Posted On February 22, 2012 by Print This Post

What’s In A Name? by Cynthia D’Alba

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Cynthia D’Alba is a wonderfully funny, clever, and dynamic person who lights up a room with her smile. I am so excited that her debut novel, Texas Two Step, is set to release on February 28, 2012! 

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
(Act II, Sc. II)

Will Shakespeare and I must part ways when it comes to names. A hero by another name may not be “as sweet.” Names can play a large role in your character’s identity. For example, in J.D. Robb’s In Death series, would Roark be as sexy if his name were Wilbur? Wilbur just doesn’t have the same ring as Roark, does it?

The names you give your characters plays as major a role in your story as other traits and habits. Character names should help define the character…who they are, where they’re going in life, where they’ve been. Character names need to be unique to your character and in getting the name right, you build in a memorable element to the story. Who doesn’t think “Southern Bell” when Scarlett O’Hara is mentioned?

Names matter and spending the necessary time to discover your characters’ names will be time well spent. Did you catch what I said? Discover your characters’ names…not assign a name to character. I suspect there are quite a few authors who could tell you a story about how the character in the current WIP insisted his/her name was wrong and must be changed.

But there are some elements of naming that authors should keep in mind.

1. Make sure the name is age appropriate. Choosing a name that is popular today but wasn’t in the 1880’s (when your story is set) will pull the reader out of the story. Let’s face it, Tiffany wasn’t a common or even known female name in the old wild west. You’d want to use maybe Mary (#1 name in 1890) or Ruth (#6 in 1890). So how do you find out what names were popular in a certain time period? Here are two searchable databases that will help. Check the Social Security Name Popularity List for the time period you’re working in. Another fun site is Voyager Baby Names. Keep ethnicity in mine as you search as that can make a huge difference in the name you select.

2. The day of exotic names or unpronounceable names has passed. Readers want to identify with your characters and that might be difficult if your character’s name is Zyonicaebec or Crystal Rhinestone. If you are writing futuristic stories, then I would expect the names to be different than today’s (or yesterday’s) names. We don’t know what names will be popular 2000 or 3000 years from now. What I do know is that you don’t want readers to stumble over the names, or for the names to pull the reader out of the story as (s)he tries to decide how to pronounce Zyonicaebec. You have just spoiled that reader’s experience. Make your names easy to spell and easy to say.

3. Lovers and family members will use pet names. Don’t forget to build pet names or terms of endearment into your stories. If I ask, “Are you a cupcake or a babe?” would you know what I’m talking about? If you read the Stephanie Plum series you would have recognized the terms of endearment given her by Morelli and Ranger. In my new book, Texas Two Step, my heroine’s brothers call her “kitten.” That nickname plays a vital role late in the book in defining Olivia’s (my heroine) relationship to her ex-husband. Look for it! It wasn’t an accident or fluke when I wrote that scene.

4. Watch for overused names. For heroes, the name Jack (or Jackson) is being typed over and over by aspiring authors. Don’t get me wrong. Jack is a great name. Tough-sounding. Good old, hard-working American name, but using Jack is so unoriginal, not what you want with your story. The same can be said for Kate (or Katherine or Catherine.) Guess what the hero and heroine names were in my first WIP? Yep. You guessed it. Jack and Kate. 

5. Be careful using names that can be associated with popular cultural references. Going back to Scarlett O’Hara…That’s not a name you’d expect to see given to a heroine born and raised in Michigan or Maine. Scarlett O’Hara conjures up the images of Southern Bell, hoop dresses, a drawl in her talk. But what if her mother was obsessed with the movie and that’s where the name came from? Great! But be sure to work the impact on the heroine’s life of having that name. The same could be said if you use Jessie Jackson, or Oprah, or Elvis. All these names can evoke an image that will have an impact on your story. On the other hand, Robert Crais writes a series that stars Elvis Cole. His mother was a trouble woman who changed Elvis’s name on a whim. His name influences how he sees himself and how he interacts with the world. I’m not saying you can’t use names with popular cultural elements, but to remember what having that name can mean to your hero or heroine and their view on the world, or even how others view your character. Having a certain name can make others in the story have certain expectations of your characters…expectations that you will need to either confirm or (better yet) blow up!

Have you come across names that “violated” these naming rules? Did that affect your reading or enjoyment of the book?

So tell me your considerations when naming a character. What tips can you pass along to your fellow authors? Got a really cool naming site you can share?

***

What are your answers to Cynthia’s questions?  Any suggestions or tips on picking the right name for your characters?

Tomorrow, Elisabeth Staab, author of KING OF DARKNESS, joins RU for the first time.

***

Bio:

This post is proudly a stop on the TEXAS TWO STEP Blog Tour. For a complete listing of all stops on this tour, please visit here. All contests are for U.S. residents only unless otherwise noted. Comments left on this blog will be counted toward the Texas Two Step Faithful Follower Gift Certificate. To see a complete listing of Blog Tour Prizes, click here. Be sure to check out the freebies. Yours for the asking for as long as they last.

Today’s TTS Blog Tour Prize
Many guest bloggers can offer a copy of a backlist book to be given away as a potential prize for a blog commenter. As a debut author, I don’t have a backlist. But I do have an Advanced Reader Copy of Texas Two Step to give away! What do you have to do to be in the running for the ARC? Leave a comment! That’s it. Be sure to leave an email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.

To learn more about Cynthia D’Alba check out the links below:
• Her website
• Friend her on Facebook
• Follow her on Twitter
• Join her and her fans at her group Blog
• Sign up for inside scoops and special contests by receiving the newsletter she shares with her blog buddies.

Texas Two Step is my debut novel. It is available for preordering at Samhain, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I will be forever in your debt if you would buy it and then let me know what you thought.

Thanks for visiting with me today.

Characterization

Discussion

101 Responses to “What’s In A Name? by Cynthia D’Alba”

  1. I still think I’d love to write a hero with the name of Wilber – talk about adding character to his character!

    Do you find that you pick the right name right away or is it a process for you?

    Thanks for the post Cynthia!

    Posted by Robin Covington | February 22, 2012, 5:30 am
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  2. Hi Cynthia,

    There was a recent article about names. The more common and easier to pronounce are more successful people. Thinking of names for my children, the advice I got was make sure they don’t have to spend their lives spelling it for others. I look for common names with interesting nicknames.

    Mary Jo

    Posted by Mary Jo Burke | February 22, 2012, 7:13 am
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  3. Hmm…nice points.

    I found that the site Behind the Name is useful for finding names and such.

    Posted by Chihuahua0 | February 22, 2012, 7:13 am
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  4. Good morning, Cynthia. I have a baby book of names that I sometimes go through. I try to match the definitions of the names to characters.

    I did have to change the heroine’s name in my new release from Jillian to Kristen. I wanted the heroines pet name to be Jilly (her dad would have called her that), but the hero was Billy and that was just weird. LOL!

    Posted by Adrienne Giordano | February 22, 2012, 7:30 am
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  5. It’s hard to read a book when I can’t pronounce the names. If I have trouble with that, I either don’t finish the book or I just change the names in my head. I did read a book I enjoyed where a secondary character called the heroine Cupcake. I liked it. I thought it was sweet. I don’t have a favorite nickname, but I think they should be meaningful, cute, and easy to pronounce. Thanks for the blog tour. Congrats on the new release. Less than a week left.

    e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

    Posted by Joanne B | February 22, 2012, 8:04 am
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  6. Morning Cynthia!

    My characters names come to me in a flash…well, the first letter does. I start off with the first chapter and then at the end I think – the heroine’s name starts with a “D”….then I go to a naming source – like any of the above, and hit the D’s until one leaps out and says “Here I am!” Weird – but hey, it works for me!

    I did once write a hero named Fred – but it was for a 1000 word short story…=)

    Thanks for a great post!

    carrie

    Posted by Carrie Spencer | February 22, 2012, 8:18 am
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    • I find that will use the same first letter over and over if I’m not careful! Jack, Jason, Josh, etc. You get the idea. I have to make myself look for fresh names.

      And I don’t want to use the same names that “everybody” else uses, but I don’t want my names to be weird.

      Thanks for coming by and leaving a message.

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (aka ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 8:36 am
      Reply to this comment

  7. Hi Cynthia!
    It takes me a while to pick a name, especially because I Google search first and last name combinations to avoid using a real person’s name. That can be very time consumming. Whenever I see a name I like, I jot it down for future use – if I can find it on whatever scrap of paper I’ve written it down on!!!!

    Congrats on your release!

    Posted by Wendy S. Marcus | February 22, 2012, 8:52 am
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    • I confess…I read Obits for interesting names and interesting combination of names!

      In the south, it’s common to see the nicknames in parentheses in the obits like Shirley Mae Jones (Big Momma). I’ve warned my husband that if my Obit lists my name with (Big Momma) in parentheses, I’ll haunt him forever!

      Walking graveyards is another way to find interesting names. They’re dead. They don’t care!

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 9:08 am
      Reply to this comment

  8. Nice thought provoking article. I never quite thought about it but you are absolutely right. In 1988 I wanted to name my daughter Kaitlyn Elizabeth but as there were two Kathys’ one on each side of the family my mom chose Holly since she was born dec 18. So what do you think? I still like the name but now Im too old.

    Posted by Janette | February 22, 2012, 9:03 am
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    • I like Holly! And yes on overused names.

      I have two nieces named Amy, one of each side of the family. Two nephews named Scott, one of each side of the family. I have a niece named Ashley and my cousin has a daughter named Ashley. At Christmas, I have to label the gifts a certain way to I know the right Amy or Scott gift goes to the right person!

      Oh, and I ADORE the name Kaitlyn. Great potential for petnames. Kathy, Kait, Kate, Kay, Kitten, Lyn, Cat. :)

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 9:12 am
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  9. I can’t concentrate on writing the story until I’m happy with names. I get free local paper that lists a lot of school names, and for my current series, I’m using it for names. And to answer your question much earlier, I like to think I’m a ‘babe’ but probably most people would think I’m a ‘cupcake.’ :(

    Posted by Edie Ramer | February 22, 2012, 9:04 am
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  10. Hi, Cyndi! I agree. The names of characters tell you so much about them, it’s important to get it right. At the moment I’m working on a middle-grade story set in a primitive setting, so some of my names come from making different sounds… Great fun!

    Posted by Judith Keim | February 22, 2012, 9:19 am
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  11. I am an avid reader and when I come across a name I like I write it in my notebook. I have a list of names that captured my attention. I take the character and run through my names until I get one that fits them. The terrorist group I have in my series was harder. I had to research for names that fit the culture. Hopefully the goverment doesn’t track my web sites. My sons in the military might get questioned on why thier mother is surfing terrorist sights and FBI wanted lists. Loved your post.
    Lynda

    Posted by Lynda Frazier | February 22, 2012, 9:27 am
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  12. Names are part of the character development process. I figure out my characters’ ages, then frequently check lists of the most popular names for the year in which they were born.

    Posted by Leigh Duncan | February 22, 2012, 9:47 am
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  13. Hi, Cyndi: I tell ya I work hard to name my characters and when I sold stories to the Trues, several names were changed and for me, did not reflect my image of the character. Eventually, I did ask them to stop changing the names.

    Good post, gal!

    Posted by Vicki Batman | February 22, 2012, 9:55 am
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  14. I agree with all your name tips. . I like old names. For example my daughter’s name is Audree Grace and my hubby’s is Doyle James. Also I have only met one person with my name and she happens to be my best friend. lol Thanks for the post. I really enjoyed it!

    Posted by Kaylyn Davis | February 22, 2012, 10:15 am
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  15. Great post, and I love the websites. I have a tendency to use a lot of Hispanic names (I am in Texas!!) Anyway,the copy editor in my last book picked up on a name I had used casually in book 1 of the series. It was a character that barely got a sentence mention but was an employees at the sane place as my heroine. She made me change it.

    I now alphabetize all my names with both first and last names to make sure I’m not using the same letter too many times, etc. This is really important in a series.

    Can’t wait to read TTS, BTW.

    Posted by Liz Lipperman | February 22, 2012, 10:21 am
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    • I keep a spreadsheet of names. One sheet for the females and one for the males. I’d love to tell you this is so I won’t reuse names but the reality is I don’t remember the names I’m using even while I WRITING the book!

      I have read books where two names are either very similar or two male (or female) names start with the same first letter. I do get confused at times.

      thanks for coming by and leaving a message

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 11:08 am
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  16. Great stuff, here, Cynthia. I have always loved names and their meanings. When my characters stand in line to receive their names we have to have a serious talk about their goals, their history, if their name is a metaphor of some kind. I usually use Write It Now and Scrivener’s name generators to get started. Very helpful.

    And hey, look at Jamie. Who would have thought I could speak that name and almost everyone knows who I’m talking about. He was head to head with Roarke for best romantic hero for a long time. Thanks for the links and the great advice on keeping historical popularity in mind.

    Posted by Livia Quinn | February 22, 2012, 10:29 am
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  17. Names… I’ve just recently begun to delve into them. I used to just puul them from my head and you know what I found – I tend to reuse names.

    Most of the time I start with the first letter, pull out a baby book and then start looking at definitions and fitting them to the person.

    Even when I renamed one of my Mathews (I had two, one a bastard Prince of a YAish novel, the other a military man of ‘low bith’ in an Adult Fantasy) I stuck with an M name. I had to convince him, but the second guy agreed to Manual.

    Though I have a tendancy to use common names for my stories, I gave my kids names that were furter down on the populatiry charts. Probably because I got poiled being the only Cayla (yess that’s my nick name) in my school growing up.

    :} Cathryn

    Posted by Cathryn Mullen | February 22, 2012, 10:36 am
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    • I wouldn’t have pegged “Carla” as a nickname for Cathryn but it does work, doesn’t it?

      I LOVE the name Matthew (Call me Matt!) for a hero’s name. I haven’t used it for fear it might be over done.

      However, truly odd names like Hawk don’t seem like real names. Nickname? sure. Great one but Hawk on the birth certificate (unless it’s mother’s last name) seems odd.

      Thanks for coming by and leaving a message! Appreciate the support

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 11:12 am
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      • Yeah Cayla is odd for Cathryn, but my parents pulled letters from my full name to create it so I wouldn’t be called Cathy… (To many Cathry’s about at the time, including one married to my Uncle).

        I figured for a YA having A Mathew wouldn’t be a bad idea, it’s a name kids would be familiar with, and he gets called Matt by Princess Crystalina, who preferrs to be called Chris. *grin*

        Funny you should mention Hawk though. In my current WIP all Scout Troops (a small miltray reconnicence unit)are given Animal names after their Sergeants who often have some aspect of that animal. Deer troop is made of fast runners. Bear, well that Sergeant looks like one (think big Russian guy with balck beard).

        :} Cathryn / Elorithryn

        Posted by Cathryn Leigh | February 23, 2012, 9:51 am
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  18. Slap me with a wet noodle! My current hero’s name is Jack (Jackson Lightfoot). Ooops. I thought it was strong and current, and I write contemporary. I didn’t realize everyone else is using it to? Dang.

    I agree that hard to pronounce names are a pain to read, and I’ll just skip over them and say whatever suits me.

    As a writer – you get to chose your character’s name, but in life we get assigned a name. Sometimes, it would be nice to think of a character stuck with a crappy name. Say a great grandmother’s name. Fortunately, we can legally change our names if we hate what we’ve been assigned.

    Good blog. But it’s too late to change my Jack to something else, and he really is a Jack. sigh.

    Posted by Lynne Marshall | February 22, 2012, 10:43 am
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  19. Great article. Most of the time I don’t care what the h/h are named, but if the names are a little too out there, I do pass. Maybe it’s my loss when I do so, but the names for this one particular series seemed a bit weird for a historical. This bummed me out because the series looked like a great read, but the names of the heroines were a bit much.

    Nicknames are important. In the town where I live, everyone has a nickname, even me LOL. When I hear my real name, it sounds weird.

    Posted by Mercy | February 22, 2012, 10:43 am
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  20. I called my hero Jack as a temporary thing until I decided what his name actually was, but then, somehow, he ‘became’ Jack and I couldn’t change it!

    Posted by Paula | February 22, 2012, 10:57 am
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    • Paula. This has happened to me twice.
      I used “Emily” as my stand-in name for a secondary character in TTS. She is the bride in the wedding that brings Olivia and Mitch together. I used Emily because it is the name of the daughter of my very good friend, Sandy and Emily was getting married at the time I was working on the story. It stuck.

      The other is Caroline Graham, who is the heroine of the book I am currently working on. Caroline Graham is a twist on the name of a one of my lifelong friends. It was a placeholder until the character refused to change her name to Rachel and my friend insisted I keep Caroline.

      Bossy character and friend! LOL

      Thanks for coming by and leaving a message

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 11:17 am
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    • IMHO, Characters who become “real” in your head begin to express opinions. Once I had a character tell me he had a sister. I had no idea! LOL

      Thanks for coming by and leaving a message

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 11:19 am
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      • Cynthia, I love the moments when my characters tell me things I didn’t know. Recently, my current heroine informed the hero she’d been born and brought up on a farm and I was like ‘Oh, really? Well, yes, I’ll go with that’ and realised it was actually a good reason for the hero to start thinking they had more in Our characters really do know more than we do at times, don’t they?

        Posted by Paula | February 22, 2012, 3:45 pm
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  21. Hi Cynthia! This is a topic close to my heart. I’ve always been fascinated with names – I remember filling sheets of paper with my favorite names when I was a schoolkid.

    I wonder sometimes if I started writing fiction in part so I’d be able to use more of my favorite names, since I only had two children to bestow with names.

    I’m the genealogist of my family, and I was surprised to find I’m far from original – lots of Rebecca’s in the family, going back hundreds of years. Doing genealogy research has been helpful, because I can picture which names were common in which period.

    I think it’s so important to have names that fit the characters. Whenever I significantly change a character, I have to change their name accordingly.

    I went to a workshop given by Lani Diane Rich (aka Lucy March) some time back. She said she’d been struggling with a character who just wouldn’t come together. She had an epiphany – changed the name, and everything flew from that point on1

    Posted by Becke Davis (Becke Martin) | February 22, 2012, 10:59 am
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  22. I’m a fan of keeping it simple in names. Of course if you’re writing fantasy or science fiction, having a Joe or Tim or Ann might not be right, but you want your reader to grab and hold onto your character. My grandfather’s name was Homer Ergle. I’ve never forgotten that because he’s my GF :) but seriously, who names a little baby that. Some of the names coming out these days are hard to remember. Great reminder, Cyndi! Best wishes on your fabulous launch!

    Posted by Donnell | February 22, 2012, 11:02 am
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  23. I think you gave wonderful advice on names. ESPECIALLY keeping with the time period. I recently read a western romance with the heroine named Kaylee Marie. Super trendy names don’t work with historical books. I also don’t care to read hard to pronounce names. Usually I make up my own version of the name instead of stumbling over the name every time I read it.

    Posted by Shay | February 22, 2012, 11:04 am
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  24. Great advice! However, I must disagree with Crystal Rhinestone. If I ever become a stripper (to pay my way through college) I claim that as my stage name. :)

    Posted by Avery Flynn | February 22, 2012, 11:40 am
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  25. Cyndi, told you I had ADD, darn it. Okay one more comment and then back to work!

    I used to work with a man by the name of Rowdy. Still great friends with him. Does KOD’s Daphne ads every year. I said to him, what’s you’re real name. He looked at me and said…Rowdy.

    Posted by Donnell Ann Bell | February 22, 2012, 11:51 am
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  26. Hi Cyndi!

    My stories are set in the Regency period, which from what I can tell included about six female names–Ann, Elizabeth, Mary, Victoria…LOL

    So, I spend quite a bit of time locating names that “sound” historical. Probably won’t make the historical purists happy, but I’ll take my hits on this area. :)

    Tracey

    Posted by Tracey Devlyn | February 22, 2012, 11:53 am
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  27. I think that for some of us… we’d only have to go back a generation or 2 to find some names.. in my mother’s family, Ada, Caroline, Charlotte, Vera, Helen, Grace, Minerva [whooo hee], Earl, Winslow, Burk, Everett,… or old census records..
    Love historicals & congrats on your great start!

    Posted by Cate S | February 22, 2012, 12:24 pm
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  28. I love this post Cynthia!

    Those hard to pronounce some authors brand their characters with often become letter references when I’m reading. Raycynthian is, “R.” And so on.

    I love naming my characters. It is time consuming and thought provoking work. It’s much like naming a child. They’re stuck with it forever, so make it good.

    Posted by Megan Mitcham | February 22, 2012, 2:43 pm
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  29. Hello Cynthia!

    I’ll never forget my favorite high school English teacher telling us about a couple she knew in college…her friend’s name was Laurel Wood and she married a guy named Forest Green. :)

    Names usually pop in my head before I start the story. One of my heroine’s names is Kyle. I know I’ll get flack for that, but there’s a story behind her name.

    I’m always looking for intersting names, too. I’ll read the names when the credits roll after a movie. Foreign films are best for this.

    Love nicknames. I’d give every one of my characters a nickname if I could, but that would probably lead to some confusion. However, there are nicknames in every one of my stories.

    Thanks for being with us today!

    Posted by Jennifer Tanner | February 22, 2012, 3:51 pm
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  30. Coming late to the party, but have to toss in my two cents. I read a book with the hero named “Walker” and the villain named “Whitaker”. They’re both great names, but it made me totally crazy when they were in the same scene! I gave up after the first chapter. Great post, Cynthia. Love your name, too. I remembered your name from that awesome WP course last May. Thanks for showing me the way.

    Posted by Joan Leacott | February 22, 2012, 4:16 pm
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    • THANK YOU for remember my wordpress class! I hope it was helpful.

      I don’t like the hero and villain having similar names or even names that start with the name letter. It messes with my mind.

      I want my readers to read without having to concentrate and think. I want them to get immersed in the world and become part of the setting.

      Thanks for coming by and leaving a message

      Posted by Cynthia D'Alba (AKA ArkansasCyndi) | February 22, 2012, 4:42 pm
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  31. As a reader I usually don’t mind unusual names unless it can’t be pronounced. I do get annoyed by strange pet names or nicknames. I think if they are done right they are endearing. When they are over used or silly they make me cringe. I don’t want to identify with a heroine who has a pet name that makes me laugh. :)

    geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

    Posted by StacieD | February 22, 2012, 4:24 pm
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  32. Cynthia, as soon as I read “Wilbur”, I thought of Mr Ed too!

    Names are such powerful things and I think we have such strong reactions to them depending on things in our past. I could never write a hero called Malcolm, for instance, because it would call to mind a very strange boss that I once worked with. So, forever more the name conjures up the thought of someone brilliant but weird and very socially challenged!

    I agree whole-heartedly with you suggestion not to use complex hard-to-pronounce names. it does take me out of the story experience and make me play around with pronunciation. And if there’s a large cast of characters all with odd names, I find it hard to keep it straight in my head who is who!

    Not long to go now until the launch of Texas Two Step! I’m looking forward to it!

    :)
    Sharon

    Posted by Sharon Archer | February 22, 2012, 4:32 pm
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  33. Cynthia – great topic!

    I *love* choosing character names and always try to keep in mind all of the elements you listed.

    The biggest thing for me is that the name has to sound “right” for my character. So it’s best if I can come up with the perfect name from the beginning, though that doesn’t always happen.

    Posted by Barbara White Daille | February 22, 2012, 4:36 pm
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  34. I’m not an author, but as a reader I agree with you. I don’t want to be constantly stumbling over a character’s un-pronouncable name as I’m reading.

    My mother & grandmother are both named “Daisy.” I’d like to see a heroine with that name.

    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

    Posted by Catherine Lee | February 22, 2012, 5:25 pm
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  35. Hey, Cyndi!

    Sorry I’m late to the party. Crazy week :-) . I had to laugh at the Jack and Kate thing – I do have a H/H named Jack and Cate. LOL. Might be changing those soon…

    Sometimes my character names just jump out at me, and sometimes I have to work harder for them. Sometimes they’re symbolic, but not always. I have to say one of my faves from my manuscripts is my Texas born and bred hero, named Tyler Sullivan Metcalf. Ty is fairly typical, but the Sully comes from Lawrence Sullivan Ross who’s a big hero at Texas A&M :-) .

    Hugs and congrats on the upcoming release. Can’t wait!
    Kels

    Posted by Kelsey Browning | February 22, 2012, 6:29 pm
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  36. Awesome post, Cynthia! Names have always fascinated me, and developing the character and the name is my favorite part of the planning process.

    I write with a partner (she plots, I write), and she begged me to use the name Rendie for the heroine of the novel we just finished. She saw the name in a Cosmo magazine several years ago, and wanted to name her first baby that, but her husband thought it was an awful name and refused.

    At first I hated it too–it just seemed like a made-up name–but then I had a brainstorm and made it a nickname, for Renata Diane. Suddenly I could live with it, and she became real to me.

    Now I can’t imagine Rendie being named anything else. In fact, she’s my favorite character that I’ve ever written in my life!

    Posted by Linda | February 22, 2012, 6:53 pm
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  37. Interesting, Cynthia! I do think that if the author makes the name fit his/her character, I can accept even a funky, unexpected name. But those unusual names have to have a reason–if it’s just sloppiness, that’s going to annoy me and pull me out of the story!

    Posted by Fedora | February 22, 2012, 7:17 pm
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  38. As a reader I just love the care that authors take in all of the background work in making everything come together and work.
    I find that each genre seems to have names that it uses quite often.
    I think I fall in love with the traits of a character and if I like the name it’s an added bonus.

    lenikaye@yahoo.com

    Posted by Leni | February 22, 2012, 8:36 pm
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  39. Names are tricky. In my opinion, a name fits a character. I’ve used names that click with a character. I’ve also started with a name that later had to be changed because it didn’t “feel” right. I guess it goes with naming children. A name feels right when it is right. I do, however, always look up the meanings and origins of names before finalizing. Thanks for the great blog, Cyndi!
    Kara

    Posted by Kara | February 23, 2012, 11:03 am
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  40. Cynthia – Wonderful post and discussion!

    Congrats on your debut novel. All the very best.

    Fedora – you won the ARC! drop me a line at robin@romanceuniversity.org

    Posted by Robin Covington | February 23, 2012, 8:53 pm
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  41. SQUEE!!! Off to e-mail! Thank you both so much!

    Posted by Fedora | February 24, 2012, 11:18 am
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  42. I have to say there have been so many comments voicing what I was thinking I can’t think of anything to ad. oh well.
    I am still plugging away at the tour.
    musicalfrog at comcast.net

    Posted by Patti P | March 1, 2012, 4:36 pm

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