Awkward moment when you realize you must change a character's name

[EarlyBird]

I've changed a few names. Not a big deal for me, although it takes a day or three to get used to referring to the characters by their new name.

For secondary characters I like to use names of people I know. Occasionally the character will take on personality traits (usually bad ones) that too closely resemble the real person so I have to switch up the name so as not to offend.

[Cannelle]

I learned my lesson when I wrote my first (unpublished) novel. More than halfway through, I realized that my main character, a musician who was compared to James Taylor, had a different spelling of the same name of a very real and popular musician...who has also been compared to James Taylor. (I hadn't ever heard of the real life guy before, so it was a total o.O moment for me.) I changed it. Same first name, different last name.

I now run every single character's name through Google before getting too attached.

[MVK]

Originally Posted by Cannelle

I now run every single character's name through Google before getting too attached.

That's a good idea, I'll have to remember to do that.

[ladyleeona]

I always have to change names, usually because I'm an idiot.

Mostly it's because I'm absentminded as hell and name one character Robert and another Roberto, all in the same WIP. Or have three secondary characters all with names beginning with E. Or discover that the victim I killed in WIP1 has the same name as the MC in WIP2.

Every day's a new one for me.

Haven't ever copied an already taken/famous name, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

[The Seanchai]

Can't say I've had to do that, but if I notice character names are all starting with the same letter (for some reason I always go to names that start with J or K) or just don't fit the character I'll change one.