Position:Home>Books & Authors> Need help with picking character names? for my book?

Have you ever read the book Rebecca!? Many lists consider it the best novel of the 20th century!. What is particularly interesting about it is the way the characterizations are done - including the naming of the characters!. The title character - Rebecca de Winter - is dead ten months before the book begins!. She is never in it!. The second Mrs!. de Winter is never given a Christian (first) name!. She is always referred to as Mrs!. de Winter, Ma'am, or Darling!.

I always wondered about that!. I figured that there was a good reason why Daphne du Maurier did it that way!. I assumed it was because the focus was on Rebecca - that she was still so much a part of the house and the story so revolved around her and that the second Mrs!. de Winter is frequently ignored and pushed aside - the mousy little young wife who never quite equals the strong, dynamic Rebecca!.

I believed that until the other day when I reread it after many years!. In the back of the new Harper Collins edition, there is an afterward from Dame du Maurier herself!. Know why she never named the second Mrs!. de Winter!? Because she couldn't come up with a name that she liked and then it because a challenge to her to write the whole book without ever naming the character!.

Amazing!. I learned something about characters!. They don't have to have names to be incredibly vivid and memorable people!. Actually I think I paid more attention her because she didn't have a name!. It made me feel sorry for her the way everyone kind of treated her like an object!. It was a fantastic character decision on her part!. And you know what!? It made me feel freer as an author - that I could describe people and never have to give them names!. I have decided to include that concept in my next book!. Or at least try to!.

What you have here is a bunch of physical characteristics for people!. Not much in the way of characterization!. You need to flesh these people out !.!.!. a lot before you are ready to write about them!.

As for names - writers are control freaks!. I wouldn't even let anyone name my shih tzu (I have 2) or my goldfish (if I had one)!. These are your "darlings" as Stephen King puts it in his book On Writing!. Would you let someone else name your kids!?

I keep two baby book names in my reference library!. I also love the website www!.behindthename!.com!. I like names that have meaning and help the characterization!. I also like names that are harmonic with the last names!. For last names, I use the US Census Bureau List of Surnames from Most to Least Common!. I keep both sites bookmarked!.

I once wrote a whole novel with my leading lady having a certain name!. When I was done, I didn't like the way her name sounded with the last name of the man she ended up marrying!. So I used find and replace in Word and she had a new name in 2 seconds!.

This is not a decision I would trust to people I don't know!. I pride myself that every decision in my books is mine and mine alone!. In fact, according to Stephen King, he says you should write your first draft with the DOOR CLOSED!. Nobody -- not even the lovely lady he goes to bed with at night-- knows what he is writing about until he has a first draft done!. I prefer to keep it that way, too!.

Writing a book is so much more than picking out cute names!. Pax-CWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1!. Lena, It gives me thoughts of a happy but broken heart girl!.!.!.

2!. Haiden or Celeste, I like the name Celeste, but no reason why I choose this for this character!

3!. Jarret! Nothing Else came to my mind when I read the description!

4!. Hmmm!.!.!.Tristan! Cuz it remebers me Titans!.!.!.Some god-like Cratures in Ancient Greece! They were Strong! And this boy is Athletic!Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

#Lena/Jenny(Jen for short!.!.!.!.matches her character)
#Celeste/Kylen/Kiera(!.!.!.!.shows her intelligence)
#Rory(!.!.!.!.kinda expresses his punky type nature)
#Cadence{!.!.!.seems perfec!.!.matches his character!.!.!.i fell in love with this charater and cadence immediately srung to my mind :) }

(these names aprouted in my mind immediately!.!.!.!.wonder why!?!?!.!.!.!.try using them in your novel!.!.!.!.maybe u too wud like it

good luck :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

Ok, I am suggesting some that aren't on the list (sorry!)
1!. Hailey, Amber, Carmen
2!. Lena, Penny, Mari (full name could be Marissa)
3!. Tristan, Nick, Tyler
4!. Jarrett, Austin, Levi (like the jeans)Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

girl 1-Halley
girl 2- Aubrie the names just fits the character description
boy 1- Haiden
boy 2- Tristan or RoryWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

Lena (girl 1)
Aubrie (girl 2)
Hayden (guy 1)
Tristan or Jarrett (guy 2)Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

Celeste for #2 Deff! Rory or Aubrie for #1 (But I dont really connect with those names) #3 would probably be Jarret and #4 would deff be Tristan!Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1!. lena - simple name it contrasts her crazy personality
2!. aubrie - name for a quiet one
3!. tristan
4!. kylenWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1: Halley
2: Lena
3: Haiden
4: RoryWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1 Halley
2 Celeste or Aubrie
3 Jarrett or Kylen (I prefer it spelled Kylan)
4 Haiden, or TristanWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1!. lena
2!. cadence
3!. jarret
4!. roryWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1!. Paige or Carmen
2!. Brooke
3!.Chase
4!.Haiden or Jaden

Hope this helps
Good luckWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---