Name suitability with my characters

Writers' Corner
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[name_m]Hi[/name_m]! I’m [name_u]Mel[/name_u] and I’m a 15 year old writer. You may have seen one of my other threads, asking for opinions and thoughts on some names.

This is a tough and controversial topic but… I’m writing a YA fiction series on LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender*, queer/questioning, etc) teenagers at a secret queer club at a homophobic, private Catholic school, and I need some help on my character names. Could you all please see if my character names suit my characters’ backstories and stuff? Please? Thank you.

[name_f]Marlo[/name_f]: the main character, one of two of the point of views. A shy-when-you-first-meet-her-loud-when-friends kind of girl. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, petite height. She can be talkative and annoying at times, but knows her limits (most of the time). She can be smart, though she doesn’t appear to be. An overly positive person. Very caring and thoughtful. A closeted bisexual. Is scared of her restricting family life.

[name_m]Adam[/name_m]: the other point of view. Very social, life of the party. Irresponsible, negative, and a great liar, but loves his friends a ton. [name_m]Moody[/name_m], problematic, artistic, and smart. Is gay and proud. Has a complicated family life.

[name_u]Lennon[/name_u]: a petite, energetic, bi girl. She doesn’t exactly approve of all of [name_f]Marlo[/name_f]'s friends but gets along with everyone. Lots of friends and nerdy. She has a great personality, and is great at making people trust her. Is moody.

[name_u]Aspen[/name_u]: spunky, outgoing, confident, and honest openly lesbian new girl from upstate with a single mother who has a thing for “cool” names- [name_u]Aspen[/name_u]'s middle name is [name_f]Serendipity[/name_f]. Easily becomes a great friend to [name_f]Marlo[/name_f] and [name_m]Adam[/name_m]. [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] doesn’t necessarily trust her. Her personality and her being openly lesbian make her a controversial rumour topic at school.

[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]/[name_u]Phil[/name_u]: born as a girl, [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] always felt like she was born in the wrong gender. Changes into a boy, or at least attempts to. Closeted- they are referred to as “[name_u]Phil[/name_u]” when in the club. Is quiet, sweet, and caring, but nervous and wearing. A cousin to [name_u]Lennon[/name_u].

[name_u]Finn[/name_u]: side character. Very oblivious but not stupid. [name_m]Adam[/name_m]'s best friend. Funny, dirty minded, but can be sweet at times. Oblivious to the whole queer group. Everybody jokes that his sexuality is questionable (it is).

[name_m]Connor[/name_m]: proud, smart, show-off-y, asexual boy who prides himself in his lgbtq+ knowledge. Is a good observer. Is curious and is a good eavesdropper, but is also a good person who cares a lot about people.

Also: I’m not so sure about [name_f]Marlo[/name_f]'s, [name_u]Finn[/name_u]'s, and [name_m]Connor[/name_m]'s names. Any alternatives?

Thank youuuu for all your help, guys <3

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This probably doesn’t help much, but I really like all of them, especially the three you’re most worried about ^_^; Well, except [name_m]Adam[/name_m] - I have a problem with its commonality - but that’s just a personal feeling, not a comment on its suitability. I’ve never met/heard of a girl named [name_f]Marlo[/name_f], but it’s very appealing now that I imagine it.

Hmmm… overall, it seems to me like you have a fairly “progressive” selection of names, most being quite cool and modern ([name_m]Adam[/name_m] really sticks out, being a lone old-guard type name amongst an otherwise very fresh batch). That may or may not be suitable, depending on how the parents/home environments are supposed to feel about the homophobic religious environment. BROADLY SPEAKING, I would expect parents who are comfortable with (or even approving of) that environment to prefer traditional/evergreen sorts of names like [name_m]Adam[/name_m], while I would expect the more “current” names to be given by parents who are likely to be ignorant of/oblivious to the potential for harm.

Again, that’s only a general expectation! I’m not trying to say all homophobes are traditionalists and all progressives are either nice or misguided ^^; This topic is a bit close to the skin, since my queer husband grew up in a similar environment to this and is still pretty scarred from it (incidentally, he was named after both of his grandfathers, and his first name is so ill-fittingly old/masculine that he now only uses it when interacting with his family). Also, some of these names may be more conservative than I think they seem, depending on cultural extraction I’m ignorant of. I apologise if I miscategorised anything in that respect!

Finally, I dig your idea! I’m always happy to see more queer-friendly YA fiction emerging :slight_smile:

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This sounds like a really great idea that’ll be really interesting to explore! As for the names, I like all of them and think they all really suit the characters (especially [name_f]Marlo[/name_f]!!). I’m a little worried about how unusual so many of the names are considering that the setting is a catholic school and would mean that many of the families would be a little conservative. Considering [name_f]Marlo[/name_f] is so great (in my opinion haha) and [name_u]Aspen[/name_u]'s mother has a specific interest in unusual/interesting names, I wonder if you would consider giving [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] a more traditional name, even if she went by something else or a nickname, or even if [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] itself was the nickname, just because it seems that the odds of so many unique (and really cool I might add) names in one small group isn’t so high.

But really it would still be absolutely fine if you left it hahaha. [name_m]Just[/name_m] some food for thought :smiley:
Good luck!

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I answered a thread very similar to this one not long ago and I’m happy that you didn’t give up on writing this story! LGBT stuff and anything that is controversial is my type of reading :stuck_out_tongue:

[name_f]Marlo[/name_f]: though I think is a good choice for a talkative and annoying-at-times girl, I believe [name_f]Marlo[/name_f] fits better for a more badass person. Also [name_f]Marlo[/name_f]'s family is suppose to be a very restricting one, so her name should be more catholic (?).

[name_f]Marigold[/name_f] (symbol of Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f]) - and [name_f]Marlo[/name_f] as a possible nn
[name_f]Marcella[/name_f] (the saint)
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] / [name_f]Maren[/name_f]
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f]
[name_f]Marjorie[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Marlo[/name_f] possibility)
[name_f]Margo[/name_f], [name_f]Marlo[/name_f]
[name_u]Marion[/name_u]

[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Agnes[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f]
[name_f]Bridget[/name_f]
[name_f]Frances[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]

[name_m]Adam[/name_m]: PERFECT.

[name_u]Lennon[/name_u]: This is funny. I picture [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] as a very strong girl that everyone is afraid of, but you say otherwise. I love it!
As for the problem of her name being a little out there for the situation, [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] could be her middle name as to honor someone of her family or just some priest (idiot idea :P)

[name_u]Aspen[/name_u]: [name_m]JUST[/name_m] PERFECT.

[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]/[name_u]Phil[/name_u]: [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] IT!!!

[name_u]Finn[/name_u]: I have this feeling that I would laugh a lot of this guy… :smiley:
Maybe [name_u]Alex[/name_u] or [name_u]Owen[/name_u]? Though, I like [name_u]Finn[/name_u].

[name_m]Connor[/name_m]: well, it’s… okay. Not perfect, but isn’t bad either. IDEAS: [name_u]Jude[/name_u], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_m]Daniel[/name_m], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], [name_m]Timothy[/name_m].

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Thank you for all your help, guys! The feedback and input were all very helpful and appreciated, and I’m putting all the suggestions into account. Again, thank you so much!