by
Carla Lee Suson
“My name is
Ishmael…”
“Bond, James
Bond.”
“They call
me Mister Tibbs!”
In creating
great fiction, you should never make up names on the spot or pull them from the
phone book. The author should understand on an intimate level how well any
specific name fits their character. After all, the writer, in forming a fictional
world, creates a powerful bond and potentially lasting history with each member
of that story. Therefore, the character’s name should tell the reader not just
obvious facts, such as gender and ethnicity, but also much more. The moniker
can indicate the importance of the character, their special place in the world,
their possible personality quirks, masculinity/feminine qualities, and so on.
Figuring out
the sex and ethnic background of your person first helps reduce the choices
from thousands of possibilities down to a few hundred, but don’t stop there.
The perfect name resonates and rolls through the mind, setting up impressions
from the beginning and creating a form of poetic beauty.
A Special or Ordinary Person?
First ask
yourself this: is my character particularly gifted or more of an every-man?
Particularly gifted or notable individuals tend to have names that really make
them stand out. For instance, Jack Reacher, John Rambo, and Luke Skywalker all
stand out as memorable. The same is true for Granny Weatherwax or Albus
Dumbledore. The reader knows intuitively that these people are distinctive in
the story simply because their names rise above the John Smiths and Jack Browns
of the world.
On the other
hand, sometimes the writer wants an every-man, a person that the reader
identifies with because they are so normal. The individual goes through some
kind of adventure, sorrow, or life-changing event and the readers come along
for the ride by picturing themselves in the character’s shoes. Harry Potter is
a great example of this concept. He was a seemingly normal kid growing up in an
English suburb when he found out about being a wizard. When Rowling gave him
such a commonplace name, she created an idea that any kid might get that
surprise letter from Hogwarts and actually have magical talent. The same is
true for the Weasley family, who had common monikers such as George, Arthur,
and Ginny, although they were a magical family. The familiar aspect about their
names actually stands out as a touchstone of reality in the magical world.
Magical or Mundane?
Speaking of
Rowling, she also did another amazing thing with her names. She divided her
universe. For the most part, if the names were unusual then the person was
deeply entrenched in the magical world. If you are not sure about this, think
about how many boys/men named Draco that you know, much less Rubeus (Hagrid),
Filius (Flitwick), and Sirius (Black). If the name was more common, then the people
lived in or closely allied themselves to the Muggle world. Even plain, ordinary
Tom Riddle thought his name was too mundane and changed it in order to rise in
the wizarding world.
Outside of
Rowling’s world, other authors use the power of names to indicate alien
origination (Spock), magical touch (Rowen, Esmerelda), youth (Bobby or Tommy),
and mythic orientation (Tinkerbell). You can hint at other aspects such as
evilness or high intelligence as well. After all, a person with the name
Hannibal Lecter sounds intelligent even before you realize how evil he is.
Severus Snape: the hissing sound of the name immediately sets the reader in a
position to accept him as a villain.
Masculine or Feminine Aspects?
Ask yourself
if the name of your character should reflect their personality or hide it. Some
names (first and last) have more gender emphasis. Often sharper consonants
indicate a studlier male. For instance, James, Kurt, Drake, Lex, and Jared have
more umph than Barry, Wade, George (similar to Jared, yes but softer), or
Henry. After all, one doesn’t think of a strong male hero when considering
Henry Higgins of My Fair Lady, but
Clark Kent does come across as more manly, even when the hero tries to hide his
nature. Keep in mind, it is both first and last name. Henry Higgins does sound
soft as compared to Henry Storm, who people later might call "Hank." In
terms of women, softer sounds often represent a gentler, perhaps even frail
individual. Anna, Else, Lisa, Leia, and Helen have smoother sounds than
Patricia, Rachel, Jill, or Kate. Girls with harder consonants are not wilting
flowers. They are the hardy stock, the challengers, the wild best friends, or
the tough old broads. They somehow seem more capable to take on harder jobs,
obnoxious suitors, or even crushing heartache and still emerge from the fracas
victorious or at least surviving.
Of course,
this aspect of naming is not necessary for every character but it adds to the
mental impression that the reader forms on a barely conscious level. It can
also trick the reader. The writer can create a Liza Doolittle who seems
yielding and easily overrun only to discover that this particular daisy comes
with steel core. Certainly Leia Organa of Star
Wars fame was not soft. The name implied beauty and grace, hiding the
single-minded determination and courage within.
Stickiness of the Brain
Finally, the
name should have some bounce or poetry to fuse it into the reader’s mind. The
syllables should blend from first to last for a cohesive wholeness, such as Han
Solo, Peter Parker, Philip Marlow, or Atticus Finch. It should resonate and, if
belonging to the main character, envelope the mind in an utterly unforgettable
way. After all, everyone knows the name "Sherlock Holmes" more than
the titles of Doyle's books. Comic books often create this poetry with
alliteration (Lois Lane, Bruce Banner, Pepper Potts) but it becomes irritating
if done too much in the same book. For instance, if the family’s last name is
Crawford, don’t make the children’s names Kent, Corinne, Kelly, Cooper, and
Katie. This leads to the reader having trouble separating the personalities,
and it simply is bad writing.
Keep in mind
that, like all the “rules” above, there are exceptions. If you go for
unbalanced and awkward names, do it intentionally. If the first and last are in
conflict, such as Chuck Higginbotham, then the character becomes comic or even
unrealistic unless the unbalance comes from an ethnic reason. Usually writers
have another person in the book alter the odd long first or last name by adopting
a nickname that accurately reflects the person. After all, Jedidiah Krump may
seem a bit unbalanced but then Jed Krump works just fine.
In short, to
find the best monikers you must have a full and complete idea of your heroes’
and villains’ outer personalities and inner cores as well. The final label
should be amazing, insightful, and perfect for only that person. If almost any
name will do, then you haven’t developed your character far enough. Dig deeper.
Delve into their soul; live an hour in their skin; embrace their motivation,
phobias, loves, and hates; and then perhaps they will whisper their secrets in
your ear, starting with their name. That's when the real magic of writing
begins.
__________
A
Texas chick at heart, Carla Lee Suson started writing after spending a few
years in medical research at a Dallas medical school. She then moved to South
Texas and developed short stories and articles on travel destinations,
parenting advice, and science work while raising three kids and a pack of dogs.
After relocating to Northwest Indiana, she obtained a Master’s degree in
professional writing. Her first novel is Independence
Day Plague and she has stories in Gods
of Justice, Holiday Tales, and Night Light anthologies. When not
sculpting scenes of ghosts, murder, and mayhem, she dives into one of her many
hobbies such as woodworking, leather craft, or photography. For more
information about Carla, her blog, or her books, check out www.carlaleesuson.com.
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