Idendity Crisis

Characterization occurs differently each time. Names have Mojo for me. I hear a name or read it somewhere and I'm off filling out the characterization that goes with it.

What does the name Milly Bullwark Doodlehardt say to you? Eccentric spinster? Children's book main character? Maybe she's the apparently kindhearted church lady who poisons unsuspecting encyclopedia salesmen with her special jasmine tea. Maybe the name is just too far out.

Names conjure important visuals. Milly Bullwark Doodlehardt = Milly sounds like an old maid; Bullwark sounds no-nonsense and Doodlehardt, well, it sounds absurd, but it catches the ear. Doodlehardt could be a nanny, an old maid, a librarian, a fairy, etc.

Obituaries are great resources for character names. This is especially true when observing names of persons who lived well into their eighties, nineties or the age of 100. Most of us don't have access to a Way Back Machine so turning to the obits grants us admission to past naming trends.

What is the first impression you want a reader to have when they see a character's name? Insight into their identity, their personality. Adolph Hitler may not be terribly novel, but a reader knows the character's sinister bent immediately. Eleanor Rigby sounds pretty meek. A character's name is his first impression. Readers size characters up based on general alliteration and past association of names. A character's name welcomes your reader into the character's life. How they look, what they wear, where they work, what they do for fun. A seasoned reader will happily answer these unspoken questions.

If you're having difficulties creating character names, relax, they're all around you. Fan through the phone book, peruse the obits, eavesdrop on conversations. - Bethany Moran

Now, a technical question: Are there legal issues involved in using the name of a real person, living or dead, in your work? If you know, please post your answer so we can all avoid painful, costly litigation.