Character Name Inspiration?

Age777 · Post by **Age777** » 01 Oct 2013, 08:24

Do you have a character name inspiration story? Is there a reason you chose a specific name for a character or characters in your writing?

My story...

My little brother died April 2012 in a freak bicycle accident that killed him instantly. Him and I were fairly close siblings. He was always the one prodding me on with my writing. He knew how important it was to me and he always treated life like it was too short. Sadly for him it really was, he was 24 years old.

One day I was thinking how I could honor him by using his name in a story. However I find Adam to be a fairly common and, in my opinion, boring name. So it struck me to use the name Adams for a last name of a family of characters that can span numerous stories instead. I didn't want to use Adamson as it is a last name already in my family (not mine, it was the inspiration for my brother's name). Yes, Adams family was one of my brother's favorite shows growing up but that's not why I chose it, just a humorous side I didn't initially associate.

That is my story...what's yours?

Smitha Nayak · Post by **Smitha Nayak** » 03 Oct 2013, 04:22

A number of real-life inspirations have been suggested for James Bond, the fictional character created in 1953 by British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer Ian Fleming; Bond appeared in twelve novels and nine short stories by Fleming, as well as a number of continuation novels and twenty-five films, with seven actors playing the role of Bond.

Although the stories and characters were fictional, a number of elements had a real life background, taken from real people or events that Fleming knew or about which he had read. These included the name James Bond, which Fleming took from the American ornithologist James Bond, Bond's code number—007—which came both from English spy and polymath John Dee, the breaking of a World War I German diplomatic code, Bond's character and tastes, as well as Fleming himself.

-- 04 Oct 2013, 03:30 --

A number of real-life inspirations have been suggested for James Bond, the fictional character created in 1953 by British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer Ian Fleming; Bond appeared in twelve novels and nine short stories by Fleming, as well as a number of continuation novels and twenty-five films, with seven actors playing the role of Bond.

Although the stories and characters were fictional, a number of elements had a real life background, taken from real people or events that Fleming knew or about which he had read. These included the name James Bond, which Fleming took from the American ornithologist James Bond, Bond's code number—007—which came both from English spy and polymath John Dee, the breaking of a World War I German diplomatic code, Bond's character and tastes, as well as Fleming himself.

Ibanezakame · Post by **Ibanezakame** » 09 Oct 2013, 13:04

I find words around me that I like then change them. Or if like I want a great character to represent a great friend, I do a name alike to theirs or I make their name a middle name.

InconstantMoon · Post by **InconstantMoon** » 16 Feb 2014, 20:33

I use baby name books, unless the names just come to me. Sometimes I hear a name I like, and I base the character around the name instead of the other way around. But if I really need help, I have two different baby name books. They're a lot of fun.

Coco50Nitty · Post by **Coco50Nitty** » 16 Feb 2014, 20:37

I try to use common names that I can link a bio to while remembering them uniquely... however I do have a couple of names that I use frequently every time I try to start a new writing project... If any of my books got published I wouldn't be able to use the same names, but since I give up and start over frequently it doesn't hurt to use a certain name for the main character... One of my frequently used original names is Jared McKinston... if that's anyone's real name I didn't intent to copy it. Just made it up.

Yukiora 24 · Post by **Yukiora 24** » 20 Mar 2014, 12:30

Google their personality traits untill you find the one that's just right!

ConorEngelb · Post by **ConorEngelb** » 30 Mar 2014, 13:27

I use baby name websites, or look for names that have a specific meaning (if I'm feeling super symbolic), or tweak the names of my friends a little.

luluMoon1940 · Post by **luluMoon1940** » 18 Apr 2014, 23:08

Put lots of names both first and surnames in a hat and draw out two till you get a good match. Often produces some good unusual results. Keep the hat going all the time adding new names you hear and like - or dream up! It works!

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 19 Apr 2014, 12:58

My novels (modern American private detective) are realistic and so I select names that are reasonably common with conventional American populations. I create Anglo-based names, and also ethnic names from African-American, Asian, and Hispanic roots, trying to make my characters (and their names) concomitant with whom you'd actually meet on the streets of modern Houston.

One of my principal characters however is named as homage to an old pal, a Houston police homicide cop whom I knew well. He's now working that big police group in the sky and so my fictional homicide cop has a similar name to my old pal. The fictional cop is named Joe Duggan, with initials "JD" same as my departed friend.

All my other character names are just made up.

ConorEngelb · Post by **ConorEngelb** » 22 Apr 2014, 08:51

I just discovered the usefulness of my university course websites: they have a participants section, so I can see the names of all the students in the course, and draw inspiration from those.

saviolo · Post by **saviolo** » 23 Apr 2014, 15:06

War memorials are sadly very useful for this. Often I find the name comes first and then the character flows from that.

The main thing is not to be afraid to change a characters name if it doesn't quite work. Ormond Sacker didn't work as the narrator of Sherringford Holmes adventures, so Conan Doyle changed them to Doctor Watson and Sherlock. And lightning was bottled that day.