The Naming Guidebook

[Hydrokloryk]

The post is very amusing yet informative. I had fun reading all of it. lol. Thumbs up!

[Panumbra]

Oh man, I have been so absent from this. FORGIVE ME. emotion_kirakira

[Panumbra]

I_Write_Ivre

Invisible Fire Hunter

Do I really need to name my main character if I'm writing in diary format? I think it would be awkward to have her mention her own name, even more so since I don't have one picked out for her. Then again, I feel she should have a name because she's the most important character. Thoughts?

A name is just a fancy way of saying 'character x' so you can distinguish them form 'character y'.

A name is only needed if you "Hey, you!" isn't a proper way to address someone or if you need to point out THIS character did/is something instead of THAT character.

3nodding

[marshmallowcreampie]

So, there's all this advice for naming characters, titles, and places... But what about names for character titles? Like, I have a story where there's a spirit world that exists alongside our world. (there's a plane between the mortal world and the spirit world. Spirits can enter it to influence our world, and sometimes a person will die and be stuck in the middle plane) In the story universe, there are a few people who act as links between the mortal world and the spirit world. They can speak to spirits, summon them, and with some skill, can even move between the worlds themselves. I need a title to call these people. I don't want to use "medium" because that usually just refers to people who talk to the spirits of the dead.

[Lesarian]

This has definitely help me. If I have any trouble naming my poems, I shall definitely come to y'all. Thanks heart

[shroomly]

Wow, this has really helped me with the naming of my characters and must I say, this is written very clearly. I generally get confused when reading something that isn't clearly written, but I wasn't confused in the least bit at all! biggrin

[The Phoenix Rises Again]

I need a title/name for a blog I wanna start. I'm writing about musings/progress of my life with influence of the philosophies of Buddhism and the Dao.

[SkiesOfAmethyst]

I've never worried about a character's name 'fitting'... I myself tend to think towards creative names not a lot of people have, such as Hero or Nova for a boy Or Amethyst/Lyric for a girl. I rarely use such names, as it is, but I do use them, and rarely feel the need to explain why they were named that. Would it be wise to explain that? Because I would name my kids these names, honestly. Which kind of irritates me that I may have been doing this 'the wrong way' this entire time.

[Panumbra]

SkiesOfAmethyst

I've never worried about a character's name 'fitting'... I myself tend to think towards creative names not a lot of people have, such as Hero or Nova for a boy Or Amethyst/Lyric for a girl. I rarely use such names, as it is, but I do use them, and rarely feel the need to explain why they were named that. Would it be wise to explain that? Because I would name my kids these names, honestly. Which kind of irritates me that I may have been doing this 'the wrong way' this entire time.

Well, it depends. Not all circumstances would call for it, however, if a character has a name much more peculiar/special than others, it will definitely stick out to the reader. Like if I have characters named Mary, Joseph, Ryan, Kayla, and Nazun. Out of all of them, the last one is most peculiar and is clearly different. Though, in some context, that name might be more common than either of the names I just listed (e.g. those 4 could be on an alien planet). So, unless it's highly different or is worth being explained to the reader (as in a relative plot point or a good way to flesh out a character), I would say it's not totally necessary.

Hero and Amethyst are names that people might not really key in on as different/strange, but Nova or (especially) Lyric seem uncommon (though again, it depends on how other characters within the story are named).

[SkiesOfAmethyst]

Panumbra

SkiesOfAmethyst

I've never worried about a character's name 'fitting'... I myself tend to think towards creative names not a lot of people have, such as Hero or Nova for a boy Or Amethyst/Lyric for a girl. I rarely use such names, as it is, but I do use them, and rarely feel the need to explain why they were named that. Would it be wise to explain that? Because I would name my kids these names, honestly. Which kind of irritates me that I may have been doing this 'the wrong way' this entire time.

Well, it depends. Not all circumstances would call for it, however, if a character has a name much more peculiar/special than others, it will definitely stick out to the reader. Like if I have characters named Mary, Joseph, Ryan, Kayla, and Nazun. Out of all of them, the last one is most peculiar and is clearly different. Though, in some context, that name might be more common than either of the names I just listed (e.g. those 4 could be on an alien planet). So, unless it's highly different or is worth being explained to the reader (as in a relative plot point or a good way to flesh out a character), I would say it's not totally necessary.

Hero and Amethyst are names that people might not really key in on as different/strange, but Nova or (especially) Lyric seem uncommon (though again, it depends on how other characters within the story are named).

Ahh I see.

So what if it's a future ish setting, how would the names Brienna, Kae, and Nali be for african american-Caucasian mixes? Are they too typical >-> Or not typical enough >->

[Panumbra]

SkiesOfAmethyst

Panumbra

SkiesOfAmethyst

I've never worried about a character's name 'fitting'... I myself tend to think towards creative names not a lot of people have, such as Hero or Nova for a boy Or Amethyst/Lyric for a girl. I rarely use such names, as it is, but I do use them, and rarely feel the need to explain why they were named that. Would it be wise to explain that? Because I would name my kids these names, honestly. Which kind of irritates me that I may have been doing this 'the wrong way' this entire time.

Well, it depends. Not all circumstances would call for it, however, if a character has a name much more peculiar/special than others, it will definitely stick out to the reader. Like if I have characters named Mary, Joseph, Ryan, Kayla, and Nazun. Out of all of them, the last one is most peculiar and is clearly different. Though, in some context, that name might be more common than either of the names I just listed (e.g. those 4 could be on an alien planet). So, unless it's highly different or is worth being explained to the reader (as in a relative plot point or a good way to flesh out a character), I would say it's not totally necessary.

Hero and Amethyst are names that people might not really key in on as different/strange, but Nova or (especially) Lyric seem uncommon (though again, it depends on how other characters within the story are named).

Ahh I see.

So what if it's a future ish setting, how would the names Brienna, Kae, and Nali be for african american-Caucasian mixes? Are they too typical >-> Or not typical enough >->

I would say that those are probably apropos (though how far in the future are we talking). Nali definitely sounds more African, and the reader might think it indicative of how "in touch" with that part of their nature Nali's family is. I dunno. Names have this strange effect of causing people to assume something about the person. Regardless, I think that those names are pretty solid.

[the little madeleine girl]

this helps a lot. thanks o.p.! c:

[lonely nightmares]

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[lonely nightmares]

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