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Finding a proper name for your characters is not such a difficult task. Mind you for some it will be and others it will be easier.
You need to see in your mind's eye - what this character is like - but at the end of the day, research is what is best. Example, most of my characters are acting based on their birth date. Therefore, I would chose a name according to birth date, zodiac signs and the like.
Finally, unless you're writing for Children and Lady Butternut is a wee old granny that loves butter and is nutty at times - then that is satisfactory. She may not fit all that well or be taken seriously as a Crime Stopper. Just do some research and write down on a separate piece of paper the how and what makes this person/character tick - then check out the endless lists online of Baby Names with matching feeling, description, meaning - also very important - try to find a name that fits the time-frame of your writing, a name such as Basil was popular quite a while ago but if you are writing a story happening now - Andrew might be a wee bit more appropriate.
Take time to decide - although if you're a natural writer - then names will come to you simply as just putting pen to paper with the ideas within your imagination. I hope this helps! And write me a line if you're stuck with naming a character - I'll try my best.
CeDany
BB
Comments
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE thinking of names.
Pete's a good one.
B-)
*looks in Pete file*
I ended up marrying a cock, too. I think I shall pronounce it 'co'...
:-*
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0160106/
*thinks it's a small world*
Since reading that interview I've bought and watched the match on DVD and Mike is wrong - Kenneth pronounces his name correctly for the first nine minutes then says he's been handed a piece of paper to tell him it should be pronounced Trebilco.
You don't need their permission, provided that what you are saying is true and you could prove it to be. They may still not like it though, and they could possibly take you to court (which would be a pain for you and the publisher even if they were unlikely to win). You could also lose friends.
Even if what you are saying is, in your opinion, nice and/or innocuous, they may not view it that way.
You could include the information without using names, but if the people were recognisable, then the same applies.
My advice would be, unless you have very strong reasons for including them AND you are confident that you are not libelling them, leave them out.
(This is my personal opinion, BTW, other may have different views.)
Oddly enough I don't have much trouble names places in my stories. Just people.
My sister went to school with a boy called Alistair McAllister. Either his parents were a bit short on imagination, or they quite liked the idea of giving their child a name that sounds like it belongs in a comedy children's book. I wonder what he's doing now...
:-/
* - to protect identity
I wrote a funny poem about him - but changed his name. I also used the idea for a dim-witted character called Glen McLen in a children's book.
There's one here - drinks in our bar - and he's an overgrown child.
So, if I wanted a hero's name I wouldn't pick Nigel.
I hope you're familiar with XTC's music, otherwise that will be lost on you.
I think I've still got the LP somewhere.
A long, long time ago,
What really turned my stomach
Was a boy I used to know.
I can’t reveal his surname,
Nor Christian name right here,
So let’s just call him ‘John McJohn’
-It’s similar to the ear.
- and then I tell about him sucking his glass eye and lining up his 'nose debris' in the pen groove of his desk.
He sat on his own, I seem to remember.