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Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/12834-Five-Questions-for-Character-Naming.html
Short Stories: November 13, 2024 Issue [#12834]




 This week: Five Questions for Character Naming
  Edited by: NaNoNette Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

"Naming is one of my favorite parts of novel writing. Naming places and things, and especially naming all the characters. Once I give my character a name, they come to life." ~ Gina Sorell


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Letter from the editor

Five Questions for Character Naming


Whether you have trouble coming up with names or you want the character names to mean something, start by asking yourself these five questions.

1. Who is your audience?

2. What do you want to communicate with the name?

3. Is there an attitude or spirit that you want to convey through the name choice?

4. Do you want the name to help with foreboding about the essence of the character?

5. Which ethnic group or nationality do you want to represent?

Now that you have narrowed your options, you can do some research. A logical place are top ten or top 100 baby name lists for the different centuries or decades. Sometimes, at least in the USA, it makes sense to look for top baby names in certain states. For instance, it's likely that the top ten baby names in California are different from the top ten in Alabama. Similar differences appear probably in all large countries with different regions.

Another place to look is in books and short stories. Read a few pages and focus on the character names. Without reading their backstory, what does each name make you feel?

Does Alec feel intelligent but nerdy because: smart alec?

Does Clarissa feel like she knows what's up because she has clarity?

Does Valentine feel romantic but also threatening because his name starts with V?

If the names in your stories mean nothing at all, should you revisit that? Could it be that you're missing out on an easy way to give your characters, well, character without having to tell the reader too much about them?

Unless your uncle's name is Voldemort and you have only good memories of him, including the name as part of the character description is a good starting point to build an image, texture, an idea, and a general feeling about one of your characters.

What is your go-to method for naming characters?


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Ask & Answer

Replies to my last Short Stories newsletter "Talk About Talking" Open in new Window. that asked Why can't the queen, the president, and the prime minster agree on commas?

Lilli 🧿 ☕ Author Icon wrote: Fantastic newsletter, Annette!

Thank you! *Smile*

W.D.Wilcox Author Icon wrote: These are such good rules to live by . . . or die by.

These rules are some of the least flexible, which is why I find them very comforting.

Quick-Quill Author Icon wrote: This was helpful.

Thank you for telling me. I like my newsletters to be helpful.

G. B. Williams Author Icon wrote: Thank you for this month's talking about talking. It was a great refresher with examples.

Thank you for reading and for finding something useful here.


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