what names to use for my story??

[fylicity]

heart heart heart i'm writing a novel and i want unique names..... help?
inbox them to me... then when i have decided which ones i like, i will post a poll and evryone can help me decide heheh smile heart heart heart

[DarknessofHeavenandDreams]

1) you don't need unique names
2) write the story and figure out the names as you go; they aren't important
3) those aren't themes
4) Pleas use proper writing
5) You don't have a plot, do you?

[fylicity]

i have a plot, but im not posting it on the web...

[Miz Lina]

I think you're misinformed as to what constitutes a theme. Vampires are not a theme. Coming of age is a theme. Werewolves are not a theme. Good triumphing over evil is a theme. Witches are not a theme, dealing with loss is a theme.

Also, I'm not entirely sure why anybody would choose to PM you names that they have taken the time to come up with themselves, so that you can hold a voting to have other people decide for you which ones you'll use. This seems a lot like you're asking a large number of other people to each do a little piece of your work for you, which is not what we're about here. If you're having specific problems in your writing, or you have come up with your own ideas and plans and want feedback on them, that's more along the lines of what we do here. But we don't really do handouts.

[DarknessofHeavenandDreams]

fylicity

i have a plot, but im not posting it on the web...

Then you have a setting, right? Choose names that work with that setting. Problem solved. There are no 'vampire' names or 'alien invasion' names.

[fylicity]

DarknessofHeavenandDreams

fylicity

i have a plot, but im not posting it on the web...

Then you have a setting, right? Choose names that work with that setting. Problem solved. There are no 'vampire' names or 'alien invasion' names.

to an extent, yes there are. if my story is from let's say the 1300's, then my names should match with that year shouldn't they?

[DarknessofHeavenandDreams]

fylicity

DarknessofHeavenandDreams

fylicity

i have a plot, but im not posting it on the web...

Then you have a setting, right? Choose names that work with that setting. Problem solved. There are no 'vampire' names or 'alien invasion' names.

to an extent, yes there are. if my story is from let's say the 1300's, then my names should match with that year shouldn't they?

True, but what do they have to do with alien invasions and vampires?

[fylicity]

you will see mrgreen
ill post the story when im done with it

[DarknessofHeavenandDreams]

fylicity

you will see mrgreen
ill post the story when im done with it

That doesn't answer my question. It doesn't prove that there are 'vampire' names or 'alien invasion' names at all.

Also do you really need names at this point? You just seem to want to post gibberish on the internet, not write a story or research.

[Sir Icehawk]

1300's isn't enough. Figure out where in general it takes place and pick names that fit that era and local.

[Niamh the Fae]

If the story is set in the real world, get a phone book. Look for first names and last names that you like and that fit the feel of the specific area where the story takes place. Don't use any entire name, though - combine the first name from one person with the last name from another so you're not using any real peoples' names.

If it's set in a fantasy world, the name generators at seventhsanctum.com might help. Or, take names from some of the cultures that inspired the world (like middle eastern names if you're writing a desert world), possibly changing them a bit.

If you're writing a setting similar to the middle ages, renaissance or earlier (or an equivalent technology level but in a non-European country), understand where last names tended to come from in those times. People used first names as a way of fitting in, so they'd intentionally pick a name that was common in their village to name their child. But then you have 10 guys named John who all know each other and have mutual friends. So instead you call them "John the baker", "John the drunkard", "John the shepherd", "John who lives by the river", "tall John", "short John", "old man John", "John the redhead", etc. The last names used to just be something the person was known for in their town. That's why profession names (baker, smith, miller) are so common today. If this is a fantasy world, maybe "wizard" or "dragon tamer" is a normal last name.

The same first names thing happened because the culture was different. People in medieval Europe (and probably other societies with low technology levels) weren't all trying to seem unique like they are today. There was a lot more emphasis on fitting in. It's not like every person would have the same name, but 90% of people would have one of the 15 or so most popular names. Not all low technology cultures will be like this, so it might not apply in a fantasy setting, but you should still consider what parents look for in choosing a name. (It's also possible the parents don't get to pick - in the webcomic Goblins, for example, the fortune teller names all the children. Some of them are unlucky and end up with names like "Fumbles" or "Dies Horribly".)