naming character

[katya]

I did a search and didn't find a thread for this.
This thread does have a specific question, but it can go on in a more general direction as well.

I am writing a story (that is actually working- I have three whole chapters! That's gotta be a record for me!). One of the main stories is about a being. This is a fanfic, actually, so that makes it harder to explain, but I'll try. This being was created by the meeting of three great forces: an ultimate black magic, an ultimate white magic, and the spiritual energy of most of the planet. It's nature is a little vague, but it is sentient, neither good nor evil, and looks sort of human-like, but not. I don't know what to call it; it seems weird to give it an actual name, but I can't just run around calling it "that weird thing" or "the being" throughout the whole story. The name can go a lot of different ways, since the story is a little bit satirical, I've found. Any suggestions?

Apart from that, what is important in a good name? What are some good names you might have heard? Does anyone else have a problem thinking of a name?

(I could've sworn there was a thread about this but I really couldn't find it, so don't eat me if there is one somewhere out there...)

[Lalaith_Elf]

Wow, thats a hard question. Let me see. I can't actually think of a name at the moment but i'll get back to that.

Generally to me the names are pretty important. You can tell so much from a name - well you could, generally thats all changed. People arn't named as they used to be. People don't look to the meaning behind a name, and they just look at the name. (If that makes sense).

I always have problems with thinking about names, then I'll come up with a good one and the next day realise that it's the opposite of good!

Well if this story is satirical you could refer to this force as a type of God or something.

I doubt that has helped but it's all I can think of for the moment.

[katya]

Yeah. Thanks. (I'm trying to talk and think right now) As long as you get my brain thinking...that might work...maybe..(still thinking)

I wish my name had a cool meaning. I was named after my grandma.

I named this other guy after Franz Joseph Haydn for a specific reason, but I hate the name Joseph. I haven't had much good experience with Josephs, I'm afraid...

[brownjenkins]

i think names a very important... you want them to be somewhat exotic so people remember them... but not so out there that they become unpronouncable

you could take the route tolkien did for the most part and base the naming system upon a pre-existing culture (nordic/anglo in tolkien's case), this way your names and expressions will have a tendency to "fit" with one another... just be sure to choose one obscure enough as to not be too familiar with your audience... you can also vary spelling to an extent to try to give it your own flavor

one of my favorite sources for names is this site for african names (http://www.namesite.com/namesite/)

[Lady Ravyn]

i know what you mean; the names i make up always sound ridiculous. :rolleyes: that's why most of the time, i temporarily name them after a charcter in a book, then if i think of a good name, i switch it.
also, things come to you at the weirdest moments, so if you ever think of some good names, write them down so you can use them when you need them!
and for your story, you could call it "the being"- just capitalize it. call it "The Being" :)

[katya]

Ha ha. It didn't seem as funny when I said it. "The Being". Maybe something like that...but not exactly like that. You made me laugh out loud though, Lady Ravyn.

"I can't do it. I can't defeat...The Being..." *dies*

[Lalaith_Elf]

Reminds me of 'The Blob'!

Sorry... that's just hillarious!

[katya]

Oh yeah! I just got it! Your idea, Lalaith_Elf! I'll take Jehova, and change a letter, then it's Jenova! ...Oh wait that won't work (there's already something called Jenova).

The blob? Yeah that could work...(J/K) It'd be pretty funny though.

[Lalaith_Elf]

My idea? Huh? Okay I'm confused.....

And it doesn't matter if theres something already with that name. As long as it's not in the same context it shouldn't matter too much.

[Tessar]

Personally for something like that I would have a little scene where it gets named 'Spirit' or something ;). But that's just me most likely :D.

[katya]

Originally posted by Lalaith_Elf
My idea? Huh? Okay I'm confused.....

And it doesn't matter if theres something already with that name. As long as it's not in the same context it shouldn't matter too much.

First, your idea about a God or something

And, it is in the same context. It's...complicated...

[Lalaith_Elf]

I understand now... my brain is just concentrating on a story I'm writing so I'll not be much help.

[Nurvingiel]

I have trouble thinking up names, so I'm just going to use plant names as a base for most of mine, unless I'm otherwise inspired.

[Beruthiel's cat]

Originally posted by Lady Ravyn
- just capitalize it. call it "The Being" :)


To take this idea a bit further, you might want to give the name an adjective to describe it's physical characteristics: i.e. "The Grey Being" or "The Shadow Being." It's a bit more interesting than just "The Being" and it keeps it from getting confused with any other "Beings" that might be lurking around in your world.

[Lady Ravyn]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
I have trouble thinking up names, so I'm just going to use plant names as a base for most of mine, unless I'm otherwise inspired.

plant names? omg, what a great idea! you know, thinking about it, i bet other authors do that- some of the names in some books sound rather...scientific... :)

[katya]

Plants, yeah, like Botan (peony)...
Ok here's the deal: One name for the whole thing which can only be given to it by another character (since in the story it only calls itself stuff that sounds suspiciously Twilight Zone like- no actual name). So, I've decided that the name can be a little silly. It's forms might have separate names though. I don't know what any of those will be like yet though..so yeah...Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is that, um, well, I guess nothing. Thanks for all the great suggestions though.

[Starr Polish]

I have a weird knack for choosing character names when it comes to the more "common" names. For example, I named a character Elizabeth, and then later was looking up name meanings on a baby site and discovered that it meant "consecrated to God". Though the story isn't exactly religious in nature, it is relevant to the character and her story arc, which I found odd. This has happened more than once.

You could call it "Enigma 1" or something like that, since it sounds like a rather enigmatic being to me.

[Estel13]

Some good names:
Isaria
Polluxus
Daemos
Erebos (Greek for "darkness")
Typhus
Aristophon

Coming up with names is easy for me. Some are from greek mythology, just re-spelled...or not.
Good luck.

[Nurvingiel]

More names, all from plant latin names:

Achillia
Alium
Amelanchier
Aralia
Arnica
Artemesia
Artemiesia
Betula
Betula
Bromus
Cladina
Cladonia
Fragaria
Linnea
Lonicera
Myrsenites
Opuntia
Orthilia
Penstemon
Roseus
Sagittata
Senicio

[Azhag_Nuug]

Coming up with names can be complicated, or it can't. I find it easy to take existing names and change letters. An example is Joseph. You can make it Jothep (don't take that he's in my story.)

Another way I like is taking words that exist like Australia, and change letters, or take some away.

Autra
Astru
Hustrala
Tralia
Tralis
Teruli
Luitra

One word can spark a hundred. For building's and places is the funnest though. I learned quite a useful technique from LoTR which is things with two names like Henneth Annun or Minas Tirith. I have at least two-four for some places.

Ona Khay
Ona Khun
Ona Khlail
Ona Kheel
One Khlol

It doesn't matter how silly your names are either. Like any name you get used to it. Galadriel, or Cirith Ungol sound silly at first, but you get used to it fast.
Say Agagligar ten times. It sounds funny but gets less humourous every time you say it.

Some tips on names for elves is using flowing letters like u or l.

Alfalas
Luilen

Dwarves should have rough letters like g and h and k.

Khur
Gurgul
Grul
Gromy

As for other beasts like Orcs or trolls, use any assortment of letters.

Golz
Mendrash

Men are sometimes hard, but the easiest way to make names for riders or ranges are using weapons in their names, or caombining two words.

Goldenbrand
Brownblade
Rainblade

That's all the tips I have and use.

PS: Please do not use any names I have mentioned.

[katya]

Hmm..interesting. That would really help if I wrote LotR stories. :rolleyes: but I'm sure a lot of other people do, so, cool.

Estel13! What's up? I think I actually might use Erebos for something. That would be totally nifty!

One comment: when writing a story, everyone please, use names that are easy to pronounce, or include a pronunciation guide. I like to see names like Yuna for example that don't have that many possible ways to say it. If, for example, you have vowels that are kind of ambiguous, it'll drive me crazy!

[Estel13]

Hi! How are you? Use Erebos if you like, it's a great name. I gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow night?