Character names (#4 in the series of “classic posts” on writing)…
I’ve discussed naming characters in other posts to this blog, but today I thought I’d dedicate a whole post to the subject. I probably spend an abnormal amount of time fretting over titles and names of characters. Here I want to throw a wee bit of mud at my fellow authors: don’t be so politically correct! Readers and writers both might enjoy the mudslinging. Or not. (It’s really not a strong critique, so don’t get all snarky—and read on.)
When I’m reviewing a book and an author’s description of a character shows he or she is Latino, for example, I have a hard time identifying with the character if he or she is named John or Jane Smith. Many authors, desiring to offend no one, make the mistake of using bland and generic names. Consequently, their writing becomes bland and generic. Sure, the U.S., and to some extent the rest of the world, is one big melting pot. I would never use names as a code to promote a prejudicial agenda. However, parents who can be identified as having one dominant ethnicity still tend to give their kids names that are in sync with that ethnicity. We’re socially very far away from changing this, and I don’t think it’s necessarily a good thing to try.
Yes, I know there’s a tendency now, at least here in the States and elsewhere, to name a kid after some pop star or famous person. People can go over the top on this, often saddling their kids with monikers that the kids hate. You might hear of a new baby girl named Beyonce Rodriguez or baby boy named John Kennedy Wong, for example. Mixed-ethnicity families also often choose first names that align with the father and mother’s ethnicities. Fortunately, there are no hard and fast rules, and the poor kid that receives a real clunker can change it in the courts when he or she reaches adulthood.
What’s my rule for naming characters then? First, there are no rules. If John Smith sounds right to you in the sense that you and your readers can identify the abstract character with that name, so be it. (Pocahontas seemed to like it.) But think about the names. You might want to describe the character in a few paragraphs or two—maybe like a short bio—and then imagine the name that goes with the character. But be careful. You want to reach many readers. Using names taken from your own experiences is dangerous if your life experiences are a bit limited and provincial. That’s all right if you live in Middle America and you’re writing a Middle American story, I suppose, but an international thriller is altogether different. The job of choosing names just became more complicated.
I treat surnames different from first names, of course. As I said above, first names are more fluid. Parents not only choose them to honor a famous person, they often choose them for sound. One-syllable or three-syllable first names are often used with two-syllable surnames, for example. The writer has to be aware of this and use the fact accordingly. If you, the writer, have kids, you probably struggled to find the right names for them, maybe focusing on how they sound as well as honoring grandpa or grandma. You should struggle equally with the names of your characters.
Surnames are harder, with some exceptions. There’s usually a history to them, although your character might not know it! That history is what we call genealogy in the real world, of course, but remember that your fiction has to seem real. You also don’t need to focus on the origins of the surname either, unless those origins play an important role (Italian surnames for mafia members, Irish names for New York City cops, etc., but watch out for stereotypes). In fact, sometimes it’s best to let the reader figure that out (“Aha! Another Irish cop!”). I tend to sin the other way because origins fascinate me, especially in a melting pot like New York City where we celebrate so many ethnicities.
Again, those surnames must be chosen carefully, even if you don’t make a big deal of their origins. A Korean character is not likely to have an Anglo-Saxon surname. Giving him a Korean name can help you set the stage where the action takes place in the same way place names do. You, the author, are assuming your reader will recognize the Korean name. Some readers will, some won’t. Those who do, though, will not like it if you make an error; those who don’t, won’t care. Consequently, it’s definitely a win-situation if you get it right.
There are several lists of first names and surnames on the internet. Just google Korean names or surnames, for example, and you will have them available. For first names, many authors often use a book on how to name your baby that parents often have around. I use both if I need a list. I’m familiar with Latino, Russian, French, and some other names from my travels, but I often have to check spellings. The lists are good for that too. For example, where alphabets are different (Hebrew, Arab, Russian, Chinese, etc.), renderings of the names in English can vary, often from country to country.
There are also mutations, especially in function of immigration. The ubiquitous O’ in Irish names is often dropped, for example (O’Moore became Moore, for example). History certainly has influences, both good and bad. Slave owners tended to name slaves using their own surnames, especially if they fathered children with Black mothers. Most Blacks in the U.S. live nobly with this history of the origins of their names, but I can empathize with those who change their names to Islamic or Swahili names in keeping with their origins. Native American names also should be handled with care for the same reason.
Maybe my initial advice should have been: handle names with care so that the reality of your fiction shines through. The take-away warning? Don’t let the names of your characters distract from your story. Use them to enhance your story. You will reach more readers that way.
[Tomorrow, “Writing dialogue…”.]
In libris libertas….
