What a difference a name makes

Some fiction writers find naming their characters a fairly straightforward task. Others find it a challenge. For a few, it’s a nightmare.

For me, character naming lies somewhere between challenge and nightmare. I wrestle with meanings, and I research origins. I take hours to agree with myself I’ve made the right choice.

There are so many things to consider. Importantly, the name you choose should help the

reader visualise the character.

Let’s start with age and social background. What was a fashionable name when the

character was born? Would their family have considered some names more than others?

What’s the social background of the character?

How many characters do you have in your story that already sound like or use the same first letter? I always try to avoid alliteration, famous names, and resemblances to dodgy real-life characters. It’s a minefield.

So, I have to admire my seven year-grandson, George. He has a vivid imagination. Not

surprisingly – for a boy his age - he enjoys drawing, painting and writing stories. One of his latest stories involved a tussle between human pirates and dinosaur pirates. His efforts earned him a commendation at school.

With his permission, his proud grandmother read the story out to a few members of the

family.

When she introduced one of the story’s main characters, a seafaring captain, I immediately grinned, and there were murmurs of ‘great name’.

It was Captain Stubble. He was there before me. Greying, haggard, unshaven, untidy, and

dangerous. Etched in his face is a lifetime of experience, much of which is a dark secret.

Hero or villain, it doesn’t matter. He’s immediately a strong character.

‘How did you come up with the name?’ I asked as the reading ended.

A smile, a shrug, and a simple response from the seven-year-old. ‘I don’t know. It just came to me.’

Oh, George, if only you knew what a gift that is.