Association Issues

[Rilbur]

Association is a pain in the... GAH!

 

I'm writing a new story, and I needed to come up with some names. I grabbed Jones out of a hat, and then came up with Breckenridge. That bugged me. Then I realized what the problem was -- the main character's of Do Over have those names. I do NOT want to have Jones and Breckenridge at the same time!

 

So, I decided to replace Breckenridge. And came up with 'Davies'.

 

Given that I just came off from trying to avoid naming my main character, Jack, 'Jack Sparrow' and then 'Jack Daniels', I'm starting to think tonight is just not the night to be writing.

 

What do you think? And has anyone else ever had this kind of issue?

[Tomas]

Something similar.. I got an idea for a story, so I decided to make the attempt. (posted the beginning in Sneak Peeks hoping for some comments and opinions to see if it would be a worthwhile project)... anyway... the problem I had was not to have all the characters with names beginning with a "J". LOL

 

Ended up with a long list of "J" names and very few other names that felt like they fit one of the characters. Oh well... I guess it'll work out if I decide to continue.

 

I'm sure you'll figure things out in time.

 

Take Care

Tomas

 

[Zolia Lily]

Hey, i've done that before! 'J' names just appeal to me for some reason.

 

NOW i refer to my trusty book of baby names - i flip to a random page and read and either wait for a first name to jump out at me or just pick one. And then for Last names i use Newspapers and articles - i check out the author's last names or the people's last names mentioned in there, famous people's surnames (and mix up the first names with other people so no one will ever know.... ). I've borrowed quite a number of first and last names, changing a vowel here and there and mixing and matching.

And sometimes i look for baby names online too- useful for looking up the most popular from a certain year - OR ( my favourite! ) for looking up a name to fit a meaning or a characteristic (like 'peaceful' or 'courageous' or something) that i want for a character.

 

Other times i don't worry too much. I mean, it can happen in real life, right? My uncle's first wife was Suzie. His second wife was Suzie. (Different Suzies, i might point out. I might also point out that neither marriage lasted )

I also had a teacher in high school who's name was Pamela Anderson. Unfortunate, but true. She liked to tell us she was 'the original' one.

 

 

[Tipdin]

When it comes to names, I have collected a list of websites that offer names. Several websites are just lists of baby names, but some will offer ethic names of various types. If I do it myself, everyone ends up Steve Smith or Mike Jones.

[Cia]

I often use baby name websites too Either that or I write fantasy and just make them up. I do not like having the names of anyone I know or knew in my stories. Too weird for me since those names bring to mind a certain person for me. I like my characters to be themselves in my head, not echoes of those I know.

[Kev de Cauchery]

With the latest project I'm using Pinyin names.

 

On other occasions, I have a list of names I like, and I cross out the ones I've used.