How to Choose Names for Your Characters

Names have power, so I choose them carefully and over time, I’ve developed a system and I’m happy to share it.

1. Compile a long list of ethnically appropriate names
The first thing I take into account when choosing a name is the
ethnicity of the character. Cultural heritage comes with a lot of cues
and expectations. Sometimes that’s good, sometimes that’s bad, but
either way, it’s something to exploit as a writer. If I can give the
impression that my hero is a hot-tempered Hispanic man simply by naming
him Antonio, an impression is formed in the reader’s mind before I
write another word. If my Russian hero is named Antonio–my readers
aren’t likely to take that at face value. They’re going to want to know
what the story is behind that name. Was his mother a fan of Spanish
bullfighting? Did he grow up in South America? That’s because a name
either tells a story or begs for one.

2. Weed out names that are too hard to spell or pronounce unless you have a good nickname in mind
My characters for my modern mythology series all share an ancient
mediterranean heritage, so I’ve picked Greek, Latin or Egyptian names.
But just snapping up a name from a certain culture isn’t as easy as it
might sound. Because I write for a largely American audience, I try to
pick ethnic names with cross-over appeal. For example, when choosing a
name for the dryad in my novella, WILD TETHERED BOUND,
Arethusa or Eiluned might have been more historically appropriate, but
I went with Dessa because it’s easy to pronounce, easier to spell, and
more familiar while still retaining its Greek Chic.

3. Whittle down list, using the emotions the name evokes for you
At this point, a lot of experts say to narrow down the choices based on
the sound of the name. They say that hard consonants are for badass
heroes, and so on. I’m certainly not saying that they’re wrong, but for
me, how other people perceive a name isn’t as important as how I feel
about it. After all, I’m the one who will have to live with this
character longer than anyone else. So once I’ve made a long list of
names that are appropriate to the ethnicity of my character, I start
narrowing this list down by thinking about what these names evoke for
me personally. If my character is snooty, I will search for names that
sound snooty to me. If my character is ageless, I’ll search for names
that have a timeless quality about them. Important in this step is also
my emotional reaction to a name. That immediately rules out the names
of jerky ex-boyfriends and high-school mean girls. I also shy away from
the names of friends and family members, unless the name is so common
that I have many associations with it.

4. Say the name out loud. A few times.
After I’ve narrowed down the list in this way, I say each name outloud
and gauge my reaction to it. When it comes to heroines, I have to feel
as if this could be the name of someone I’d want to be friends with.
Does the name sound like something I could say into the phone when
drunk dialing? When it comes to heroes, I have to feel as if this could
be the name of a man I’d want to sleep with. Does the name sound like
something I could scream during orgasm? And if it’s a villain, it has
to be the name of someone I might be afraid of. Does the name sound
like something I could utter with loathing and terror? My reactions to
these names aren’t necessarily going to be the same as everyone else’s,
but that’s where the magic of writing comes in. I have the unique
opportunity to fashion a character so strong that he or she overcomes
all preconceived notions.

5. Find out what your favorite names mean
Once I’ve narrowed down my list of names by emotional reaction, I’m
usually still left with a few to pick from. That’s when the meaning of
the names themselves become important. For my novella MIDNIGHT MEDUSA,
I was torn between two names for my Bosnian heroin. In the end, I chose
Renata because it meant “born again” and she had survived the tragedy
of war to be reborn as a modern day gorgon. I like to think that
readers appreciate those detailed touches, but even if they don’t ever
know the meaning of the names I choose, I like to think that it helps
to anchor a character in my mind as I write.

So that’s the method. Use it, love it, or leave it. Happy writing either way!

Stephanie Draven

MIDNIGHT MEDUSA -- Silhouette Nocturne Bites, April 2009
WILD, TETHERED, BOUND -- Silhouette Nocturne Bites, August 2009
stephdraven@gmail.com
www.stephaniedraven.com