Getting hung up on character names

Woollybear

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My characters (in my science fiction/climate fantasy novel) have names that are meant to dredge up the 1800's in the reader's mind. And, since the setting is a different world, the names are currently uncommon on our own planet. I am trying to convey other-ness and the industrial age at the same time.

For example, some of the more unusual names are Ardelle, and Ephriam.

These are names - but I bet you don't know anyone with these names.

I thought this was absolutely fine, but so far everyone down to the last person that has read my story has asked 'where do you get your names?' and when I finally asked one person back, 'why do you ask?' I was told, 'Because I get hung up on them, I don't know how to pronounce them.'

Should I be worried about this? I feel like this is completely out of left field, since I have read occasional fantasy with names along the lines of Kraeylin or Shi'androth, (as examples). I see those names and have no problem.

But to a one, people ask about my names. Will it be a red flag for publisher?
 
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cornflake

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People ask how to pronounce Ardelle? I'm kind of presuming the Ephriam is a typo of Ephraim, in which case see above and I don't know what to tell you except I'd just nod politely and thank them for their time. If you're swapping letters around in biblical names however, that's on you, heh.
 

benbenberi

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If someone has chosen to read an sff book and gets seriously hung up on names that are not standard contemporary names (but not really all that different), they're probably reading in the wrong genre. Ignore them. As long as your names fit the world and are not totally unpronounceable (Xyvxz'rcx, get back in your box), there's no problem. I guarantee that no editor who has ever published sff would blink even once at "Ardelle" or "Ephriam." -- Though they may legitimately want to clarify, like Cornflake, if "Ephriam" is deliberate or a typo for "Ephraim".
 

Woollybear

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Cornflake -

Yes, the suggestion I made was that we can call her Dellie after she is introduced, and my friend sighed in relief "Yes! That's much easier!"

It really is Ephriam, I kept thinking it was a typo, but according to google it is a real spelling of that name. I went with it because it is more odd, but Ephraim may be better and serves the same purpose.

Benben: Thanks, that is comforting to hear!
 

Harlequin

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These are names - but I bet you don't know anyone with these names.

That in itself doesn't mean much. Patty or Patrick is also a name, but I don't know anyone in my personal life who bears that name ;-)

I don't think it would be a red flag, since that suggests inherent problems with the MS are hinted at via names. It might put some off, or appeal to others. I imagine if they're really bothered but love the story, you'd be asked to change it.

For an editor, I would certainly consider changing; if the advice is from a beta reader, I tend to feel the names are generally non-negotiable unless they're being extremely persuasive.


since most fantasy has completely made up names like Kraeylin or Shi'androth


I would be careful with the sweeping statement. Fantasy is a vast ocean, and there are certainly plenty of Victorian or period fantasies with realistic names floating around. It's not an unusual setting within the genre by any means. Also, fwiw, people complain about overly odd names in high fantasy as well.
 
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Marissa D

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Um, maybe the problem isn't with your names, but with your readers? Not being flip here--are they fantasy readers, the majority of which could handle names like these (though I agree with the cornflake that Ephriam looks more like a typo and might require a bit more work.)
 
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benbenberi

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Yes, the suggestion I made was that we can call her Dellie after she is introduced, and my friend sighed in relief "Yes! That's much easier!"

Your friend's reaction is very strange. "Ardelle" is a perfectly simple name that is similar to many others. Michelle, anyone? IMO "Ardelle" is much easier to read than "Dellie," which has the typographically challenging "lli" string that's easily mistaken for "lll".
 

Woollybear

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Thank you Harlequin and Marissa,

I like having my blind spots pointed out, and will be aware of the sweeping generalizations. Harlequin, I will edit my post, and I wanted you to know in case you feel I did it without informing you -

Hmm, perhaps I will rewrite it to Ephraim, since everyone here (writers in the SFF forum) sees it as a typo. There is no a priori reason for it to be Ephriam instead of Ephraim. In fact, more biblical is better, though now I need to see if that Ephraim fits my Ephriam, it will be great if he does.
 

Harlequin

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lol no worries! I don't mean to sound accusatory, but I can be acerbic at times.

I agree with marissa that it seems unlikely a habitual fantasy reader will stumble over those names. Historial readers also should be fine.
 

mpack

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But to a one, people ask about my names. Will it be a red flag for publisher?

Are your beta readers genre-familiar fantasy readers? Names are a common way to establish the time and place of a fantastic setting, and I'm surprised anyone would even question the names you mentioned. If a specific name is a problem for a publisher, it's usually a simple enough change, but that would most likely be if your protagonist was named Samwise Baggins or Hermione Potter.
 

Roxxsmom

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Some people are weird about names they're unfamiliar with in fiction. Generally, they're not big fans of SFF. Do the readers who are asking normally read this genre? I can see having a problem with really long names with a string of unfamiliar letter combos, but neither of the two names seem especially difficult to me. Rightly or wrongly, I have a pronunciation in my head as I read them.

A thing about names is that a reader can have the wrong pronunciation in their head, and they can still get 100% enjoyment of the story. I recently learned that a friend's protagonist, whose name has short and simple in its spelling, has a pronunciation that is completely different from what I (and about 99.9% of readers, I'm guessing) would assume it is. The author's intended pronunciation is not a pronunciation I can get my head around.

Whatever. I still pronounce it the way I do inside my head.
 

Woollybear

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In response to the questions, I suspect most of these individuals don't read much SFF, and this is part of the issue. Perhaps it explains all of the issue, I don't know. Perhaps some of them thought the names were great - I only followed up with one person on why she was asking. She reads a lot, including SFF, but more typically reads other stuff.
 

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I read mostly SFF. When I come across a strange name I usually attempt to read the whole thing, give up, then only read the first recognizable bit of the name for the rest of the book. Like, if I came across 'Zheriqwe Mezhazhok' (which I just grabbed from a name generator), I would read that as 'Zerkay' in my mind, or maybe just 'Zer' and ignore the rest. This happens so often that I have stopped caring about unpronounceable names. I just don't read most of them.

Aintnobodygottimeforthat.gif
 
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Whiteboat

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Hello,

As long as character names are suitably different to avoid confusion I don't see a problem. I realised that I don't actually necessarily actually even pronounce character names in my head, I realised this on probably my third reading of Terry Pratchett's Pyramids that one of the main characters was a phonetic joke of Tracey.

I think your suggestions are good.

Cheers,

Ben
 

blacbird

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The only categories of names that I, as reader, dislike are these:

1. The unpronounceable which look like a sequence of randomly-drawn Scrabble tiles: Yqziivlwx, Gbruovqqygh, etc.

2. The absurdly pseudo-symbolic: Stormbringer, Hammersword, Skythunderaxe, etc.

Your examples wouldn't cause me any pause.

caw