The Name Game

Written By Harry

Names have magic. Some primitive cultures believed that to give your name was to give another person power over you. And tales mention that if you ever meet a demon, you should try calling it by it’s true name and see what happens.

I believe names do have power. If chosen correctly, names help define your character. A poor name falls flat. When I choose names for characters, I spend hours cruising sites on names and looking through various language books for the name that fits just right.

Brainstorming through words helps. So do watching movies and reading books. Even billboards can give you good naming ideas.

Take Jake Verona from the game boards at Escaping Reality, for example. The first name was an easy choice. I’ve always liked the name Jake. It’s my nephew’s name, after all. But I was at a loss for a last name. Nothing seemed to fit.

Then while cruising home from Costco several months ago I saw a billboard for a new development of condominiums in the area. There it was: Verona.

Some Naming Silliness

I never intended to get too deep or serious with this post. I really just wanted to write out a meme. So, here’s something fun for each of you. Find your special names by filling out the prompts and have a laugh. Drop your answers in the comment section if you feel like it!

Who knows? Maybe you’ll get your next great character name out of it.

1. Your rock star name (your pet, current car): Lakota X (VTX1800 is a little too sci-fi)

2. Your gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Phish Food Steel Toe (ugh)

3. Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal): Red Wolf (wasn’t that a beer?)

4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Connar Lawrence (now we’re getting somewhere)

5. Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, the first two letters of your first name): Oed Ha (I prefer Darth Reason)

6. Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Black Colada (What the hell kind of super powers would this guy have? Commanding a legion of African Sparrows and dropping coconuts on the citizens of Metropolis?)

7. NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): Frank John (meh)

8. Stripper name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Polo Snickers (ok, Snickers aren’t my favorite, but it was funny.)

10. TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Sorry, going to have to pass on this one. I can’t remember my 5th grade teacher’s name.

11. Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Do pagan holidays count? Pass.

12. Cartoon name (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Cantaloupe T-shirt (huh?)

13. Hippie name (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Scrambled Egg Sequoia

Seriously though…

Naming characters really does take a lot of thought and consideration, unless you’re building a red shirt. Put as much effort into finding the right name as you would with all the other details of your novel or character concept.

Your characters are your children, so name them well.

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Posted on August 28, 2008 
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