names, aren't they?

      Delete
  5. Francene Stanley2 April 2013 at 14:05

    Once, I flicked through a television program magazine and chose a name for my character from one that sounded right.

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    1. Jennifer Joyce2 April 2013 at 21:37

      I've never used a tv magazine before *adds to list for future use*

      Delete
  6. Kate2 April 2013 at 15:02

    I love coming up with names too, but I actually find it one of the most difficult parts in writing a story. The name has to be JUST right. One of my new favorite baby name books is Hello: My Name is Pabst.

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    1. Jennifer Joyce2 April 2013 at 21:38

      I can sit there for hours choosing a name and yet sometimes the 'right' name pops out straight away.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous3 April 2013 at 01:49

    I've got a few baby name books scattered around the house (my wife and I have three little girls)and I definitely dip in and out of them for character names (if I don't just go along with a nameless first person narrator or with third-person speaking in pronouns.) Occasionally I choose characters' first names with the names' meanings being what I'm interested in - but I do try and make it a bit cryptic, I'm not going to call a barrel maker Cooper, or an archer Fletcher!

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    1. Jennifer Joyce3 April 2013 at 14:09

      I know what you mean. I hope I'm a bit more subtle than that too.

      Delete
  8. Rosanna C. Rogacion3 April 2013 at 11:35

    I'm a feature writer, but I've attempted fiction writing a few times. The names just seemed to float in the air and I grabbed it. Not too methodical, I suppose :-)

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  9. Anna Tan4 April 2013 at 16:26

    I own a baby name book. My friends think it's funny since I'm still single.

    Sometimes it's easier to google names though. You get a lot of related names in the list. :)

    anna
    Deeply Shallow

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