Writers Row discussion

Ideally names suit their characters. If you're writing about people from a particular time or location their names should reflect that.

If you're looking further afield for names you might look in the dictionary for terms that describe your characters then take the root forms of those terms and think about them. They may suggest some names.

Stephanie Meyer who wrote the twilight sagas says that in her first drafts Edward and Bella were simply "he" and "she" She found the name Edward from taking Jane AUsten and one of the Brontes books. Isabella was a girl's name that she'd decided on for a daughter but she's had only sons. She claims to have combed old birth records to find other names that were frequently given when her characters would have been born. Hence, Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle and Jasper.

Finally, you might take names similar to cities in a particular geographic region. I grew up near Owosso MI and have a character in a short story named Owen based on that. The story also contains an Elsie (which is a nearby town)

Hope that gives you some ideas.

wow Stephen! I also just sort of take random syllables and but them together and make up my own names. In the story I'm currently writing the names are really weird: Utr, Jaiju, Lazi, Alute, Radte, Pila, Opadé, Sludo. But then again they're not from Earth.

Avi (Dra•ja) wrote: "... but then again they're not from Earth"

See, you are following my advice. Your names reflect where they're from.

But I wasn't really thinking about that, just making up random things. I think Sera and Lio are the only semi-normal names. :P

If you're interested you should check out a few chapters of my writing at http://www.goodreads.com/story/list/9...

I'm always looking for constructive and/or kind criticism and any ideas and/or questions that you have would be appreciated.

When I think of names, I usually take names that exsist and bend them a bit. Change the spelling. So, Molly would turn into Moli. Alex would become Alec. Don would be Daun.

yea I like that…the same but diffferent.

Like Kristen became Kristan. Diana; Diena. Mystery; Mistry. Brandon; Brendon. Eric; Erik. Those are just from the Music Rp. lol.

I know. I don't usually use last names... but when I do... Gah!

yeah, I know what you mean.

Eh wrote: "...Some of the hardest names that you have to come up with are last names."

At the turn of the FIRST millenium, it was uncommon for folks to HAVE last names, except for the nobility. When last names started to be used more commonly people would often adopt the name of the place that they were from or include who their father was (Hence all the names ending in son) Another option was to include their trade. Hence, Carter, Smith, Baker, Gardener, Cook et. al.

But some were more obscure can you place the following with their trades?

Cooper
Fletcher
Mason
Thatcher

Stephen wrote: "If you're interested you should check out a few chapters of my writing at http://www.goodreads.com/story/list/9...

I'm always looking for constructive and/or kind criticism and any ideas and/o..."

i looooved this!

A couple of years ago I wrote two chapter books, and my Mom bound them with her college skills. (They weren't incredibly good, and my writing is totally different now so I haven't posted them.) But anyhoo, it was a fantasy, and I came up with a theme for the fantasy creatures, giving them names of trees/herbs/flowers etc. Just a thought, since Stephen mentioned themeing the names... I don't do that so much now, though.

That sounds like a great idea. I use similar themes. Once though, I went with an alphabeltical theme.

Makes sense.

Anvi... I like that :)

I turn on the telly with the sound down and that's how i get tons of ideas about tons of things. I also 'people watch'. you know, go to a shop or cafe or whatever and just watch the people and then write about what they ,ake you think. I'm posting my first totally observational description, tell me if it's any good. (It's about his Royal Sexiness, Cullen)

My friend's name is Jordan Rain.

Craziness!!!

Eh wrote: "Nowadays there are crazy names... I guess you can make something weird and then get away with it. Especially some people I know, their names are always mispronounced."

I know what you mean about names being mispronounced. Mine is said wrong like all the time.

For me, I try to make a name fit the character. For example, I have this character that is really kind of strange, so I came up with an off the wall name. Now all that's left is a last name...do you guys have any suggestions? It just has to be plain, not off the wall like her first name.

Eh wrote: "Nowadays there are crazy names... I guess you can make something weird and then get away with it. Especially some people I know, their names are always mispronounced."

who??

Eh wrote: "What's her first name?"

Mystery. And her dad's name is Tobias, so it kind of has to go with that too.

Maybe. Mystery Marks, sounds pretty cool.

Sarah, Sabrina if its a girl.
Sampson, Samuel if its a boy.
I can't think of anymore...

what name?

cool!

That's pretty cool...and original too.

Laurena wrote: "Eh wrote: "Nowadays there are crazy names... I guess you can make something weird and then get away with it. Especially some people I know, their names are always mispronounced."

I know what you..."

How's it pronounced?

La-ree-na but people always say Loraina, or Larena. It's weird. Sometimes they'll just stick an a on the end of Lauren, making Lauren-a.

Oh, I'd never've gottenthat right! Okay, maybe after a few tries. But it certainly would've taken me a bit....

It's fine. I'm used to it by now.

;) Many apologies

Thanks.

i like the way you say it better those other ways. it sounds cooler

Thanks again.

Mirj

randomly thought of that as a name.