I think it may be settled

Writers' Corner
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Without having to explain everything all over here is a link to my thread about this story: Nameberry - Welcome to the Nameberry Forums

I was having a really insanely difficult time naming the main character of my novel and finally this morning it just kind of clicked into place. It’s odd because both of her names (her formal name in the palace and her common name in the city) were both suggestions a couple of months ago when I first asked but it was only this moring that they clicked into place as “the right ones”–at least I’m pretty certain of it. So I just wanted some finals opinions on my (hopefully) final choices.

Her formal name is Jiang (chinese for river) and her name in the Commons is [name]Tide[/name].

[name]Cliff[/name] notes version of her recieving the name Jiang (she was raised by a sect that doesn’t use personal names) is this: she is the First Child of the reigning Emperor but as she is illegitimate she has no claim to the throne. Despite this, the queen has always hated her and felt threatened by her presence within the palace walls. It is the assisnation attempt on her life at the queen’s orders that eventually drives her outside of the palace and sets the events of the story in motion. It is the queen who gives her, her formal name in a petulant fit saying: “Maybe you need a name after all, you wicked, vile creature!” A sneer curled the corners of her mouth as she announced, “Jiang for the river that tried to pull us along in its tide and drown us with your evil lies!” she hissed.

She lifted her chin, defiant, still refusing to bow. “You can hardly blame a river for washing over obstacles as it rushes towards the sea,” her reply was calm, betraying none of her silent shaking. She canted her head to one side, peering at [name]Mei[/name]-ling through her swollen eye. “It only anticipates freedom from the narrow banks that restrain it.”

Later when she goes outside the palace into what is known as the Commons she takes the name [name]Tide[/name], appropriating the queen’s angry declaration for her own. The next time she sees her (a long time later) the queen calls her Jiang and she replies, “I have a name and it isn’t the one you gave me. It is the one you didn’t intend to.” On learning the name is [name]Tide[/name] and feeling she is being laughed at, the queen sneers, “Named in the Commons, were you? [name]How[/name] appropriate. A Common name for such a common girl.” To which [name]Tide[/name] answers, “I would rather be Common, than a murderer.”

So these are her two names and the short version of how she gets them. What do you think?

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No opinions on whether or not these names are any good?

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[name]Tide[/name] rhymes with “pride” and your character seems to be a proud girl. I like it as well as Jiang. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with being a commoner anymore. It used to be a big taboo to mix royal blood with the “common” people but there was so much inbreeding within [name]Royal[/name] Families that the practice led to so many health problems. [name]Royal[/name] families are now marrying commoners even in Imperial Japan which has the strictest rules of all. :slight_smile: I love your description of the way she received her two names. Very poetic! Good luck with your writing!

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My only concern was the name [name]Tide[/name] might be associated with the laundry detergent. I didn’t even think of it at first. Then I clicked on the link and it was in the nameberry description.

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Any thought on that? The whole [name]Tide[/name] laundry detergent thing? Or is it something you wouldn’t think of?

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I wouldn’t worry about laundry detergent, it’s a story, I think people can separate the two… now for naming a real person, probably not, strange how that works… A lot of names are better received in fictional stories than in reality.

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I like them. First impression of [name]Tide[/name] is that it’s a bit awkward as a name (mostly just the sound; I didn’t even think of the detergent at first), but it’s nothing I couldn’t get used to and the meaning of the word itself works well. I love the significance of the names within the story. I’m glad you finally found something that worked. Good luck and happy writing!