Stupid character name?

mountainwildfire · Mar 12, 2009

Let's say you have a girl named rebecca james who's nickname is Rebel...
too cheesy?

Neversage · Mar 12, 2009

Does it work in your story? If it works, and you believe it works, readers may believe it too. If it doesn't and you don't believe it, readers won't believe it.

I mean, come on... Ron Weasley?

Note: Ron Weasley is one of my all time favorite characters.

maestrowork · Mar 12, 2009

Humbert Humbert.

Lock thread.

Millicent M'Lady · Mar 12, 2009

For children's fiction I'd say it would be fine but for adult fiction, maybe not unless it was tongue in cheek but I think you'd be treading a very fine line.

Clair Dickson · Mar 12, 2009

If it works for the story. People have all sorts of nick names.

I'd say, there'd have to be a pretty good reason for people in the character's life to give them that nick name. My first thought would be that folks who know the character used it sarcastically...

KikiteNeko · Mar 12, 2009

In real life, certain names annoy me. Like for example, I worked with a lawyer named Sunshine.

A lawyer named Sunshine.

And during my brief stint collecting town dumping licenses, I came across a Norman Poorman. Poor man indeed.

But if you write the story and the characters well enough, you can pull it off I'm sure.

Brutal Mustang · Mar 12, 2009

The nickname wouldn't bother me, but her name does. Rebecca (St.) James is the name of a very famous christian singer. It would be not too far from naming your character Jessica Simpson or Angelina Jolie (okay, those gals are far more famous, but still ...).

Gynn · Mar 12, 2009

mountainwildfire said:
Let's say you have a girl named rebecca james who's nickname is Rebel...
too cheesy?

To be completely honest, if I were in a bookstore and picked up a paperback that had a sassy lass on the cover and found out on the back that her nickname was "Rebel", I would put it back on the shelf.

That doesn't mean it won't work in your story; just my taste.

dancingandflying · Mar 12, 2009

I agree with Gynn. Rebel is very cheesy for me and would annoy me to no end, especially if it were coupled with an equally cheesy backstory.

Meh. Just my two cents.

d&f.

Madison · Mar 12, 2009

Ditto that. I'd put the book back. (and I'm your target audience-ish, I'm assuming, cause it sounds like a potentially YA thing). It just sounds cheesy...

Glenakin · Mar 12, 2009

Mate, to be honest, I don't think it really matters that much today. I've seen some pretty awful names in some pretty great books this year.

And yeah, I used to hate the name "Harry Potter". The first time I saw that name on the first Potter book, I cringed. Well, I can't say that now, can I?

Ms Hollands · Mar 13, 2009

Completely pointless, but I know two girls with that name. I went to school with one of them (Becky) and did a ski season with the other one (Becs).

I don't like Rebel as when you you say it, the emphasis is on 'Re' whereas it's on 'bec' in the full name. Itdoesn't seem like a natural jump.

Stunted · Mar 13, 2009

You can do 'Rebel' if it's supposed to be a stupid nick-name. Maybe she's totally not a rebel and people call her that as a joke. Or maybe she's a stupid 11 year old and decided that it would be cool. But if she's actually a rebel and of average intelligence, think of a different name.

Cyia · Mar 13, 2009

If she's from the south, "Rebel" doesn't have to be a nickname. I don't know how common the name is up north, though.

Military-ish names like Rebel, Revelie, and Cadence are all semi-mainstream around here.

backslashbaby · Mar 13, 2009

If she's from the south, "Rebel" doesn't have to be a nickname. I don't know how common the name is up north, though.

Military-ish names like Rebel, Revelie, and Cadence are all semi-mainstream around here.

Not around here in NC, just for information. But 'Rebel' can have a bad connotation around here - I might wonder if the character were into the Stars and Bars, etc. if I heard that name. Just sayin'

Willowmound · Mar 13, 2009

I'm not saying Americans have the craziest names in the world. I'm not.

oswann · Mar 13, 2009

I like the name Joanne Schmoanne.

Os.

Quossum · Mar 13, 2009

Gynn said:
To be completely honest, if I were in a bookstore and picked up a paperback that had a sassy lass on the cover and found out on the back that her nickname was "Rebel", I would put it back on the shelf.

That doesn't mean it won't work in your story; just my taste.

Umm...like this?

Actually not a bad book.

--Q

mountainwildfire · Mar 13, 2009

what book is that?

Sirion · Mar 13, 2009

In my opinion it probably would be a little silly, UNLESS it was tongue-in-cheek humor, then it would be amusing.

Again, just my opinion.

geardrops · Mar 13, 2009

Guy at one of my old companies: Tom Morrow.

No joke.

batgirl · Mar 13, 2009

What if her nickname were 'Reb' for Rebecca, and turned into 'Reb' for 'Rebel'? I mean, Indiana Jones is nicknamed 'Indie', and surely we're supposed to understand it to imply 'Independent' as well.
I could see it as a MG novel name, quite easily.
-Barbara

Shamrockgreen · Mar 13, 2009

My mother used to babysit a little girl named Buick ..yes that was her name. I know a black girl named Lily White.... I have child named Colt...
Real names can be as odd or interesting as made up ones.

Willowmound · Mar 13, 2009

batgirl said:
What if her nickname were 'Reb' for Rebecca, and turned into 'Reb' for 'Rebel'? I mean, Indiana Jones is nicknamed 'Indie', and surely we're supposed to understand it to imply 'Independent' as well.

Actually, Henry Jones Jr. is nicknamed Indiana, after his dog.

LAWolf · Mar 13, 2009

What about the nickname Rebby? On occassion, characters may refer to her as Rebel as a joke or such.

I'll agree with Backslashbaby from above that I'd be very cautious with Rebel simply because many of my students would associate Rebel with the Confederate flag.

Stupid character name?

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