Thoughts on naming characters

Remember that dashing manly hero in Gone with the Wind? What was his name again?

Rhett Butler. How could anyone forget! But what if Margaret Mitchell had named her hero Percy Sprong? Or Hubert Gribble?

And what if Scarlett O'Hara had been Enid Snirke? Or Maisie Brittlebanger?

Names convey rhythm and flavor and shape. They evoke memories and awaken the senses. Names affect how the readers respond to a character.

Samual Clemens (writing as Mark Twain) explained how some names fit a character "by their sound." He said, "…one doesn't name his characters haphazard… 'Arthur Van de Vanter Montague' would have sounded ridiculous, applied to characters like 'Tom Sawyer' or 'Huck Finn.'"

A memorable name helps readers keep track of who is who, especially those bit-part characters who flit in and out of the story.

Who can forget that Professor Sprout teaches Herbology at Hogwart's School or that Moaning Myrtle is a ghost?

Children's writer Roald Dahl had a lot of fun choosing character names. Augustus Gloop is a gluttonous child. Aunt Spiker is mean and vindictive. Headmistress Trunchbull rampages through the school creating havoc.

Try this: Make a list of the personality traits of your character. If that wacky teacher is the nervous type, write down words that characterise this behaviour. Your list might include: fidgety, flustered, twitchy, jittery, jumpy.

Then play around with these to come up with colourful combinations… Titch E Finglet perhaps, or Fidge Jigglebottom.

Science fiction and fantasy writers can have a lot of fun with characters' names. The idea is to choose names to sound different from humanoids, but not too different.

Select a common name and then change or add one letter:

David becomes Dafid

Amelia becomes Amelira

For an ethereal quality that would suit elves and fairies, take a common name of three syllables and swap some of the consonants for vowels. Thus:

Samantha becomes Eamantia 

Jeremy becomes Aeriemy

Names with extra consonants sound heavy. Metallic robotic creatures may have a number of hard consonants in their names such as Broddon or Robard.

Names in picture books should be chosen with special care since each precious word must convey tone and atmosphere. For example, the name Digby evokes the slow rumbling movements of a heavy creature. Just perfect for a wombat.

On the other hand, Mirette evokes lightness and agility. Just right for an acrobat.

Interesting names are found everywhere – on street signs, in song lyrics, on CD titles, in the "hatches, matches and dispatches" section of the newspaper…

I have a notebook full of them.

Need a great name for a cat? I can offer you Rug, Mr. Blister, Fibble, and Kitten Kaboodle.

I once met a pup named Handyman because he did little jobs around the house.

A local criminal called Dave Granger was known to his friends as Grave Danger.

Half the fun is finding a good one and then inventing a character to go with it.

Next time you are considering naming your protagonist Claude Clodwamble or Gertrude Slambunger, remember to ask yourself, "What's in a name?'

The answer? Plenty.

© Jill McDougall 2008                                               

Jill is the author of over a hundred books for children. Visit her website to find more writing tips: http://www.jillmcdougall.com.au.

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