Names are really very important in books, I remind myself, as I forget literally every single one.
No, truly, I am horrible at names. Look at my family, for instance…I don’t even know what’s going on there. I have 5 siblings, 2 parents, 7 nieces/nephews, a dog, and a partridge in a pear tree. The partridge is ok. I call him Frank. I also call a ton of my niblings “Frank”. I cautiously say “hey you” to just about everyone else. I even misspelled my own name once and just sat here staring at it wondering what I did.
I’m really really really bad at names ok.
So if I can’t even get a grip on names of REAL LIFE HUMANS…book characters ain’t got a chance. But I want to point out why book characters’ names are really hard to remember?! I mean look:
- often YA is written in 1st person (I actually prefer 3rd, by the way) so we don’t even SEE the protagonist’s name!!
- there are a lot of the same names out there so they blur, mate
- I read too fast…we all know this. I can’t kEEP UP with me.
- if a name is super unfamiliar OR super average, my brain just goes “DELETE.”
- authors get super fond of like ONE letter and they use it to much and I die trying to tell Sal and Sam apart.
- I actually spend a lot of time misreading names…like my childhood hill to die on was Henry Huggins’ dog being named Risby (it was Ribsy) I fought this valiantly with my sister. I was wrong, obviously. Did it stop me? No.
- I’m also like that old grandpa who just yells wildly a name that sounds sort of similar and goes with it. Is your name Devon or Darren or Declan? IT’S ALL THE SAME.
So obviously I’m going to sit here and make a list of demands I ask for when it comes to book character names. Which is ironic for someone who forgets names all the time but OH WELL.
Linking up with Top Ten Tuesday: Best Character Names
1. THEY CAN’T ALL START WITH THE SAME LETTER.
Look as I say this, I do have a book with two minor characters starting with the same letter. So we can open up this entire list by yelling at me. bUT. As a general rule I avoid this like I avoid lettuce. (Which I’m intensely good at. Ask my family.) But look there are 26 letters in the alphabet. USE THEM, PLEASE, OH DEAR BOOKS.
I seriously read a book with a Maddox and a Maddison and mostly I am dead.
However it can work if the characters are super different and introduced differently and rarely take up scenes together. Cress and Cinder for instance (from The Lunar Chronicles)…I’ve never had a problem with them! But they’re actually rarely in the same scene. So. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
2. A LITTLE BIT O’ A THEME IS NICE.
Like names that sort of go together?! Like a nice patchwork quilt. Get all those colours melding like me into the wall when I’m expected to socialise. Self five. Like I enjoy how The Hunger Games had a lot of THINGS as names (Primrose, Clover, Glimmer, Thresh, etc. etc.)
One complaint (out of MANY lol lol I’m sorry) I had with Iron Gold was how there was a character called Liam. But everyone else is like Darrow! Sevro! Cassius! Ephraim! DUDE, HOW DID LIAM GET IN THERE.
3. I KIND OF LOVE WHEN NAMES DEFY “GENDER RULES”
I don’t quite know why names “have” to be so gendered anyway. Eat me. * I am totally happy to read Angel as a boy and Devon for a girl!
PS. Actually most of my own books feature gender-neutral character names and it is something that pleases me muchly so.
* Actually I am very salty. I would probably not be healthy for anyone to eat.
4. SHORT NAMES ARE KIND OF MY FAVOURITE.
Less letters to forget. It’s really helping me out here. Although that saying, I generally only pay attention to the first 2 letters in a name anyway so…yeah, well my bad.
5. NICKNAMES = NO GO, PLEASE DON’T, I LITERALLY BEG OF YOU
This is the quickest way to have me run screaming underneath the opera house until someone throws a chandelier. I just can’t. If a character gets introduced as a name —> KEEP THAT NAME. Like it’s okay if your character’s being called Jon and their full name is Jonathon…just don’t switch it around constantly on page, ok?! (Unless they’re being yelled at.) Consistency is key for baking cakes and using nicknames!
6. SOME NAMES SHOULD BE ON THE “TOO TIRED TO REUSE” LIST.
Because they come up a lot. I love you Simon, I do, but wHICH ONE AM I TALKING ABOUT. Simon in Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Simon from Shadowhunters?? There’s a Simon in Furyborn, Simon Snow from Carry On, Simon in Spiderwick, Simon in Nanny McPhee.
SIMON SAYS WE NEED TO STOP GOING WITH SIMON.
7. I LOVE NAMES THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT MEANING IN BOOKS!
Okay I confess this happens in both my upcoming novels. Beck from A Thousand Perfect Notes simplifies his name because he’s embarrassed, and Sam from The Boy Who Steals Houses gets constantly misnamed as “Samuel” when it’s not his true full name. I have thing here ok.
But I love this in books!! Like:
- Julian Blackthorn in Lady Midnight hates his childhood nickname of “Jules” and Emma uses it to put distance between them.
- Gansey from The Raven Cycle goes by his last name because his first name is, um, Dick.
- Kell from A Darker Shade of Magic doesn’t even KNOW his full name. He only has his initials: K.L.
- Puck from the Scorpio Races has a real name of “Kate” and I’m not actually sure why she goes by Puck??? But I like it.
- Neil in The Foxhole Court has significant feelings/memories attached to his old name (Nathaniel…yeah he’s great at undercover names haaaa) and when he’s traumatised, he slips back into referring to himself as his old name because he associates it with pain.
- In Here Lies Daniel Tate, we never even find out the main character’s REAL name because he is so good at having no identity. He’s literally blocked it so he is Nobody when he’s not running a con.
8. I AM 100% IN FAVOUR OF CULTURES EXPRESSING THEMSELVES THROUGH NAMES TOO.
Diversity is taking over YA and it is glorious to see other cultures and their names marching down the hill to devour the bookstores. GOOD ON THEM. I struggle with names, yes, sure…but I want it to be just as normal in YA to see “Emma” as it is to see see names like Aru, Kiko, Miel, Lada, and Twinkle.
9. FANTASY KEYBOARD SMASH NAMES STILL … WOUND ME MORTALLY.
I can’t even with Eragon. I just…like if you asked me what the actual country is called, I would very confidently say, “Algeasfasdkh.” And I still maintain in Throne of Glass her name is Celery Sardine. And in Of Fire And Stars?? I’m still trying to cope with Dennaleia and Amaranthine.
AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON GAME OF THRONES. Danarygygyg Targygyggy is a great character but also: why.
10. I CAN’T DEAL WHEN SOMEONE I KNOW IN REAL LIFE HAS THEIR NAME IN A BOOK.
Is it just me or is it super weird?! The only time I’ve come across my name (CAIT) has been in Three Dark Crowns and it was for 2 sentences for some old grandmother who died probably. It was sooo weird. And in Gallagher Girls one of them has the same name as my brother and THAT’S JUST WEIRD. Also my niece’s name is Eva, and you know how often the derivatives of EVE come up in books.
It’s doomed. I can never concentrate. My relatives have ruined so many names for me. Useless creatures, they are. I suffer.
One of my favorite series is called Kendra Kandlestar and I love it because I share the name with the character and she is awesome. I’ve not been able to get into any other book that features a character that shares my name.
But I loooove meanings being important in books. Like, 50% of my characters are named because of their meanings. The rest are names I made up. (Or Richard. Because I have an addiction to the name Richard. I tryyyyy to keep them out of the same scene, though.) Peeves? Pretty much not being able to pronounce the name, because I WILL sit there and spin my mental wheels for half an hour before I can move on, and that’s wasted reading time there. Give me a nice, easy name and no one will get hurt.
Kendra E. Ardnek recently posted…Writing with the Five Love Languages
Ahh that’s fantastic you found your name in a book! I haven’t seen it yet, but I didn’t think it was that much of an uncommon name?! But books generally follow weird name trends.😂 Who knows what they’re doing ha. And having interesting meanings in names is really nice! Although I think authors get more out of that than readers do, haha.
I know of three other books with my name in it – a Janette Oke book, a contemporary titled “Kendra,” and Fablehaven. Janette Oke is sitting in my desk at the moment and I’m considering reading it, I tried reading Fablehaven once and ended up sending it back to the library, and I’ve never gotten my hands on the contemporary. So … yeah. But Kendra Kandlestar was awesome.
Kendra E. Ardnek recently posted…My Favorite Indie Contemporaries
I’ve seen my name in books twice and.. once I was a bitch in high school, the other time I was so insignificant only one person remembered me and all other characters went “Who?!”. So, yeah. I truly felt.. important.. Not.
I LOATHE ridiculously long names. Or just names that sound way too weird. My last annoyance was Sophronia – actually it still is because I haven’t finished the Finishing School series yet. It might be a good enough name for that time period but I just CANNOT. Just call her Sophie. Please. Or simply something else that isn’t so.. weird..? My brain keeps reading it as Sophie anyway; either that or I’m mentally struggling with pronouncing it? And if you’re mentally struggling with the pronunciation of a name, it’s bad.
Just give me the shorter names. Or the ones with an obvious nickname – like Rhysand can totally be Rhys forever. Also was glad when a certain character in ToG went from having a too long name to a shorter one that I like way more.
Nooo so frustrating your name doesn’t come up for nice people! *sends you cake in consolation* 😂 And omg Sophronia is a bit…much.😂 Like when they just complicate the spellings of normal names to make them look “fantasy”!?? WHY THOUGH.
I WON’T EVER HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SEEING MY NAME IN BOOKS. Why? My name is uncommon enough and my mom is the only person who could’ve come up with it. Rain is actually not my name. It’s just the name I use on Twitter so the people I know in real life will never know it’s me (but they eventually did so apparently my effort was for nothing). Anyway, I love the name “Rain” so I’ve been using it everywhere.
You see, my real name is Ramnele (pronounced ram-nel) and that’s an anagram of my mother’s name. As far as I know, I’m the only Ramnele in the world and I’m pretty confident no one else can use that name because it’s pretty unique. Thanks, mom.
I HAVE SO MANY ISSUES WITH GIBBERISH NAMES. Um I mean names that are hard to pronounce. I’m looking at you Sarah j. Maas, G. R. R. Martin, and Brandon Sanderson. However, I don’t really like super common names too. Sorry, Simon. I love nicknames and unique names (that I can actually pronounce) with meaning. Pronunciation guides are always at the end of the book so I’m always too late at correcting my pronunciation. Like I read 4 Poirot books until I searched how to pronounce his name. Of course, I have been pronouncing his name wrong all along. Dang you, Agatha Christie.
I love this post and it’s totally relatable
I just have to say that Ramnele is a pretty cool name! I also love the name Rain and I used it for one of the main characters in my last novel 🙂 Both of your names are really nice!
Thank you so much. I would love to read your novel someday 😊
Rain is a nice name though!! I know a book with a Rain narrator.😂 But hey that’s cool that you have a special made-up name. 😉 My brother’s full name is made up and he legit hates it haha. But Ramnele is really awesome!
George RR Martin should just go sit in the corner. he has done enough damage.😂
lol you would hate my books then. I have a Frank and a Fred in the same story, and two dwarves (in separate stories, but still) called Degarin and Dempter. I actually mixed them up and used the wrong character’s name for a whole scene (oops.) My elf princess is also named a long anagram name but I looooove it so I’m not changing it, sorry not sorry. Also her name and her love interest’s get shortened to nicknames through half the book. Also because names are either SUPER IMPORTANT to me or meh not really important, a lot of my names are keyboard-smash names.
There again, one of my favourite fantasy characters of all time has about half a dozen names (Silk, Prince Kheldar, Radek of Boktor or Ambar of Kotu, and probably several others he never tells us about) and I adore him, so this is probably where a lot of my naming complications come from.
Haha, well I am one person.😂 I would probably get confused but I wouldn’t say “hate” necessarily! (And I actually have a Jack and Jeremy in the same book I AM STILL FRUSTRATED IWTH IT.) 😂
I agree with some of this but don’t agree with others. Like, no to key-board smashing names, no to too similar names (unless it’s a main character and a side character OR there are two people with the same name because that happens in real life and I’m actually okay with this being in more books. Like, in school, I was always Nitzan S because I had three other Nitzans plus a teacher in my class lol). Yes to names with significance and diversity. Yes to defying gender rules.
As for nicknames, I personally love them because usually, they indicate the level of friendship or comfort the characters have with each other, like in real life. My name is Nitzan but my dad calls me Tzutza or Tzupisha (don’t try to figure that one out. Different languages haha). My closest friends call me Nitz. People who are not so close to me will call me by my last name Schwarz. Lots of family members have slightly different versions of some of these. I find it lovely that one person can be so many different names and all of them are still his and they all mean something to the people who call him by it. So I’m all for nicknames.
Like, I have a book character called Benjamin. His sister calls him Benny. His love interest calls him Benjy unless he’s mad (in which case, full name) and a third friend just calls him Ben. In return, Benjy calls his love interest Charlie instead of Charles when they become more comfortable with one another, and so forth.
As for having a theme, I’m all for a theme in fantasy books but in contemporaries, I want there to be a ton of different names because no everyone is Thomases. Some are Asias or Kaitous or Lupitas. And I actually like it when in Fantasy, different kingdoms will have different names, because English names are REALLY different from Hebrew names and Indian names and German names and so forth so it’s cool when fantasy worlds can mimic that. That way, it would make sense for a Devon to sneak in between all the Amaranthes because maybe he’s from a different country.
And reading books with names I know in real life is not too weird for me, but then I very rarely see Israeli names in the literature since I rarely read in Hebrew so it’s not really a situation I encounter often lol
I do know what you mean with the nicknames! I just find it confusing if like the character narrates with one name + but then everyone in the dialogue calls them something else?! It’d be better to have them narrate by their nickname too! Although that really only comes into play for 3rd person I guess. Haha.
And I do like when fantasy has a bit of cohesion with the names. 😍It makes it easier to tell who is on which side at last haha.
The only time I’ve EVER come across my name in a book is in Harry potter, a very very minor character, and it wasn’t even spelled right. 😑 so does that even count??? idk. And eragon isnt THAT bad…ok, maybe it is, but lemme just read it aloud to you I can pronounce them all. (Probably) And if not there is a prounceation guide in the back of each book. I rarely bother to look, but when I do, I usually forget. 😛
Most crazily, ~Olive
I watched a movie where the protagonist’s name was Olive! 😂
ASOIAF is the worst when it comes to names. There are sooo many characters and so many POVs that I often forget about characters until the relevant POV comes around again. I often ask “Who’s that now again?” and get mixed up with the minor houses, especially the Tulleys, Frays, and Tyrells. Who knows why. And the Boltons and Greyjoys. And all the Maesters. And then I need to remember birth order, nicknames and sigils because important details are hidden in legends that mention sigils and not nicknames or real names (the wild wolf, the quiet wolf, the she-wolf, and the pup. The young wolf, the lone wolf, the black fish.). And Khaleesi Danaerys Stormborn Targaryian First of her name, Mother of Dragons, the last dragon, Heir to the whatever.
And those are only living characters. You need to remember names of people who died before the story even started. Who was the mad king? Who was the conquerer?
I can’t even….
THEY ARE SO BAD.😂And like I listened to the audiobooks and then went to write reviews and I just sat there like: “I have no idea how to say there name…HERE IT IS PHONETICALLY.” It was so bad. Bah ahah. And also Lord Rikard and Rickon?! I don’t even know how they’re spelt but like: why. I know there are a lot of characters but HELP US OUT HERE.
LOL Exactly. I haven’t reviewed any of the ASOIAF books. I should but…
Sarah is surprisingly uncommon name in the books I read, given that it’s a super popular real-world name. I did once find a Sarah in a book, and she even looked like me and had a similar enough fashion style to me that I can cosplay as her without significantly changing my look. Unfortunately, I spent two full chapters yelling at her because she’s an idiot. So . .. . yay for finding myself in a book, but also really not.
I also love fantasy names, but I write fantasy, SO. I agree that there should be limits, though. My usual rule of thumb in my stories is “If I can’t pronounce it, no one else will be able to either.”
Clarify something for me. I get why having a name and then a nickname or even a couple nicknames would confuse you if the actual prose of the book uses those interchangeably to refer to the character. But what about when nicknames are only used in dialogue (especially if they’re used by specific people)? Or, in a multiple-POV book, does it work if you have a nickname for a character that’s only used from one specific POV except when it shows up in a character’s dialogue. Are those an issue too? (Just curious, because these are things I do in my books, and I figure that if they bother one person, they’ll probably bother multiple people.)
Actually that is true! I can’t really think of any Sarahs…except maybe background characters? How rude of books to ignore you like this.😂 hey but at least you’re not some random granny that appears for 2 lines.😂
Ha! Yes! I generally go with the “if I can’t pronounce it don’t use it”. Or if it’s just got too many ys too.
Oh so for the nicknames, I don’t mean like characters shouldn’t have them! I just mean whatever the MAIN name of the character is, it should stick. I mean my character’s name (in my second book) is Sam and he goes by Sam in the narrative (it’s 3rd person) and mostly everyone calls him Sam. But his older brother calls him “Sammy”. So like I don’t think doing stuff like that is confusing. It’s more like in Throne of Glass, one book she’s Cealeana and the next she’s Aelin and then it’ll swap around all the time in the middle as well. That kills me.😂 But I AM really bad at names, so I’m definitely not the majority haha.
That is true, yes.
Ohhhhhh, gotcha. Thanks for clarifying that. I shall carry on with my nicknaming, then.
And don’t take me too seriously either though ahah.😂I mean I am just one over-opinionated little squid over here!! You do you!!
Great post, Cait! I feel your pain – I find it really difficult to read books that have characters called ‘Jess’, especially because the Jesses in books are so often really bitchy? What have I done to deserve this?
Also yes to some fantasy novels just going too far, especially with vowels! A name doesn’t need to have every vowel in it ever. Twice. That’s why I love Rat Queens so much; there’s a character in it called Dave.
I know what you mean as well about characters having names that begin with the same letter. Once you get to know them I don’t think it matters, but it can be difficult if you’re introduced to both of them from the beginning. It helps with characters like Cinder and Cress, too, that the ‘C’s are actually pronounced differently, so if all authors could do that with characters whose names begin with the same letter that’d be great.
Jess @ Jessticulates recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday | What’s in a name?
There’s a Jess in Ink and Bone!! But he’s a boy (although the BEST protagonist tho!) So at least there’s that lmao.😂 And omg when they swap like e out for y?? That is so unnecessary help us all.😂
Oh YES with the Cress/Cinder’s letters being pronounced differently. I didn’t even think of that ha. But that helps too.
Way back when I read a book (maybe a Saddle Club book idk) with a character called Chelsea, who was the worlds biggest brat. I’m pretty sure I’ve never come across a Chelsea since then and I’m not sure how I feel like that.
I’ve personally always disliked names that aren’t really names. Like a book with a character called Keeper. Sometimes they grow on me though.
(I actually get Cress and Cinder confused all the time? Maybe that’s just me).
Ohh I think I remember that!😂😂 How rude of them misusing your name like that.😂
I barely find my name in books, so when I do, I actually am almost in shock because it’s so rare. And it’s even rarer to be Stephanie and not Steffie (which is what the plum novels turn into and no.) I found my name in Skulduggery Pleasent and was so shocked and happy because she was spunky and I loved it!
I think my biggest gripe with character names is when they are all the same letter and introduced all at the same time (the gold seer trilogy does this-there are like 5 people all introduced at the same time with the same initial and I’m like…who are y’all again?)
I’m ridiculously happy to get to read your books though, they can’t come soon enough!!
Hope you have an awesome day!!
Omg yes Stephanie in Skulduggery! But she doesn’t keep it long ha.😂 I feel like I’ve seen your name in a few contemporaries but not starring. How rude of these books.😂
And omg yes the introducing-them-at-the-same-time is bad! I like it when characters are brought in slowly. It’s a LOT easier.
Okay #9 almost made me spit my tea all over my laptop keyboard, so damn you!
I have seen my name in a book on an occasion or two, but NEVER as the main character (*sobs inconsolably*). Also, it actually shocks me how like 99.9% of Rebeccas in books either go by (a) Rebecca or (b) some weird variant that is NOT Bec/Beck. Now, I’ve met quite a few people in real life who share my name, all they ALL go by Bec/Beck to their friends and family (me included). Rebecca is three syllables, so ugh why would you use that, and all these Becky/Bex/god knows what else that occur in novels…yeah no.
YOU’RE WELCOME FOR THAT.😂 Bring out the salt, I was a bit harsh there lmao.😂 And hey isn’t there a book called Rebecca of Sunnybrook farm?! I haven’t read it but I remember the title lol lol.
(My protagonist in A Thousand Perfect Notes is named Beck, but he’s a boy. 😂)
Yes I’ve seen your male Beck! I’ll take what I can get 😜
I’ll also console myself with the fact there is a Rebecca’s Ice-Creamery somewhere in southern Victoria…
I’ve never found my name in a book before! And it’s not like it’s really uncommon but I guess it’s not popular in books.
I think a lot of fantasy books have the most confusing names ever thought up!! I just have no idea how to pronounce a lot of them 😆😆 I don’t mind if there are several chars with the same beginning letter for their name, but ohhhhh man – anything like a Nate and a Nathan?!? In the same story? No way! 😂
And I agree with you: I love all the nature names in The Hunger Games!
I guess there’s SO many spellings of it too, which probably doesn’t help!😂 I used to know someone called Kaylee.😂
My maiden last name was in Daughters unto Devils. I’ve never seen that name outside of the family anywhere. That was incredibly odd. And I didn’t even like the book.
It’s always really startling to see your name in a book right?!😂
Keyboard smash names are the actual worst, I like to be able to actually pronounce characters’ names, please, thank you?! I mean I understand that fantasy authors want to give their characters unique names, but… can you make them pronounceable pls.
That being said, I also don’t like it when all the characters in a book have very common generic names, it makes them come across as boring and unoriginal for some reason? Yeah… I guess I’m picky when it comes to names… 🙈
Oh and don’t get me started on when a character is called by both their nickname and full name and it’s constantly being switched around, or even worse, when they’re called both by their first name and Ms/Mr whatever… like… Are they the same person?? Are they different people?? Can you just not?? 😂
I know right?! It’s not a big ask, peoples.😂It’s hard to recommend a book when you’re like, “It’s about…some dude.”😂 But agreed, generic names are really dull and honestly really confusing too. One of my favourite trilogies has a HUGE cast but they’ve all got super common names and I was so so confused for ages.😂
I HATE when characters have my name. Probably because I hate my name, and I’m always like, “Why did you do that to your poor character, author?! They did nothing to deserve it!” Also, everything about the names in Game of Thrones annoys me. How am I supposed to remember all these people? And, whenever I review the books, I have to look up how to spell a thousand weird names.
Aj @ Read All The Things! recently posted…Mini Reviews: Tin Man || Some Possible Solutions: Stories
It gets personal SO FAST. I am very protective over my name (which is hilarious because I hate it😂). And also if I see my characters’ names in someone else’s books it’s like: rude. How dare you.😂😂 Forget that they were published first.
So because I listened to the Game of Thrones audios, I actually didn’t realise the names were weird?! And then I tried to write them down and everyone reading my reviews was like: WHOOOO???😂
I really feel you on the “thinking names are different than they are” every time I came across the “aglionby” in the Raven Cycle, I could have sworn it was “Algionby,” which feels, in my heart, easier to pronounce. That being said, my name is “Katherine” and all good fictional Katherines go by some nickname to distinguish them from the villainous Catherines, with the exception of Catherine Morland, but I too would embarrass myself in front of my crush by getting too caught up in fictional tropes and accidentally thinking their father is a murderer, so, there is that.
I’ve listened to the Raven Cycle so much that I don’t have a problem with Algionby but before the audiobooks I have no freaking clue how I said it. Probably “Alggyggyg-be”. Sounds like me. I’m terrible.😂
And yes I see some Katherines/Catherines! In Three Dark Crowns there’s a Katharine!
I have never come across my real name or my pen name! I guess because they’re both so different. . .idek. BUT: I get you with the same-beginning-letter-thing. I get so confused like sometimes I’ll read a name and think it’s anoher and then get shook like oh I thought you were him but you were her and that’s my only problem with third person as well. I NEVER KNOW WHOSETHOUGHTS ARE WHOSE. But we’re not on that topic so. . .
At least you’re a town (city?? state??? SOMETHING IN AMERICA I HAVE NO IDEA😂)
Haha I’m a city in Washington! (but not Washington D.C.—that’s a city too) But it’s okay I know literally nothing about Australia so the feeling’s mutual 🤷🏼♀️
My name is VERY common in real life, but I haven’t seen it often in fiction. Although it did pop up the other day as part of a running gag a comic had going on palindromes. I have a relative who never stops pointing out to me that my name is a palindrome. I almost put my fist through the wall. Also, I hate the Supernatural character who shares my name so… I guess I don’t like it when it pops up in fiction… 😅
Ivyclad Ideas recently posted…Am I Cheating on My Reading Challenge?
Okay I went straight to thinking your name is Sam or Dean now.😂
Tell you what, I’ll never forget one name from your blog. BRIAN. It was just TOO GOOD xD And I also have to wonder how you misspelled your name.
Maddox and Maddison though – what in the world must have happened to convince the author to do that xD xD
About your own name in a book! OMG yes preach! I have a weird spelling for the English language, so it appears very rarely. However! There is a Victorian book called “Evelina” (note the correct spelling!) which I will read some day for sure. Oh, and there was an exciting instance of a character having the name Avaline in a book about Bastille times France. That was exciting cause it’s almost my internet username 😀
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks recently posted…[General lit] Vicious..ly Odd, But Really Good? + Added Reality For Kicks
BRIAN IS A FANTASTIC NAME. BRIAN AND I ARE STILL VERY CLOSE.😂
Honestly I spelled my name Cate once and got really confused why it looked wrong.😂 I’m slowly merging into leaving my name as CG now to fit with my author name, so let’s see what horrors I can bring here.
Omg I still have ZERO idea why the author got away with Maddox and Madison. I had no idea who was kissing who by the end of that mess.😂
Your name is so pretty too!!
You spelled it as Cate xD ouch 😀 also, what does the G stand for? I’ve always wanted a middle name but I actually don’t have one ;_________; thanks though! Even if I don’t have a middle name, at least my first name is kind of nice 😀
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks recently posted…[Thriller] The Strain Series, AKA The Popular Series With ONE Woman & Next To NO PoC
I KNOW. Sometimes I wonder at myself.😂 And it’s Grace! But why don’t you have a middle name?! Is it not usual in your country or just your parents’ choice?? I’m so curious now!
Wait, have I asked you? CAUSE I TOTALLY FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE GRACE. Man that’s weird 😀 *wondering if telepahy or just read it somewhere before* LOL
We actually don’t often have middle names, yeah. The only way people would have a middle name here is if they have a traditional Lithuanian name – and those are pagan most of the time (FTW), so they have to give the child a second name “for Christening” (ironically, we have been conquered to the depths of our souls and are like 98% Catholic). But! I had a Christian name to begin with. So there was no necessity to give me a second name (also, my mom, dad and grandma came up with my name independently of each other, despite it being a rare name, so they kind of felt like they knew me before I was born and that THIS was my name xD)… Meanwhile I’m just always feeling left out because most people have a ‘Christening’ name and I don’t, mine was just good to go xD nobody really uses their second name, not even in the initials. Most of the time, I feel like the name is probably only in church records, but not in actual passports, if you know what I mean?
There was a time when I made up a second name for myself but it didn’t stick xD so I remain… ONE-NAMED. I’m just Evelina xD
Actually, as a writer, you’d probably be really interested in the name traditions here. Particularly because I think it’s the only country where your last name is different from your mother’s, father’s and even siblings of the other gender xD men always have the same name, but women’s name endings change depending on if they’re married or not. So my mom’s lastname has a different ending to mine, although it’s the same family name. You can message me about examples if you’re curious xD it’s actually a pretty cool thing and I’m not sure any other country has it, although a lot of women have been using a THIRD version of the name style now, as an equivalent to Ms. (although it’s exceptionally married women xD)… I feel like I get why they are doing it, but then, they’re also letting a really unique tradition die. It would be much cooler, of course, if the men retained this tradition too – because unmarried boys would also have a different version of the name several hundred years back, which indicated that they’re the son. But then somehow that stopped being a thing and only women kept it.
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks recently posted…[Nonfiction] A Harrowing Account Of Escaping Domestic Violence
Actually pairing “Cait/Caitlin” (any variation 😂) with “Grace” is SO FREAKING COMMON. I’ve actually met so many people with exactly the same combination of names…it’s a cliche.😂 Thanks mum and dad hahahah. Ahem.
Okay but that is SO INTERESTING about the origin of your country’s namings!! I didn’t know any of that and it’s pretty interesting. And honestly 2nd names are totally useless (unless your parents are yelling at you😂) so you’re probably not missing out on anything. My little sister got 2 middle names though, because my parents knew she’d be their last and they still had names to use up hahha.
I think that tradition sounds really super interesting too (I will message you about it for sure!). Let’s just say your country has way more culture than mine. 😂
Cut them some slack, they had a lot of kids – even writers’ imagination runs dry and they switch to Maddison and Maddox some of the time xD (and hey, if you and you sister was both those that would be pretty tough :D)
Use up the names xDDDD omg that is brilliant.
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks recently posted…[Magical Realism] A Unique And Quite Different Tale Set In Asia, Based In Folklore
I feel your struggle with names! I forgot my little sister’s name at one point. I also met this girl at a party last week and we are going to meet sometime soon, but I have no idea if her name was Christine or Catrine. Oh boy.
And I have seen my (real) name in a book a couple of times, but because it is a foreign name but with a spelling that is only used in my native language I only see it in translations of books…. And since then I’ve been trying to read books in their original language as often as I can, haha
Mai recently posted…Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child
Omg I’m so glad I’m not alone with forgetting family’s names.😂 I legit say “my sister’s kid” because I can’t remember their names. And my oldest sister took like 2 weeks to name her baby so I HAD NO HOPE. I just call him “The baby”.
Mai is such a nice name!
This is partridge, I like your post. I’ve actually decided not to read the next Everless book because I forgot everyone’s names and i didn’t like it enough to reread, all I remember is I believe there was a Liam (CAN WE STOP IT WITH LIAM ALREADY), Caro, Amma, and I believe the main character was Jules what’s-her-face and she worked for the Gerlings. And that’s all I remember for names. I like how Leigh Bardugo names her characters because they’re strange enough but also simple and kind of normal and simple so I don’t forget any of her names (especially in Six of Crows) and i like the names in The Maze Runner because being they’re all just shortened names for historical people. And don’t even try testing me on minor characters in Divergent even though I just finished the trilogy this month.
I am actually one of the worst at naming characters, like in my current project i have two countries and one takes inspiration from mythological names (like one is named Athene, which is literally Athena-a+e) and then the other countries just random fantasy sounding names, but at least they aren’t long
Omg now that you mention it, I haven’t a clue who’s in Everless…NO WAIT IS THERE A JULES??? I remember that because I have a Jules character.😂Legit I am writing a fantasy and everyone’s names are very short for my sakes. I am weak here.
I love Leigh Bardugo’s names….I don’t know what magic she weaves but I can SAY and remember them. Except Matthias. I pronounce it “Matt-e-us” and the audiobook was like “Matt-I-us”. So salty.
I think Athene is pretty! It’s like a bit different but not super scary?!😂
Matthias is an actual name that is pronounced Matt-i-us so point audiobook, though if it makes you feel better when I read Percy Jackson I pronounced Chiron Cher-on and Persephone as Purce-a-phone along with multiple other Greek names that I’m probably still not pronouncing correctly
Ah, this is great! I love character names when they have special meaning. And short names are the best. Literally Sansa and Jon Snow have the best names in Game of Thrones because they’re so short and super easy to remember. Why is Dany’s name just so impossible.? And yes, I think her name is definitely Celery. because I just can’t with keyboard mixtape names.
I also love gender neutral names! My main character in my current WIP is Darcy, and I love her name so much. Of course, people think Mr. Darcy but Darcy is actually a traditional Irish girl’s name, so I just had to give her this name.
THEY DO. And Sansa is a gorgeous name omg. I also think Jon is my favourite because I actually can remember his name.😂 And Jaime. I like him.😂
Celery works SO WELL tho. I mean if she’s going to change her name 938 times we might as well go with that.😂
I love the name Darcy! Like in Thor haha.
Every time I see my name in a book, it’s always a little girl. And usually they’re annoying.
I am the same about names sounding the same! Like why. I always mix them up. And when there are words that are just so complicated you make up a way to say them in your head and you can’t do it out loud. (Like for Harry Potter, I actually used to pronounce these 2 words wrong: Patronus and Slytherin. I said Patronus like pay-tra-naw-moose, and Slytherin like sih-lin-three-uhn. Admittedly, the way I used to say Slytherin is pretty cool, but it wasn’t right. 😂
And isn’t Julia the cookbook person!? So at least that’s a nice legacy lol lol. 😂 Omg I don’t even know how I’d pronounce Patronus. I just sort of look at it and shrug. 😂(I’ve not seen the movies.)
Hello Cait!
Loved this post! You always make me laugh so much! You are SO right about character names. I also get confused when two characters have similar names (especially when they are introduced at around the same time.) And nicknames get me sometimes too! It is awesome when there is a reason behind a character’s name!
I loved that you mentioned your novel a few times in this post! Looking forward to hearing more about A Thousand Perfect Notes 🙂
Aww I’m glad this made you laugh! And the close names are just the death of us.😂
And yay that you’re keen for my book! It’s out in 9 days haha I’m sO EXCITED.
I have a unique name that has never been used in a book before; at least to my knowledge. Mariah. Pronounce Mu-Riah. I think it would be really fascinating to see my name in a book simply because I’ve never seen it before. And mostly my peeves are the same as yours, tbh. I hate the really complex fantasy names that I can’t fracking pronounce, like Dnaeryes Targyeryn or whatever that is. Or even some of those names in The Silmarillion because PLZ NO. And I also get annoyed when character names start with the same first letter. That’s just wretched. Unless of course the meaning of those names describes the character; like how in a novel I’m currently writing the MC’s name is Eleanora, which means Light and Honor and that’s what she is in the book, which is full of dark, shadowy, dishonorable characters.
So it can be good or not good. It depends.
Windy Darlington recently posted…Beginning of the End
Aww your name is beautiful! My close friend is named Maraia so that’s super close haha. But yeah I’ve not seen it in books?! I don’t think!
I just go with the first 3 letters and then cry for the rest for these super complex fantasy names loool. And Omg I can’t even spell Silmarillion let alone how crazy Tolkien goes with his names.😂
I have….never come across my name in a book. I haven’t even come across someone in real life. I gotta say, I agree with you about Celery Sardine. I think I misspelled her name three times in my review and I was actually trying to get it right.
There’s an Emmaline in the Ruined books by Amy Tintera! SO CLOSE.😂
The closest I’ll ever get probably!
My name is never in books. I don’t think I’ve seen it ever, which is weird considering it’s a pretty common name. No one likes to put Natalies in books I guess? Not a fun enough name? I literally just looked up fictional Natalies and got a list of movies and TV shows. Number four on the list was someone from the Bachelor. Like – that’s not even fictional??? The only actual Natalie is the mother in Divergent and she’s never referred to by name. This is bugging me now.
Yes to the other things. I have a hard time with fantasy names because I pronounce them weird in my head and then I go to speak them out loud and I can’t?? I can’t figure out how the sounds in my head translate into actual noises. I literally pronounced Yrene from Tower of Dawn (Sarah J Maas of course) why-rene. I realize now it was probably supposed to be Irene. Also, for some reason as a kid I pronounced Numair Salmalin from The Immortals by Tamora Pierce as Numanor Salamalin. I honestly don’t know where the extra syllables came from. Oh well.
Omg you’re kind of right?! I can’t think of one…I’m sure I’ve read a Natalia and tons of Nathaniels though. OH. But my sister’s name is Natalie, so there’s that.😂
But WHY go “Yrene” when you can go IRENE. Like why?! That’s just here to hurt us.😂
What a lovely post Caut! I am grinning throughout the post 😂 I would say that I agree with you on all of these points.
I am too bad in remembering names too. I really hate most if the names in Fantasy. I can’t even pronounce half of them. I don’t jnow why do the fantasy authors keep such difficult namez. I don’t know where di they get the name ideas 😂
Oh and I dinner think that I have seen my name somewhere because it is too unique 😂 But yeah I wouldn’t mind it either.
Sim @ Flipping Through the Pages recently posted…Ten Diverse Books of 2018 on my TBR With Character Names in the Title
Okay so I realised there are so many spelling mistakes 😭
*Cait
*Of the names
*know
*names
*do they
*I don’t
Looool I thought you were just teasing me calling me Caut. IT WOULD’VE BEEN VERY FUNNY.😂 Honestly names are just HARD. Who has time for names. We should just all say “Hey you” and leave it as that.😂
Fiona sees surprisingly little use in YA books, so I get excited when I see it, even though it’s normally like a two-page character who’s like the mean friend or somesuch.
For lyrical-sounding fantasy names that have a DEEP meaning the the language and culture of the world *cough* keyboard-smash *cough* I like it when they can be shortened to something more recognisable to us. Daenerys is a good example, because she goes by Dany a lot.
Fiona recently posted…A Review of I am Thunder
BUT AT LEAST YOU’RE IN SHREK!😂😂 I’m not sure that’s consolation actually looool.
And Daenerys also has like 57 names after that so like, we’ve lost hope.
Recently I’ve been trying to read the Throne of Glass series and Celaena has like, seven names, so I definitely feel your pain on the nickname thing. The struggle is REAL. Lol.
And funny you should ask about our names being in books! I recently had a complete mental freak out reading Ready Player One because Wade’s mother is named Loretta and my name is NEEEEVER used in books. Then about twenty pages in she turns out to be a drug addict AND DIES. It was rough. hahaha
Loretta @ The Laughing Listener recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: What’s in a Name?
SHE DOES!! And none of them are easy to pronounce.😂😂 And then they change all the time so like *throws everything out the window*
Omg so that’s not a great version of your name in a book there.😂
A partridge in a pear tree? Are you for REAL? That is the coolest thing ever.
And omg I hate when authors use Names with the same first letter. I once confused the love interest for the main character because both of their names were these fantastical sounding ones.
Oh and I love what you say about a theme in character names. I do think you’ll like something I’m about to suggest. There’s this Webtoon called Gourmet Hound and EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER IS NAMED AFTER A FOOD ITEM. Or at least their surname is! You’ll like it haha! It’s an adorable story that has elements of a cute romance but more importantly, I love the main character! The art is also wonderful!!
And I 100% agree with you about diversity coming through in the names <3
And celery SARDINE? You're killing me, Cait
Maria John Writes recently posted…Create A Young Adult Book Cover for Free in Ten Minutes
I’m joking about the partridge lol lol.😂 And YES it’s so frustrating to confuse characters because their names are so close?! Like one of my favourite series has an Andrew and an Aaron and I swear I hadn’t a clue who was who for like 2 books.😂
CELERY SARDINE. I AM SO SALTY.😂
Andrew and Aaron. Geez.
Although i am terribly guilty of the same. I once wrote in three characters in a draft whose names were Katy, Katherine and Kate.
Imagine my horrible realization towards the end of the draft and working to remember each name as I worked on the next draft.
Maria John Writes recently posted…How To Procrastinate Like A Writer in Few Easy Steps
Omgggg those are like THE SAME NAME. 😂😂Although (in my smol writer days) I had an Arion and an Orion in a fantasy and didn’t realise because they never shared scenes…until they did and I was like: help.😂
Exactly the same way I realized because they were side-characters who were friends/an enemy of the main character!
Maria John Writes recently posted…How To Procrastinate Like A Writer in Few Easy Steps
I have never seen my name spelled exactly the same way in ANYTHING (except one little license plate tag at a random campground), because my name is ~original~.
I like nicknames. Love ’em to death. Short, memorable names. A mix of classics and originals are good. Respelling common names gives ’em a nice twist.
Although I do have to admit, I am guilty of giving two of my own characters similar names. Cee and Sicilia. Both of their names are derivatives of Sicily (yes, the Italian island), but I’ve been working on their project for so long that I just… I don’t think I CAN rename them at this point.
Ah hahha that’s awesome your name is very original though! I mean at least when someone yells for you, 7 people don’t turn around.😂 My niece is named Eva and EVERYONE IS NAMED EVA/EVE THESE DAYS so that’s fun.😂
But Cee and Sicilia LOOK so different, so I wouldn’t even have thought about them being sounding so similar.😂
Lmao I can imagine that chaos. I know about three or four Claires, so imagine when that happens xD
Well that’s quite reassuring! Just about everyone who’s read my drafts so far has been like “You need to change one of their names, they’re too similar!”, but I just can’t DO that.
CAIT, THIS POST IS BRILLIANT. I loved reading it so so much! And I completely agree with you about the gibberish names? I usually just make up a pronunciation inside my head, then use that for the rest of the book, even though there’s a 999.9% I’m completely wrong.😂😂
Also, I HAD FORGOTTEN about Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and it was nice to remember. And the Spiderwick Chronicles!! I remember being completely obsessed with those in fourth grade. XD
My name shows up every once in a while?? Olivia is pretty common, but not so much as “Emma” or “Sarah.” It’s usually the name of a supporting character, and unfortunately I’ve never exactly read a book where the character named Olivia was actually nice. Oh well.😂
Anyway, great post as always!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! 😂😂 The gibberish names are here to TORMENT US for sure. hehe. And omg so many Beverely Cleary memories right?! Those books were golden!
I do think I’ve read a fair few Olivia’s in books! I can’t like remember the titles (surprise😂) but I’m sure?!? Emma is EVERYWHERE. And omg you’re right! Olivia’s are usually the “mean girls” but so are the Kates/Caitlins so I’m with you. We missed our calling.
I barely ever see my name in books and I wish I saw it more! For some reason Jo is not a common choice for book characters, and when it is used, it’s always a nickname for Josephine rather than my name which is Joanne-like don’t mind me, but I’m pretty sure that Josie is more common a nickname for Josephine than Jo!
I have to admit, I may have done the characters with names starting with the same letters in my novel-I have two girls with A names and two boys with C names, but I’m not very creative when it comes to names so that’s probably why! There’s also no real theme. My main character takes the name Avery, in place of her real name, Tiffany and I didn’t really think about it at the time, but she hates that her original name is so girly, so the fact that Avery is a gender neutral name actually works well. Short names are great, fantasy tends towards the long sometimes, so it is nice to have names you can remember-I went for mostly quite short, simple names in my novel. I tried making sure each character in my book had a name that fit their character, including with the meaning of the name. And yes keyboard smashes suck!
Jo recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #160
But there’s Jo March, so that’s pretty famous though!!😂 (And I have a character named Joey in A Thousand Perfect Notes! Different but sooo close lmao. Her full name is Johanna.)
And hey I sneakily have a Jack/Jeremy so I SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO TALK.😂 And omg we both have an Avery! I love that name. 😍😍
And honestly short names are my favourite too. Even if they’re just a bit different, it’s still easier to remember them!?
The closest I’ve been to seeing my name in a book is in Skulduggery–Val’s vampire boyfriend is named Caelan…so not sure how I feel about that, lol. But Aelin in ToG is pronounced the same as my name, just without the C, which I love because she’s one of my favorite characters (if not my favorite) of all time.
My full name is ONE LETTER off yours.😂😂
I don’t see my name (Lindsay) too often in books, but when I do its always a side character and misspelled. The closest to main character I ever saw was in John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines.
My one name request is that we get some kind of pronounciation advice, whether its an ethnic name or a keyboard Hulk SMASH name. I’m totally with you though, the same names all the time.
Ah yes I think I’ve seen it with the E not an A! And pronunciation guides would be SO helpful.😂
I spit my drink when you said Celery Sardine. You are my favorite person ever.
Omg I am so glad. 😂 I am so salty.
I’ve seen my name in a book once. It was this character’s mother and was in the book for like 3 to 4 scenes. That was it.
Same with character nicknames. It always always got me confused.
And the way the mind goes DELETE if I cannot properly read a name from a fantasy book.
Ha we are the same with our brains just deleting the complicated names.😂Or like I’ll vaguely recognise the name on page but NEVER be able to say it out loud or have any idea how it’s possibly pronounced.😂It’ll just be like this blank shape for me.
Recently 2 books released with my name in the title, which is indeed really werid..
(something Evelyn Hugo and Something Evelyn hardcastle)
Ohhh I can imagine that’d feel so weird haha!😂
I can never say complicated fantasy names right, I pronounce them really weird in my head and then I’m stuck with that even if someone tells me how to say the name right 😂
I … can’t actually remember a book with my name?? There has to be one I’ve read, but not one that immediately comes to mind 😀
Actually Song of the Current’s protagonist is named Caro!! YOU’RE FAMOUS.😂😂
Omg I didn’t know that, FAME LEVEL ACHIEVED 😱 One more reason to buy the book 😂
I’m normally good at pronouncing fantasy names. Not sure if it’s from years of reading the Bible and learning how to accurately pronounce Hebraic names (yay for a Jewish mum) or if it’s because I like to be able to say a character’s full 12 titles in their name. Screw the supercalifragiwhatever thing. Try spelling and saying Aelin’s full title with her Celaena name attached.
For me, it’s really rare that I come across people with the same name as myself or one of my closest friends. The other people, though (like husband-person, mum, and dad all have super common names so it’s inevitable). I don’t think I’ve ever seen an “Annie” in a book ever, and the only Evangeline I ever saw was in Throne of Glass.
Go you!! I honestly have no idea how to pronounce half the bible names either. Like God bless us for giving us DAVID which I can handle just fine.😂 And holy heck I Have no idea what Aelien’s last name is (and lowkey pronounce her name as “alien” and I’m so sorry but also so confused😂).
Well Anne is very popular in books though right?! Anne of Green Gables is a famous one! And I’ve read Annie’s (like in the Hunger Games!)
xD Right? Or Joshua and Joseph. Half the time in church, I’m trying not to die laughing because of the obviously not Jewish people try to pronounce some of the names and it’s amazing.
Uhm, isn’t it Galathynius or whatever. Galathyn something. When I’m really tired I read her name as alien too so it’s okay xD
I guess it is. The only “Anne”s I can think of is Anne of Green Gables and I totally forgot about Annie in THG! I loved her so much.
I have NO idea about the Galgygygghsis last name but I will trust you on it.😂
I have seen my name (Gaia) in a book, in a 3-book series for children, written by Veronica Hazelhoff (I think she’s Dutch). There is a character in I think two of of three books. She’s a side character and is mean to the main character. But when I read these as a child, I found it so awesome to see my name in a book. Because my name is so unusual. I’ve not seen my siblings’ names in books (theirs are also a bit unusual, at least for the Netherlands). I have seen my parents’ names in books on occasion and I find that difficult. Nowadays I don’t think I’d want my name in a book (as a character).
I totally agree with a lot of things on your list. I have trouble remembering characters’ names too. If it’s been a little while since I’ve read a book, I probably don’t remember any of the characters’ names unless they were special for some reason (like, I can remember Kell’s name!) or if the book is part of a series of which I’ve read multiple books already or something.
I don’t mind names that are fantasy-ish but I mind names in one book that start with the same letter or same two letters and are very similar. I’ll probably get those characters mixed up most of the time. I totally agree with cultures expressing themselves through names. I also agree with your genderless names and a name being able to be used for any gender. If a name is often re-used, I’ll probably forget all those characters’ names with that name (from all the books I’ve read with them, generic name is usually a forgettable name for me), though I can remember Simon from Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda because his name is in the title. I also love names that have significant meaning. I agree, I find nicknames confusing as well, unless they’re really alike the original name. Like, I need one name for this person and stick with it.
Anyway, great post, Cait! I love reading your ‘top 10’ lists of stuff <3.
Oh there’s a Gaia in the Gone series by Michael Grant but she’s kind of evil so.😂Sorry about that. And I used to think it’d be REALLY cool to see my name more but on second thoughts…nope. I’m good seeing it rarely. (My full name is usually the mean girl in contemporaries too oops.)
I do like when the character’s names are in the title. Never going to forget Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, are we? 😂😂
(I’m so glad you enjoyed this one!)
I looooove cute and funny nicknames, always lets us know so much about the character in so little! Don’t worry hun, these demands aren’t so bad 🙂
A lovely post as always your book photography is just tooooooo gorgeous :0
Grace Louise || http://www.gracelouiseofficial.blogspot.co.uk/
Aww thanks about my photos! I always have such fun taking them.😂 And haha, nicknames are cute! It’s just confusing when they’re interchangeable too much!
I swear I’ve seen you mention “Sal and Sam” in twelve separate blog posts and it never fails to crack me up. x’D
You’d probably have a nervous breakdown if you tried to read the fantasy novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo when I was ten . . . It was all about unicorns and, being oh-so-clever, I decided all of the unicorns would have names starting with the letter “C,” because that was how their culture worked or what have you. It was a nightmare. I had a Cassandra, Cornelia, Clara, Cricket, Chris, Clarence, Charlotte, Cosette, Cedric, and a number of other horribly named unicorns. And somehow I managed to keep them all straight??? But my poor supportive mother who wanted so badly to read the book had to keep a list by her side as she read it so she’d remember who was who.
Some of my favorite names for girls are “boy” names, like Sam and Ryan and Logan. I don’t know why they don’t get used more often!
I once was having a conversation with a reader about my love for Simon the adorable gay cinnamon roll and it took us ENTIRELY way too long to figure out that I was talking about Simon from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and they were talking about Simon from Carry On.
It’s remarkable how many fantasy keyboard smash names are still recognizable enough that you could vaguely type some semblance of a name and all of us readers know exactly who you’re talking about.
I GOTTA LET THIS GO. Actually another example I should use is Adrian/Allison from another book.😂It was really weird because one of them was in love with the protagonist but I legit thought they were all kissing for ages because who reads to the end of names. Not me apparently.😂
HA! I’d have a nervous breakdown reading my teenage-me-fantasy-series…I was even through like all the dots and lines around the characters letters to. Who cares what they actually mean.😂 (Like why use “a” when you can use ä, hmm?)😂😂 Go your mum, though, that is hilarious!
SIMON IS AMAZING BUT ALSO GAY. I always thought Simon in TMI was gay too, so they are just all queer here???😂And always such soft cinnamon sons!
Lol, right?! It’s like for any Game of Thrones names we can get away with going like Tommamam Barathththtan and we all get there eventually.😂
Okay, first I have to completely agree on reading names and the letters flip on you. I’m only on book two of the Red Rising series (so I haven’t met Liam yet) but for the life of me I keep reading Servo not Sevro.
You picked out Simon as a popular character name. Back around the same time the TMI books were just coming out we had a plethora of Sam characters. My book club friends would start chatting and Sam would be thrown into the mix and I’d have to stop everyone and get the initials so I knew which Sam we were talking about.
I do know someone who will pick up a book when she sees the name Jennifer related to the story. She got really annoyed with one cozy mystery because the blurb on the outside of the book called the character Jennifer and her name was really Josephine June! Actually, so did I and had to mention it in my book review. Personally, it’s difficult to find character’s named Xyra. I’ve gotten close with Lyra in His Dark Materials trilogy.
Otherwise, I really don’t usually have a problem with names while reading and I don’t mind alliteration with the names either. Ones like those in Game of Thrones (which I haven’t read, but some other fantasy novels are close) I give them my own nicknames.
LOOOOL SERVO!! That’s hilarious.😂 And Liam isn’t in till book 4 and he’s not much of a character, it just jolts me every time.😂
And Sam is super popular AND I have a character named Sam so I should just go sit in the corner with my shame here.😂
I definitely haven’t seen Xyra in a book, but you do have such a lovely name!
I rarely see my name in books, and to be honest – I’d love to see it in a book one time. Not necessarily as the MC, but as a character that’s in a few scenes:)
I also agree with what you said about loving names that have meaning. In one of my WIPs, I have a character called Maia (after the goddess Maia who embodied growth and change, ‘dwelt alone in a cave’, and was an older sibling, very similar to my Maia – but it’s only very subtly referenced). ALso I agree with what you said about expressing diversity through names, and how you want names like Kiko to be just as normal as Emma.. I think this is shown very well in The Hate U Give, where Starr is telling her white friends how to her, her family’s names are just regular and they’re not ‘weird’.
Lexie x
http://www.whatlexieloves.com
I think I’ve seen it a bit!! I just can’t remember the book…ohh no wait I’m SURE it was in Here Lies Daniel Tate!
It’s really good when names have multiple dimensions to them, right?! I love it when I’m writing, although I pay less attention to it when I’m reading haah. And YES. We live in a diverse world so names should reflect that. And it also makes me mad when people will mock culturally diverse names but then are alright with things like Katniss and Four. Gah, where is the fairness. (I LOVED that scene in THUG. So important!)
I love this! I’m so bad at remembering character names (like I finish books sometimes and still have no idea what the main character’s name is???? i’m sorry?????) and if the author names them like ALMOsT the same thing I will be confused. Also that thing with first person names, like I’ll get halfway through and then someONE finally calls them by their name and I’ll be like??? WHO NOW???
Exactly right?! Like how are we expected to remember a whole book plot AND the character names?!? Ridiculous expectations.
I see my name usually in contemporaries xD And often Chloe gets dubbed as the mean girl, plain and boring girl or like the not even really there girl xD I have great fun with names, I’m also super fond of names beginning with S and E like trying to think of character names is ridiculously hard – my mind blanks haha. I also actually love quirky and unusual names. As for remembering names in books…I mean usually I’m alright sometimes though I just have a breakdown and forget all names and confuse myself terribly. But it’s ok…with Fantasy books I can sort of pronounce character names but ask me where they live or anything about the names of places and well…lemme just talk gibberish it’d be easier xD
Oh yes haha I relate though, because if I DO see like a full “Caitlin” in a book it’ll be the horrible snobby girl.😂 Apparently we missed our callings, Chloe?!😂
apparently we did miss our callings xD
I’m happy that I don’t see my name a lot in books because it’s typically associated with air-headed, popular valley girls. Plus it’s always spelled wrong. Though I have noticed that my name is VERY popular among many of the victims in all of the crime shows I like to watch, so I’m not sure what that says…
I also have a teeeerrible habit of doing the very first thing on your list. Like. It’s not my fault, I swear, but I simply can’t change the names of Tulio, Tweak OR Tin, even if they’re 3/4s of the main cast. I can’t!! And I’m currently working on a new project with a Coal and a Chance. But! I did change the name of the 3rd boy, so now he’s One instead of Cent, so there’s that? I’m such a hypocrite since I also hate reading those types of things in other books…
Rebeccah @ The Pixie Chronicles recently posted…5 Fairytales that need to be Retold
Haha! I definitely haven’t seen your name spelled like that in a book yet.😂 I’ve seen a few Rebecca’s though, I think??? Who are we kidding, I remember nothing about names. 😂
I do understand though! I struggle with not overusing one letter, especially if it’s a favourite. But hey this is me whining. I’m not the Be All And End All of naming rules.😂Ignore me!! (And I do have a Jack and Jeremy in one book and I still hate myself.😂)
HAHAHAHAHA CELERY SARDINE.
What really annoys me is when white people say things like “Twinkle? THAT’S SUCH AN UNCOMMON NAME” when literally we have names like KATNISS and PEETA and we don’t say a word? Sorry that you’re accepting until it comes to culturally different things. (Fantastic post <3)
I KNOW RIGHT UTHGHGH?! It’s like no one cared that Divergent literally has a guy called FOUR and yet they’re all being rude about Twinkle and Dimple when those are legit culturally appropriate names for an Indian author!! People are ridiculous.
Ah! Wonderful post! I can get really excited about names. I agree with a lot of the things you said here. It’s painful when all the characters’ names start with the same letter or are too common/boring. I don’t want to read about John, James, Jane and Jill going on an adventure together okay? But on the other hand it can be hard to connect with a name like Azasfowenex or Craondrinidan. There is a happy medium. I want something with flare, but easy enough to sound out without hurting my mouth.
I have never seen my name in a book, and I am not sure if it would be weird or not. It probably would be. I have see some of my siblings’ and cousins’ names, and sometimes it is distracting.
I definitely like it when names go together. I have read many books with sloppy naming, but some authors share my geekiness for names and the names all go together like poetry. I love it. The names are really an important part of a book and sometimes they just seem kind of slapped in last minute instead of fitting with the story. Different stories have different moods and feels, and the names should match that. If a book calls for a John, James, Jane and Jill, maybe it’s not a book I want to read in the first place.
The Story Sponge recently posted…An Ode To Mothers~In Which I Liken Mothers Unto Rocks
I do get excited about names too! Hence I wrote a mammoth post with a lot of feelings I didn’t realise about it hahaha. And yes, totally true right?! Like put common names WITH unique names! That works!!
And I’m glad I’m not the only one who finds relatives’ names in books distracting.😂😂
Ugh I totally understand the names with all the same letters thing!! Like I always mix up the characters and then I’m like wait whats happening to who? who’s what? Its just utterly confusing and a jumbled mess *brain fried*
*brain bursts into flames and leaves the country* We are being TORTURED tbh.
Okay I agree with all of this and this post is fantastic but Celery Sardine has to be the best thing ever. I can’t stop laughing about it. AND IT’S SO TRUE. Fantasy keyboard smash names are the worst xD Like, I have a fantasy (fairy tale retelling but it counts) and my names are all based on italian ones like Rosalia and Lorenzo and stuff but they’re all shortened to Rosa, Enzo, Luca,… SO EASY. Why does it have to be so complicated?? All you get out of it is people mispronouncing the names until eternity. Or making Celaena Sardothien into Celery Sardine.
Bee (Quite The Novel Idea / Novel Ink) recently posted…{Blog Tour ~ Excerpt & Giveaway} The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde
I’m so glad that made you laugh.😂😂I’m waiting for some ToG fans to yell at me honestly, but I couldn’t resist.😂 And I love that you’ve got such cool names!! And they’re the BEST. (I love the name Luca.😍I have a Luca but probably not in a book that’s going anywhere ha.)
I very rarely find my name in books, especially by the same spelling, so I am a fortunate one.
Though I have a friend named Alina, so reading the Grisha trilogy was REALLY HARD FOR ME BECAUSE WHAT IS ALINA DOING IN THERE???? She’s not supposed to be killing people!! XD
So if all books could use the name of NO ONE THAT I KNOW, that would be great.
Ahh that would’ve been fun reading the Grisha books then.😂 It’s kind of hard to like separate them sometimes?! I know that’s probably terrible of me but WHY CAN’T EVERYONE HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES SHEESH.
once i read a book and my name was in it and i was sHoOk because i have a pretty unusual name and people always get it wrong. melanie? melissa? mia? nO.
i totally agree with keyboard-smash names. honestly if i’m reading a book and the main character’s name is Njpaed Havbd, i’ll just skip over their name every time it comes up. i do love it when names mean something important in the book that you find out later, or if a character doesn’t use their real name 💕
That’s how I felt seeing my name spelt my way! IT’S SO WEIRD THOUGH.😂 And omg the keyboard smash names just usually don’t even have any rhyme or reason. Spare us, authors.😂
I don’t think I have ever seen Becca/Bec/Rebecca/Becky in a book? Or at least not in a way that was memorable…
My biggest pet peeve is the names that could have numerous pronunciations, so every time I get to the name I get wildly distracted trying to pronounce the name in my head again. OR when it’s an audio book and the name could be spelled 400 different ways so I can really stumped when writing a review.
My protagonist in A Thousand Perfect Notes is named Beck.😂😂😂A boy tho, I’M SORRY.😂
And omg the numerous pronunciations is so hard too!! And like I’ve read a book in print adn then listened to the audio and been SO confused because they’d pronounce everything differently.😂
But like….does your Sam get super pissy when people call him Samuel? Because my brother will be plotting your death if you call him Samuel cus that’s legit not his name and it angers him to a point he may become a Dark Lord. Just sayin. lol names that start with the same letter…yeah can’t relate…at all…totally have like three characters in the same story who are attached at the hip and one of them isn’t TECHNICALLY supposed to start the same but he’s like “you’re my best friend we have to match” and everyone just rolled with it thinking it was a phase but it stuck and now even I can’t change it cus every other name i’ve tried is ass.
Ohhhh I relate to your brother haha. That’s ME when people mess up my names…which come to think of it, is probably why I gave my character-Sam a complex about it.😂 (And he does get really unhappy but he is sOFT AND SHY so he doesn’t correct people and it’s literally the saddest thing.)
when i have my name in a book i always have serious ideals for them. then there’re insignifigant and its like duh. i dont mind keybord smash names… If i never say them out loud, then i can make them up in my head and they are what they are;);););) like i can mentaly pronuce Fubdhxytb. :):):):):):):):):)
I’m glad you like the keyboard smash names! I agree, if we don’t have to say them outloud it’s not too bad. 😂😂
Yasss names can be such a handful!
Good point of being POC is not having to go through the weirdness of going through my name or anyone else’s in a book.
And I think every Simon turns out to be adorable! Lol though I am totally done with smash board names. It’s soooo difficult!
Your name is amazing, I love it so much! And Simons ARE usually adorable…I love them all so much, and they’re usually such soft dorks?! Which makes it harder to figure out which one you’re talking about when we’re all like: SIMON IS SO SWEET. Yeah, they all are.😂😂
Ahhh thanks!
*blushing till infinity*
See, but my name is Grace, so I’m so used to other people having it in real life that it doesn’t bother me much in books either. (Although now that I think about it…there aren’t that many book characters named Grace. But the few I can think of, I barely even notice at the time.) Now when I’m naming characters for something I’m WRITING…it takes me so long because I can’t use the names of anyone I know even remotely.
…also was that a Phantom of the Opera reference??
Ohhh I have read SO many books with characters named Grace!! Honestly it’s like one of the top YA names I think.😂😂 (I mean Shiver stars one, just from the top of my head, and then there’s others!) Also it’s my middle name.😂
Most definitely a Phantom reference.😂
I don’t know any main character Shannons, but I saw a best friend Shannon once. And yes, it is unsettling. OKAY so your Sam is not Samuel and MY Sam is not Samuel- is your Sam short for anything? Because my human Sam is JUST SAM and people get so pissed and WHY it’s just his name okay?
So I feel like with the same first letter, Cinder and Cress work because they are different lengths and end in different sounds. There was this book I read, gosh I wish I could remember what it was, and the father was like Jerrod and the boyfriend was like Jared and I got them SO CONFUSED and it is BAD when you are wondering why the MC is kissing her dad, right? I hate the nickname thing- I am reading a book right now in which the MC has about 4 different names between his real one and what friends and family call him, so every time there’s a switch I’m like…. WHO!? Also I am okay with gender-neutral names as long as I can tell the difference between characters? Like- I read this book once with a Riley and an Avery, and they were both as dull as rocks and so I had no idea which was which. And one was a boy and one was a girl and still NOPE.
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…The 100 Episode 5×05: Shifting Sands
Okay I am sHOOK about our Sams now (lol, like mine is alive like yours😂) although mine’s full name is Sammy! I also used to know a girl who’s full name was Abby but adults called her “Abigail” all the time and she was so pissed. Why do people struggle with names ah ahahah. *falls over*
And yes, I do think same letters CAN be okay, especially if they don’t take up so much space together and have a different second letter? Like Cinder vs Cress are just shaped so differently! But omg the Jared vs Jerrod thing is a disaster waiting to happen.😂 As much as I loved The Foxhole Court it had an Andrew and an Aaron and an Allison and I’m just like: THANKS FOR NOTHING, MONSTERS.
I have an Avery in my next book.😂 I actually had so many gender-neutral names in there and my editor was like: “Please change some, we’re dying.”😂😂
clenches fist
do you ever just get jealous when you see a name of a character in your book in ANOTHER book
*aggressively coughs @ The Hate U Give*
Not only was the main character named after my MC, my name was also in the book
which was a nice coincidence but
knife emoji still, Starr is my baby thieving girl who’s gonna kill a dragon to get rich
and yeah it was weird seeing my name (Maya) in the book especially since that Maya (if my mind is not failing me) was racist ashshsh
WOW THAT COINCIDENCE THOUGH!! Although if it makes you feel better I know there’s a Maya in The Star Touched Queen (hey you’re royalty!!) and Love Hate And Other Filters…so at least your name has some good moments.😂
I love this post! And agree with a lot of it, too. I have a hard time with names. It seems like when I’m reading a book with 4 or 5 main characters, I keep track of a couple of them and just fizzle the rest out for at least half the book. Even right now, I am reading an incredibly amazing book by Megan Crewe and I’m 70% done with it – just now aware of who the main characters are. LOL.
Ah ahha I so relate. I often finish a book and go to write the review and I’m like: “the protagonist…” because I can’t remember their name but I’m trying to look professional.😂
My name is Cait as well and I once read a series (Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston) and a minor character was named Cait. I like totally was freaking out for the whole series and probably told everyone I came into contact with. Like no one I knew of had my name and like my full name (Caitriona) is super hard to pronounce for people.
This is also the reason I started reading your blog and following you on Instagram because here was someone with my name who also loves books and has a great sense of humor and takes pretty pictures of books.
AHHH hello Cait!! It’s really nice to meet someone with my name honestly.😂 I mean, it’s supposedly the most common name ever, but hardly any of us are bloggers apparently?! lol lol Although mine is short for Caitlin but Caitriona is such a nice name!
Aww thankyou for reading my blog and instagram! It means a lot!! 💛
I struggle a little bit in this one with my own books, Like, I have three secondary characters whose names start with D ! I feel terrible and at the same time I don’t care ! But I don’t exaggerate. I hate it when all the characters’ names start with the same letter
oh my goodness! Dory! <3
You taught me to defy "gender rules". Just wanted you to know that 😉 Btw, in Latin America, Angel is a regular name for boys.
Oh, I love nicknames! But, yes, only when the author isn't saying the real charcater's name every five sentences……………..um, perhaps I should go and edit a book of mine………………..
I've never found any character with my name……. (*cough cough* Lara JEAN Song Covey. JEAN Grey. GINNY Weasley *cough*)
Haha, I mean I’m sitting here whining but I DO have a book with a Jack/Jeremy and I hate myself completely.😂
And omg I did know that about Angel, I should’ve used a different example. I’m sorry about that!
K, but for fantasy names, I agree with the anti-keyboard smash names. I don’t know if I violate that myself, though? I have mainly old English style names for my story, like Ealdred (my MC), Hamish, and Marianna, with country names like Lavylli, Valamette, and Sylvaria.
One thing I do have a problem with is giving my characters multiple different names and titles, because I love, love, love seeing that in stories XP And each name has some deep meaning for their personality. For example, Bellator (secondary MC) is a warrior/assassin lady and her name is the Latin word for warrior (ok, so that’s less of a deep meaning. But still?)
I mean, these are just my preferences haha.😂I’m one small person in a world of opinions!
When I was listening to the Illuminae audiobook, any time anyone yelled at Kady I’d freak out. xDD Other than that (and a few instances of ‘Kate’), it seems to be a relatively uncommon name in YA.
As for familial character names… well, I have twelve aunts and uncles, twenty cousins (thirty plus spouses), and six cousins’-children. I once named a character, put her through some crap, and six months later one of my cousins had a kid and gave her the same name. o_o The struggle is real.
Haha, yes! I kind of say it differently to how the audiobook said it so that was weird too.😂 And oh there’s a Kate in This Savage Song who is EPIC.
Okay that is a real struggle with knowing lots of people.😂
The only time I’ve ever seen my name in a book was when I was a death eater in Harry Potter… yeah, not a fun time lmao.
I agree with the fantasy keyboard smash name I caNNOT PRONOUNCE THEM OR REMEMBER THEM AT ALL. (You can imagine how flustered I got when I was reading the Percy Jackson books for the first time and my friend asked me how I said the god’s names. For example Dionysus and Hephaestus became diddiiuakad and hshkadhkad)
Omg well let me just say there’s an “Avery” in my second book, 😂😂