So, I basically have characters and no plot right now, but I need help with some of the names, specifically with my two WOCs.
Basic overview: The four female characters are the top scientists in their fields and I haven’t really decided what heir mission is yet, but it is set some time in the 2070’s.
The first is a Mexican woman who is in her late 20s/early 30s, so born about 2040. I’ve done a bit of research, and learned that in Hispanic countries, names are typically [name_m]Christian[/name_m] name, which is first and middle, followed by father’s last name, and then maternal grandfather’s last name. I also heard that the first name is usually that of a parent, and they’re commonly called by their middle name.
Basically, I want to make sure I understand this.
The name I picked out is [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_f]Leocadia[/name_f] Rivera [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m], nicknamed [name_f]Dia[/name_f]. And I THINK she would be Dr. Rivera? While her mother would be something like [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m] de Rivera? If you think I got any of that wrong, let me know.
The second is Hawaiian, and I have no clue where to start. I THINK it’s usually an English first name with a traditional middle? The trouble is I’m afraid of so-called traditional names not actually being traditional. I saw the name Makaha, and really liked the meaning: “Fierce, Ferocious, Savage”, but I only saw it in one place, so I’m not sure. For last name, I saw the name Kamealoha (there was an accent over the a) which I think is super cool, but again, I have no clue!!!
If you have first name suggestions, she’s the nerd of the team, and I was thinking about the name [name_f]Violet[/name_f], before I decided she was Hawaiian. I could still use it of course, but I might give it away. She was born in the 2030s.
I’ll help out with the Hispanic names since my SO is Hispanic. You are correct about the last name, they generally have their father’s last name followed by their mother’s maiden (or maternal grandfather’s last name). If this Hispanic woman is coming from a Catholic home, generally she would have a saints name or a name from the bible as her first name. They can be variations and feminizations (like [name_f]Juanita[/name_f]) and she may or may not be named after her parents, also my SO’s family has a mixture of Mexican and Puerto Rican backgrounds and they [name_m]DON[/name_m]'T HAVE MIDDLE NAMES at all; though this isn’t the case for everyone and I can’t help you out too much there with the middle names because I’m still confused on that to be honest.
One fun thing is they sometimes end names with -ita as a term of endearment, or it can be used as a stand-alone name (like [name_f]Lupita[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosita[/name_f]). The layout of my SO’s family names are: First Name - NO MIDDLE NAME - Last name from father, last name from maternal grandfather. The doctors legal last name will be both of her last names and they be both typed out on all her legal documents and name tags, though I’d imagine she’s just answer to Dr. Rivera since that’s a lot shorter.
Also on the “de” part in the last name, I have never really seen it being done. What I’ve seen is the wife drops her maternal grandfather’s name and replaces it with her husband’s father’s name, no “de” in between them.
For her you can look at Saints names and names from the bible as those are the most popular. [name_f]Marisol[/name_f] and [name_f]Selena[/name_f] are getting pretty popular these days, while some popular classics are [name_f]Lupe[/name_f], [name_f]Blanca[/name_f], and [name_f]Pilar[/name_f]. I’m also liking [name_f]Anita[/name_f] as a name for this to. [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] is a little plain for me, but I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Leocadia[/name_f].
So, Dr. Rivera OR Dr. Rivera [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m] would work, but Dr. [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m] would not?
And [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] was mostly filler. I’m definitely liking [name_f]Blanca[/name_f]!
I am not Hawaiian, so by no means am I an expert, but it says on this wiki page that the law that said natives must have an English first name and a traditional middle was repealed in 1967.
I’ve only ever known two people from [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m], and they were both sisters with Hawaiian first names. Obviously, now that Hawaii is filled with a lot of non-native peoples, their naming customs have gotten more varied (and especially so by the year 2070.). If you want to call her Violet and have her middle name be a traditional Hawaiian one, then that seems fine.
What last name she goes by is a matter of personal preference. She could have people call her Dr. [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m] if she wants,what I’ve seen is people usually either go by both of there last names or answer to their first last name. But it’s all a matter of personal perference