There was a discussion this week on one of the mystery group lists about names. It really got me to thinking. Yes, what you name a character is important, not only to you but to your reader. You don’t even have to think much about it to know that. If you name a character Ethel, you have already sort of given me a discription. She’s old. You know it when you hear the name. She is one of those old ladies who wears flowered dresses and support hose to church, if she can still make it there.
And how about Bob? Sure kids are still named Robert but most of them go by Rob now just as boys named William usually go by Will. If you hear of a character named Bob, or Bill, you know the guy’s retired, don’t you? You can almost see him, his graying hair line receding, his stomach sticking out of his undershirt, answering the door.
But what got to me on the discussion about names on this writing list is the claim that the wrong name could make a reader put the book down. Really? Would you put a book down because the kid’s name was, say, Horatio Hornblower Howard? I mean, let’s face it, there are a lot of people out there who name their kids some really odd names. Songs have been written about that. (A boy named Sue) It seems believeable to me.
My grandmother named one of my uncles Raphael because she liked the name of the artist. No one ever called him anything but Ralph in my hearing but there you are. One of my other uncles was named Morant. I don’t know where she got that one. But I wouldn’t put down a book because of it.
It is amazing what a cycle this name thing is. When I named my eldest 20+ years ago, my mother wondered why I named her Melissa. In my Mom’s mind, that was an old woman’s name. So was Sarah, and Emma yet none of those names bring that picture to mind to me or anyone, I’d guess, under the age of 80. My mother’s own name, Mildred, on the other hand, is an old lady’s name. What goes around….
By Any Other Name
July 6, 2009 · 2 Comments
Categories: Writing · characters · names
Tagged: characters, names, old folks, reasons to put down a book, Writing
2 responses so far ↓
Amber Polo // July 6, 2009 at 2:14 am
My mom was Mildred, too. And grandmother Bertha. My parents gave me my father’s name and I finally changed it after age 50 after cringing every time I heard it. No I will not share that info.
I like to name characters in my fantasy stories with distinctive names that won’t get confused with ordinary people once they become icons
G // July 6, 2009 at 11:10 am
I find that to be very true.
One of the hardest things I’ve found while writing (besides a decent beginning) is to properly name my characters.
When I start thinking about names, usually whatever I come up with I immediately ask myself if I know an actual person who uses this name. If I do, then that usually torpedoe’s it in nothing flat.
So basically I find myself thinking about the semi-exotic names that people started giving their offspring in the late 80’s/early 90’s, and for the most part, they worked out well for me, usually because I can tie-in what my character is to what name they use.