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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve written lots of books the received wisdom is to not repeat names of characters. Not sure why, maybe it\u2019s so readers don\u2019t get confused. I can understand this if it\u2019s a repetition in the same book but avoiding names you\u2019ve used before means you have to be ever more creative in subsequent ones. You might have noticed your favourite writer choosing increasingly unusual names in their later books! If, like me, you have loads of characters in each book you use up the Lauras, Janes, Mohammeds and Nicks of this world quickly. And that\u2019s before I name the animals which is a whole other issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I find naming my heroes even trickier. I like single syllable names. I\u2019m really sorry to those of you with Darren or Justin as a partner but I just don\u2019t find the names sexy (I mean, I\u2019m sure your Darren and Justin is gorgeous but \u2026) Of course, this is my own personal opinion. However, I\u2019m running out of single syllable names so look out for a Maxwell or a Barnaby possibly turning up any day soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When naming characters, you also have to consider their age. Ruby, in the Summer Street Party books is very much a product of her year of birth, 1932, but could equally be a modern heroine as the name has become popular again. However, I probably wouldn\u2019t call a thirty-year old Karen, Louise or Wendy as they scream babies born in the 1960s and 1970s. Iris, Ava and Mia are hugely popular names for babies being born now but Ashley was a good choice for my thirty-something heroine in the Summer Street Party series as the name was in the Top Ten of baby names in the 1990s when she came into the world.
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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nI also consider what personality I want to suggest, what class, cultural background my characters are from and what their parents are like. Charity in On a Falling Tide had a mother who lived in a world outside her safe, middle-class upbringing, so Charity seemed apt. If a character is Catholic, for instance, they often have a saint\u2019s name as a middle name. I had a friend with Xavier as his middle name and I\u2019d love to use that one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nOnto another issue, related to Xavier. Received wisdom is readers need to know how to pronounce names in their head as they read. Unless you have a Celtic background, you may find Aislinn and Cerridwen difficult to get your teeth around. Personally, I think readers are vastly underestimated and besides, there are online tools to help pronunciation. I\u2019ve just used one! Celtic names are truly beautiful. However, I deeply regretted calling Patrick\u2019s wife Sinead in The Little Book Caf\u00e9 series as I had to check every time I typed it. Even though a fairly straightforward name, I had a complete mental block with how it was spelled. Thankfully Word has now evolved so you can add \u2018unusual\u2019 words into your working dictionary so it\u2019s less of a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nOne of my favourite writers, Phil Rickman, has a Welsh character named Eirion in his Merrily books. Phil cleverly has a running gag throughout the series of Eirion\u2019s girlfriend nicknaming him Irene which gives us English readers some idea of how it\u2019s pronounced. Lovely name and I might pinch it to use one day, although knowing my characters they\u2019d probably shorten it to Ron. Single syllable but, sorry Rons of the world, not very sexy. Again, my personal opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n