How Do Authors Select Character Names
One of the many marks of a great author is the ability to create characters that seem real and whose character is believable to the average reader of their materials. There is something special when the authors select character names, though what it is based on may differ depending on the author.
Where would Robert A. Heinlein be today if none of his characters had any depth? In a more subtle way however, selecting the character names should help to lead the books and the directions that they take the reader. If you are trying to select character names that are relevant to the larger characters, you can also search character names by specific themes, and find names that have more specific and precise meaning for your characters.
The prolific and well-renowned author Robert Heinlein is used for the introduction merely because he is very well known, and his characters come from literally all over the universe, both the known and the unknown parts. His “Loonies”, or people living on the moon in his series on the expansion of humanity into space, had different types of character names than those people who remained on earth.
This trend continued throughout his expansion of humanity into the vast reaches of space, in his epic and expansive timeline that traversed the space of many books from his repertoire. The characters in Farmer’s In The Sky introduced characters who had lived on a moon of Jupiter their entire life, and once again introduced scenarios, and even names that were unique to that culture.
What Is A Setting Where Unique Character Names Are Needed
Whether you are writing short stories or full novels, the selection of character names is an important part of the story-telling process. In a story with a more traditional setting, you may wish to use actual names from a given location, or even from a particular point in time.
Ivar The Boneless and other equally colorful names from history do well in those ancient settings, but how well would that kind of name fit in a story or book written about modern society? Both the time and the place are important when determining what to name your characters as well.
When Should The Character Names Be Exotic Or Unique
What is life going to be like on Mars if and when it is ever colonized? What would be the theme for a group traveling through space on starships? Each group would have their own unique settings, and things that were relevant or important to them. Many of these things would influence how the parents selected names for their children, or even names they selected for places they settled.
For a classic example of the name selection process in action, take a brief trip through an intriguing point in American history that is not frequently taught in schools. Did you ever wonder how so many German names popped up in the Texas region of the US? Cities like Luckenbach and New Braunfels? This is especially odd given the lack of European settlers and the prevalence of Hispanic and Native American cultures that first populated Texas.
A German immigrant by the name of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, a devout follower of François Marie Charles Fourier, a leader who proposed a new ideology known as Communal Socialism, decided to create their Communal Socialist Utopia in a land where they would be free to build as they pleased, since their ideologies has largely been made illegal in France and Germany where they had been introduced.
In the fledgling United States, they were free to not only build their new visions, but to bring their own names and traditions with them. In that case, the many new settlements, townships, and cities, introduced a new culture and many traditional German and French names, and even many new names were created as a result.
It is fine to create new and exotic character names, especially if you are creating an entirely new and unique environment for your characters. You should remember though, that the names should reflect the reality of the world you have created for your characters.
When Should The Character Names Be Boring Or Common
Some of your story characters are going to really pop out and have exceptional attributes that should, or at least can be expressed with the selection of colorful character names. Other characters will be more subtle and nuanced, or even peripheral to the story, and you may not want to distract the readers with overly descriptive or attention-grabbing names for these storybook characters.
It is not that these character names need to be wholly non-descript and boring, but they should serve the antagonist or protagonist of the tale, and not detract from attention that should be directed elsewhere, unless of course you just want to try to sidetrack your readers a little, whether for fun or for effect.
Whether your book or story takes place in a more traditional or a more exotic setting, the ability to select character names that are relevant and meaningful should never stand out too much so as to be the entire focus of the reader. You can easily use Eather as opposed to Heather Taiwana Kisher, or some other equally involved name. This is especially true for more minor characters whose roles may be passed on to other characters in film or television portrayals.
Variations of common names also tend to work well, as names, like other words, will change some over the course of time. Freddy may become Feddy. Mimi may become Memee, and Mick the author can easily change to Micku or some other similar, single name that adds to the strength of the story without distracting the readers.
Should Character Names Be One Or Two Names
Determine how much your character is going to influence the story and select the character names accordingly. Is that girl standing on the street corner just Ichiho? Or is that an inconspicuous Nagito Komaeda, waiting to play a much bigger role as your tale unfolds?
It should be noted that many readers are easily distracted these day, not that this is good or bad, but merely something that we need to be aware of as authors trying to find the best character names for our stories. Is there a reason that you are introducing them to Sussy Baka? Or would your readers be better off with just a passing glance at Kimlee?
Can You Use Names Of Friends When Writing Your Books And Stories
“Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.”
Yes, this is a common and legally effective disclaimer – but …
And a wise man once said “Don’t listen to anything except what they say after the ‘but’”.
If your truly evil character happens to share too many characteristics with your ex, including any physical descriptions, names, or other identifying features, don’t be surprised if you end up in court no matter how many character disclaimers you include in your writing. This is something to carefully consider when you are selecting names for your characters, no matter how tempting it may seem.
