What's in my names.

2003-10-22 - 8:42 a.m.

Almost forgot: I need a name.

I hate names. They are probably the worst part of writing for me. There are so many ways to mess up a fictional characters name.

Here is what I look for in a fictional character's name:

The name has to be something that sounds good, that captures something about either the character or the story, that fits.

It has to be relatively unique, but not too unique.

I need to be able to type it, repeatedly, without too much iritation. This doesn't mean it has to be short, but it does have to have letters in pleasing-to-type patterns (ie, I don't like having to type, say, Belinda, but Bernice is okay).

It can't be too transparently allegorical. I do not want my seductress to be named Lolita, or my violent hero to be named Hammer or Rock.

It has to be real (unless I'm writing fantasy or science fiction, but in November I will not be writing fantasy or SF) or real-sounding.

Right now, I'm struggling with a name for my main character, a male, in his mid-20s, who witnesses some horrible crime, does nothing to stop it, and then feels guilty for the rest of the story. I'm at the point where I'm half-seriously considering naming him "Protagonist Jones."

I wrote an entry just before this one, in case you missed it.

Cheers,

The Magus

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