Scary Good Tool 11: Naming Characters
All good stories have interesting characters in them and what’s one of the first things an interesting character needs?
A good agent in case he gets famous like Harry Potter.
No, Bonefish. An interesting character needs a name. A name that suits him just right. The right name for a character in a story can give you an instant picture of that character. This yarn should make that clear to you.
A good agent in case he gets famous like Harry Potter.
No, Bonefish. An interesting character needs a name. A name that suits him just right. The right name for a character in a story can give you an instant picture of that character. This yarn should make that clear to you.
Old What's-His-Name
My name is Frankenstein. Wait. Don't run off screaming just yet. Give me a moment to explain.
Now, I know what you're thinking. I am the monster with the square head and the bolts sticking out of my neck. That is wrong, wrong, wrong. My name is Frankenstein, but I am Dr. Victor Frankenstein. I am the one who created the monster with the square head and the bolts sticking out of his neck. I am not a monster. Everybody gets that wrong. They see my creation lumbering down the road and shout, “Watch out! Here comes Frankenstein.” Well, he is not me. When my creature is out terrorizing the countryside, I'm usually home at my castle having a nice bowl of soup and a matzoh.
It's my own fault you know. I never did give the monster a name. The trouble was I could never make up my mind. A name is very important. Let's say I gave him the name Cleophus Clampett. Why everyone would think he was a hillbilly for sure.
Suppose I named him Chadwick T. Bloomingham III. Sounds like a fine name until you consider what it brings to people's minds. Everyone would think the poor fellow was a snooty millionaire and pester him for money. He wouldn’t get a moment’s peace.
I considered the name Philip Carrington. With that name, chances are he would've wound up a scientist like me, but after what I've been through I wouldn’t recommend it. Science can get out of hand if you're not careful.
I contemplated Timmy, but the name just didn't seem to fit a seven-foot-tall 300 pound giant. Wally didn't work, either. I tried Omar, Craphonso, Ludwig, Mohandas, Pedro and Mortimer, but nothing fit.
I'm at wits end. If anyone out there has any suggestions for a good name for a seven-foot tall 300 pound monster with a boxhead and bolts in his neck, please call me at Transylvania 6-5000. Ask for Frankenstein.
I have a funny name for that monster, Mr. Butt.
What would that be, Bonefish?
Zigglebigglewiggle.
Zigglebiggle what? That’s too long and way too silly. It doesn't fit the character at all.
How about strange name like Kriqilkdojlak?
Bad idea. Never use a tongue-twisting name for a character in your story. They are annoying and hard to read. Remember, you want to keep the reader reading. If you think a name might be difficult to pronounce, ask a friend to read it out loud. If she can’t say it easily, change it.
Right.
Think of names that fit your characters.
But how do I do that?
One way is by combining familiar names. Let’s say you have an evil scientist. You could combine the familiar names of Frankenstein and Dracula to get Dr. Drackenstein or Prof. Frankula. Another way is to give characters names that fit their jobs. A fireman named Charlie Burns. A mayor named McGovern. A zookeeper named Steve Cage.
I get it. Like a barber named Kip Clip or a fisherman named Mr. Hook. Or a plumber named Mr. Stuffed-up Drain Pipe.
Uh, no, Bonefish, that sounds like a made-up name. It’s like calling a kindly princess by the name of Princess Nice or calling a surfer Surfing Dude. Try this instead. Think of a name that fits a kind princess.
How about Princess Caring?
Close. Except change the spelling to Princess Karin K-A-R-I-N.
Hey, that’s not so obvious, but it sounds like caring.
How about strange name like Kriqilkdojlak?
Bad idea. Never use a tongue-twisting name for a character in your story. They are annoying and hard to read. Remember, you want to keep the reader reading. If you think a name might be difficult to pronounce, ask a friend to read it out loud. If she can’t say it easily, change it.
Right.
Think of names that fit your characters.
But how do I do that?
One way is by combining familiar names. Let’s say you have an evil scientist. You could combine the familiar names of Frankenstein and Dracula to get Dr. Drackenstein or Prof. Frankula. Another way is to give characters names that fit their jobs. A fireman named Charlie Burns. A mayor named McGovern. A zookeeper named Steve Cage.
I get it. Like a barber named Kip Clip or a fisherman named Mr. Hook. Or a plumber named Mr. Stuffed-up Drain Pipe.
Uh, no, Bonefish, that sounds like a made-up name. It’s like calling a kindly princess by the name of Princess Nice or calling a surfer Surfing Dude. Try this instead. Think of a name that fits a kind princess.
How about Princess Caring?
Close. Except change the spelling to Princess Karin K-A-R-I-N.
Hey, that’s not so obvious, but it sounds like caring.
And caring means kind. Another way to name a character is to give him a name that is opposite his personality. Opposites attract readers.
Like a cruel pirate captain named Goodfellow or a beautiful queen named Glumpella.
Very good, Bonefish. If it’s a funny story, you can spatulate a celebrity’s name.
Spatulate?
Flip the expected and make it unexpected. You could create a rapper named Fifteen Cents or a talent judge named Simon Coward.
I get it. When you spatulate, you take what you expect to hear and flip it.
Try one. Spatulate the name of a famous actor.
Okay, how about Brad Armpitt?
Excellent. A physical trait of a character can also help you think of a name. If the character has a big nose, you could call her Cindy Snoot. Also mental traits can be helpful. A nervous character might be called Miss Twitchell.
Or a grumpy character might be called Mr. Crank.
Excellent.
What about naming characters in more realistic stories?
In modern realistic stories, stick to modern names. Don’t call a teenaged boy by an old-fashioned name such as Clarence or Ambrose or a teenaged girl by the name Agnes or Bertha. The same is true of naming characters in historical stories. Don’t call a knight Sir Ryan or Sir Dontavius. Stick to names that fit the times in which your characters live.
Gotcha, Mr. Butt.
The main thing to remember when naming characters is to use names that sound right for your characters. Study the names of characters in books and see which ones work and why. Here’s a drill to help you give your characters names that fit. Here's an example: an angry cow. Give the cow a name that fits such as Angus McMadden or Beefy Shorthorn. Angus and Shorthorn are breeds of cattle so either name fits. Now let's see what you can do with the next lesson.
Like a cruel pirate captain named Goodfellow or a beautiful queen named Glumpella.
Very good, Bonefish. If it’s a funny story, you can spatulate a celebrity’s name.
Spatulate?
Flip the expected and make it unexpected. You could create a rapper named Fifteen Cents or a talent judge named Simon Coward.
I get it. When you spatulate, you take what you expect to hear and flip it.
Try one. Spatulate the name of a famous actor.
Okay, how about Brad Armpitt?
Excellent. A physical trait of a character can also help you think of a name. If the character has a big nose, you could call her Cindy Snoot. Also mental traits can be helpful. A nervous character might be called Miss Twitchell.
Or a grumpy character might be called Mr. Crank.
Excellent.
What about naming characters in more realistic stories?
In modern realistic stories, stick to modern names. Don’t call a teenaged boy by an old-fashioned name such as Clarence or Ambrose or a teenaged girl by the name Agnes or Bertha. The same is true of naming characters in historical stories. Don’t call a knight Sir Ryan or Sir Dontavius. Stick to names that fit the times in which your characters live.
Gotcha, Mr. Butt.
The main thing to remember when naming characters is to use names that sound right for your characters. Study the names of characters in books and see which ones work and why. Here’s a drill to help you give your characters names that fit. Here's an example: an angry cow. Give the cow a name that fits such as Angus McMadden or Beefy Shorthorn. Angus and Shorthorn are breeds of cattle so either name fits. Now let's see what you can do with the next lesson.
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Lesson Review
So Bonefish, what is the name of your smart dog?
I named him Smarty the Dog.
Hmm, not very original. Why don't you try again? Maybe spatulate a famous smart person’s name using things relating to dogs.
Let me think… How about Leonardo Dog Vinci or Stephen Barking.
Delightful spatulation. Leonardo Da Vinci and Stephen Hawking are names of famous geniuses. Substituting “Dog” and “Barking” for “Da” and “Hawking” gives them a canine flavor. What's your next example?
A silly walrus named Blubs McTusker.
Sounds silly to me. Next?
I thought a cruel policeman would be named Sergeant Throwthemallinjail.
No good, Bonefish. That name's too hard to read and pronounce. Remember what I said about names that are hard to read and pronounce? You don't want the reader stopping to try to figure out how to say a character's name.
Oh right. How about a cruel policeman named Sergeant Kraske?
I named him Smarty the Dog.
Hmm, not very original. Why don't you try again? Maybe spatulate a famous smart person’s name using things relating to dogs.
Let me think… How about Leonardo Dog Vinci or Stephen Barking.
Delightful spatulation. Leonardo Da Vinci and Stephen Hawking are names of famous geniuses. Substituting “Dog” and “Barking” for “Da” and “Hawking” gives them a canine flavor. What's your next example?
A silly walrus named Blubs McTusker.
Sounds silly to me. Next?
I thought a cruel policeman would be named Sergeant Throwthemallinjail.
No good, Bonefish. That name's too hard to read and pronounce. Remember what I said about names that are hard to read and pronounce? You don't want the reader stopping to try to figure out how to say a character's name.
Oh right. How about a cruel policeman named Sergeant Kraske?
That sounds pretty darned mean. I like it. What's next?
A happy banker named Mr. Fullpockets.
I guess a banker with full pockets would be happy, wouldn't he? What is the name of your last character?
She's a greedy girl named Greta Grabbe.
Greta and Grabbe show alliteration and a greedy person is grabby. Good names, Bonefish.
So is a fitting name all there is to creating great characters, Mr. Butt?
I’m glad you asked that, Bonefish.
Me, too, or I have a feeling we wouldn’t be moving onto the next lesson.
A happy banker named Mr. Fullpockets.
I guess a banker with full pockets would be happy, wouldn't he? What is the name of your last character?
She's a greedy girl named Greta Grabbe.
Greta and Grabbe show alliteration and a greedy person is grabby. Good names, Bonefish.
So is a fitting name all there is to creating great characters, Mr. Butt?
I’m glad you asked that, Bonefish.
Me, too, or I have a feeling we wouldn’t be moving onto the next lesson.
Don't let my evil eye force you to go to the next lesson, do it for Bonefish.
