tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post5507817266068112182..comments2023-06-10T22:42:19.087+10:00Comments on Australasian Christian Writers: The Craft of Naming 2Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-72297563409224488302014-04-17T04:26:11.442+10:002014-04-17T04:26:11.442+10:00I could read it too, but then I've had to lear...I could read it too, but then I've had to learn to read Middle English. I have not read LOTR, however it seems there may have been more in the naming then meets the eye. Tolkien was a linguist it seems, and some of the characters names had meanings which seemed to correspond to their attributes or characteristics in some way. <br /><br />I have to say that I am starting to find names which do not seem consistent with the period or setting of some books annoying , don't know if I would stop reading on such a basis, but a 16th century Duke called 'Bracken' just isn't right......English Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17806974885775295349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-67242507138958480272014-04-09T18:00:42.627+10:002014-04-09T18:00:42.627+10:00Hi Anne
Great post. I had no trouble reading the t...Hi Anne<br />Great post. I had no trouble reading the top paragraph though I think to having the word in the context of a sentence/paragraph helps with working out the meaning. Still a good point to remember. I've tried with my books not to have main characters starting with the same letter which meant a few changes along the way. As I write secondary word fantasy my names are mostly made up (no English speakers in Nardva) it's fun but I know it can also make it harder for the reader. Jeanette O'Haganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11057798704247611224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-11125853339849611902014-04-09T14:14:27.055+10:002014-04-09T14:14:27.055+10:00Her Tycoon Hero is with my publisher. I don't ...Her Tycoon Hero is with my publisher. I don't think it's an accident that the names are similar. The minor character, Simon, is the anchor character in the series and the spiritual mentor/role model for my hero, Sean, in the story. This may explain why there's a sub-conscious synchronicity between the two names. Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-66306739073836451922014-04-09T13:05:49.408+10:002014-04-09T13:05:49.408+10:00Great post, Annie. I love the science behind choos...Great post, Annie. I love the science behind choosing the 'right character name.' <br /><br />I needed a brother for a minor character called Jimmy in one of my books. I remembered the boys across the road are James and Simon. So Jimmy's brother became Simon. Their mum is keen to read my story for many reasons, but high on her list is the two brothers I've named after her sons. :)Dorothyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13622521834128746217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-69466565364456499722014-04-08T16:49:23.642+10:002014-04-08T16:49:23.642+10:00Ooops! That would be BASQUE, not BESQUE.Ooops! That would be BASQUE, not BESQUE.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-14218135001001292522014-04-08T16:48:02.458+10:002014-04-08T16:48:02.458+10:00So, "Her Tycoon Hero" is already at the ...So, "Her Tycoon Hero" is already at the publisher and can't be changed? Otherwise you could think of some really interesting alternatives for Simon - like Maori, Haimona, or Besque, Ximun, or Dutch Siem.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-83024718927563951292014-04-08T12:16:28.877+10:002014-04-08T12:16:28.877+10:00Annie, fascinating post! You've just explained...Annie, fascinating post! You've just explained why I'm looking twice at the names of two characters in my current ms. My hero is Sean, and a minor character is Simon. Both characters are in 'Her Tycoon Hero', so I can't change their names. But, I can think about the name placement in the few scenes they share, and try to minimise any confusion.<br /><br />I like my hero and heroine's names to sound different to each other, and I always start their names with different letters. In 'Her Tycoon Hero' I had a minor character, Laura, and a walk-on character, Lara. I changed Lara to Sara. Narellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07665380446283721576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-91734211531181633902014-04-08T08:11:36.952+10:002014-04-08T08:11:36.952+10:00Thanks for dropping by, Marion.Thanks for dropping by, Marion.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-36709875770160404422014-04-07T21:26:59.018+10:002014-04-07T21:26:59.018+10:00Well, they did try. :)Well, they did try. :)Rita Galiehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586506137798711397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-14695527771734416742014-04-07T16:55:16.578+10:002014-04-07T16:55:16.578+10:00Very interesting and informative, thanks Anne. I s...Very interesting and informative, thanks Anne. I shall share it with my family.Marion Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162523351221733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-76495352902238368832014-04-07T13:02:16.459+10:002014-04-07T13:02:16.459+10:00I meant to 'reply', Rita, but must have hi...I meant to 'reply', Rita, but must have hit the wrong button. Reply is below.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-18984222707653351892014-04-07T13:00:32.007+10:002014-04-07T13:00:32.007+10:00My favourite shortening of a name was Oaf for Ophe...My favourite shortening of a name was Oaf for Ophelia in one of Marianne Musgrove's book. She was truly one of the funniest characters I've ever read and Oaf fitted her perfectly. <br /><br />Just to prove it can be done in real life there is the famous family consisting of William Franklin Graham I, William Franklin Graham II, William Franklin Graham III, William Franklin Graham IV and William Franklin Graham V. The second is Billy, the third goes by the name Franklin, the fourth by Will and the baby by... of course, what else but Quin? Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-249546226693797652014-04-07T12:55:41.882+10:002014-04-07T12:55:41.882+10:00It's such a simple thing, Dale, that it does s...It's such a simple thing, Dale, that it does surprise me how often well-established writers fall for this trap.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-31241664501788241942014-04-07T11:40:20.914+10:002014-04-07T11:40:20.914+10:00Yep. Hit the nail on the head, Annie. I had a Hugh...Yep. Hit the nail on the head, Annie. I had a Hugh and a Humphrey in the same book neither very nice. But Iola suggested I change, and now Sir Humphrey is Sir Godfrey and I'm happier. Also Iola didn't like my Olympia's familiar name 'Olly' because she had a nephew Ollie.(Hilarious.) So now it's Olivia shortened to Livvie and everyone's happy! Have you also noticed movie makers do a similar thing by having too many look alike main characters?<br /><br />Thankfully we don't have to read a whole book like the above mangled words. I'd understand, but not enjoy the experience.Rita Galiehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586506137798711397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-35828655377446106032014-04-07T11:08:29.075+10:002014-04-07T11:08:29.075+10:00It amazes me how many well published authors do th...It amazes me how many well published authors do this. One book I started to read had at least five characters all starting with the same letter. I gave up in disgust, because I could never remember who was who. And it was a well published author. She lost me.Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14217918666756258037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-11162730867117587102014-04-07T09:30:36.769+10:002014-04-07T09:30:36.769+10:00I think it's even wise to avoid having two maj...I think it's even wise to avoid having two major characters whose names start with the same letter. Unless, of course, they are different genders. Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-22887302329206260302014-04-07T09:29:07.673+10:002014-04-07T09:29:07.673+10:00I didn't realise it until I was at a course wh...I didn't realise it until I was at a course when someone greeted a Neil by the wrong name and he said not to worry, it happens all the time. Then my mum mentioned the research on the problem. Apparently people don't get Ians confused for Neils but heaps of people confuse Neils for Ians.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-82045469505287609902014-04-07T09:23:01.881+10:002014-04-07T09:23:01.881+10:00That was so revealing, Annie. I, too, once started...That was so revealing, Annie. I, too, once started reading the book and have never completed it. Thank you for the tip. Shall remember it when naming characters in my novel.<br />Hazel Hazel's bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15130890759088634619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-87905011930714012872014-04-07T09:02:27.859+10:002014-04-07T09:02:27.859+10:00The first paragraph was easy to read which makes s...The first paragraph was easy to read which makes sense. I get numbers muddled up. <br />Didn't know about Ian and Neil, I have a few people I know called Neil.<br />Ausjennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07644698706787568679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-71031410371800654282014-04-07T08:56:51.868+10:002014-04-07T08:56:51.868+10:00The names in Tolkien are special cases because he ...The names in Tolkien are special cases because he "invented" the languages they came from (though based them on, mainly, Welsh and Finnish) can assigned meaning to them. However, if you ignore the assigned meaning and look just at the name itself, it fits the mythic character generally better than Tolkien himself achieved. For instance, Sauron is particularly close in sound to Samhain (pronounced so'wen - yeah, Gaelic has weird spelling), the old Celtic name for Halloween. And does that fit Sauron to a T! (Or should that be an S?)Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-77780126891616431902014-04-07T08:51:06.141+10:002014-04-07T08:51:06.141+10:00I never thought of that, Iola! So right. You'v...I never thought of that, Iola! So right. You've just nailed why I can never remember where <i>The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing</i> comes from, even though I can remember it's chapter 3 and verse 17!Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02264631051671432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-11513007931947045882014-04-07T08:18:48.909+10:002014-04-07T08:18:48.909+10:00Blitzed it again, Anne! Maybe this name thing is t...Blitzed it again, Anne! Maybe this name thing is the very reason I have never been able to get into reading fantasy (particularly, Tolkien!). Certainly going to check the names in my own work more closely. Thanks, Rhonda.<br />Rhonda Pooley - Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267933289137123263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-515660504291275491.post-62753333244672995402014-04-07T06:21:21.824+10:002014-04-07T06:21:21.824+10:00I could read the mixed-up paragraph easily. I noti...I could read the mixed-up paragraph easily. I noticed that while many of the words were mixed up, the punctuation is perfect. I wonder to what degree that helped?<br /><br />Names ... this explains why I mix up Zechariah and Zephaniah. :)Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.com