Seven Sins names

Writers' Corner
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[name_m]Hi[/name_m], I’m writing a book with ‘the seven sins’ as the main characters. They are members of a royal family.
I already have some of the names:
Envy - [name_f]Livia[/name_f] (female)
Pride - [name_m]Kian[/name_m] (male)
for Greed (male) I’m thinking of Midas, and for Wrath (female) I’m thinking Nestra.

I still need to name Gluttony, Lust and Sloth (all male)

I would like to hear your opinions on my names and some suggestions for my nameless characters:)
I do like some unique, old-fashioned names, preferably with a suiting meaning.
Thanks!

NB: they all have their own color, Gluttony is orange, Lust is red and Sloth is blue.

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[name_f]Livia[/name_f], [name_m]Kian[/name_m], Midas, Nestra, and…

Gluttony:
[name_m]Gaius[/name_m] (“to rejoice”)
[name_f]Revel[/name_f] (loud partying, with drinking and dancing)

Lust:
[name_f]Caron[/name_f] (means “to love”)
[name_m]Wil[/name_m] (“desire”)
[name_u]Narcisse[/name_u] (related to [name_m]Narcissus[/name_m], might be a bit too on-the-nose, or closer related to pride, but I thought it was worth mentioning)

Sloth:
I’m really stuck with sloth :confused: Its definition is kind of hard to pin down for me to figure out or to relate names to.

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any more information about your characters? Like, their personalities, appearances, role in the story, etc. I’m just finding it hard to name them after one character trait. Is there anything about the world, or how the seven deadly sins became personified?

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For Sloth:
Almos (means “sleepy” in Hungarian)
Swapnil (“sleep” in Sanskrit)
might be a strech but these mean “calm”: [name_m]Aram[/name_m], [name_u]Galen[/name_u], Malie, [name_f]Shanta[/name_f]

1 Like
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This sounds like the beginnings of an epic story! I hope you’re having fun developing your world and characters.

I would be interested to know more to know how to best help you, but I understand you might want to keep many of your details to yourself.

Here are some of my questions that my help with more specific naming ideas …

Is there a specific time or place this story takes place in? An ancient past or the future? Realistic or high fantasy? Would the characters of your story be familiar with human history and mythology or are the legends of their world completely their own (either either with no knowledge of the known human world or no knowledge because the human world we would recognize doesn’t exist)?

Are these characters all directly related (i.e. mother, father, siblings, child of, etc.)? [name_f]Do[/name_f] they have drastic age differences or all they all pretty close in age?

Have these characters been given these names by their royal family at birth / at some important time in live or have they given themselves these names (i.e. a chosen name like a nickname or a name / title they have claimed for themselves inside or outside of family traditions and conventions)?

Would the characters know any of the origins (real or fantasy-based) behind their names or would their names be fully original to them?

Again, you don’t need to share anything else about your story, but it would be interesting to know.

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Here are my thoughts on the names listed and suggested so far. I have also suggested some names with mixed backgrounds and roots just to see if anything strikes your fancy.

Envy (Female) … [name_f]Livia[/name_f]

[name_f]Livia[/name_f] seems to be a more modern name than the others. I have a feeling this is intentional. Is it? If not, I might suggest looking at some other options though you seem set on both this name and [name_m]Kian[/name_m]. However, [name_f]Livia[/name_f] can easily be a nickname with a more traditional given name.

Some Other Suggestions: Etaine; Lampetia; [name_f]Lavinia[/name_f]; Leviathe; Livius; [name_f]Lucasta[/name_f]; Porphyria; [name_f]Portia[/name_f]; [name_f]Ophira[/name_f]

Pride (Male) … [name_m]Kian[/name_m]

[name_m]Kian[/name_m] seems more modern, but to a lesser degree than [name_f]Livia[/name_f]. However, it feels rooted in more traditional longer names so it feels authentic.

Some Other Suggestions: Abigor; Ashmit; Fikhar; [name_m]Kelvan[/name_m]; [name_m]Titan[/name_m]

Greed (Male, unknown color – [name_u]Green[/name_u]?) … Midas

Midas is a great full name, though I will agree with a previous post that it feels a bit on the nose. However, if you’re creating your own rules the name could be the perfect, weighty choice.

Some Other Suggestions: Corvus; Gifre; [name_m]Isidore[/name_m]; Licciardi; [name_u]Onyx[/name_u]; [name_m]Orin[/name_m]; [name_m]Phoebus[/name_m]; Reissig; Taronish

Wrath (Female, unknown color) … Nestra

Nestra is such a rich name. It feels older than [name_m]Kian[/name_m] and at home with Midas, but like [name_m]Kian[/name_m] it also feels viable and new instead of mythic like Midas.

Some Other Suggestions: [name_f]Acantha[/name_f]; [name_f]Clytie[/name_f]; [name_f]Electra[/name_f]; Gorgon; Indivia; Kasdeya; Orusula

Gluttony (Male, [name_u]Orange[/name_u]) … TBA

I really like [name_f]Revel[/name_f] as a previous suggestion, though [name_f]Revel[/name_f] may feel modern as well.

Some Suggestions: Azazel; Durmada; Frack; Garvish; Garvit; Gaurava; [name_m]Odin[/name_m]; [name_m]Riordan[/name_m]; Tumulty

Lust (Male, [name_u]Red[/name_u]) … TBA

I love the simplicity of the previously suggested [name_m]Wil[/name_m] and how the name plays directly with the idea of will. This name may also feel a bit modern.

Some Suggestions: Aeson; Asmodeus; Baren; Detinos; Drave; [name_u]Kamari[/name_u]; Nirvaira; Risanth; Samael; Sharnaz; [name_m]Tyr[/name_m]; [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]

Sloth (Male, [name_u]Blue[/name_u]) … TBA

I am also stuck on Sloth options. From a previous post I like Almos best but it feels strange with the other names.

Some Suggestions: Agarva; [name_m]Aldo[/name_m]; Baysan; Belg; [name_m]Bode[/name_m]; [name_m]Bradon[/name_m]; Grassel; Graessle; [name_m]Hale[/name_m]; Keneder; [name_m]Morey[/name_m]; Morfran

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I hope this helps! Good luck writing!

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Thank you for your replies, I love your suggestions!

I especially like [name_m]Wil[/name_m] for lust,
[name_m]Gaius[/name_m]/[name_f]Revel[/name_f] for Gluttony,
[name_m]Isidore[/name_m]/[name_u]Onyx[/name_u]/[name_m]Phoebus[/name_m]/Corvus for greed,
And [name_m]Aldo[/name_m]/Almos/[name_u]Galen[/name_u] for sloth, though I’m also thinking of [name_u]Neel[/name_u] (means sapphire blue) for him.
You suggested that [name_m]Kian[/name_m] sounds too modern, so I’m thinking to change it to [name_m]Cian[/name_m].

Some background information:
It’s a fantasy story, they became the seven sins because of a curse, [name_f]Livia[/name_f] wants to break the curse. They are all siblings and fairly close in age. Like I mentioned, they all have their own color.

Wrath (f), color is black, she’s an army general
Sloth (m), blue, the only blond sibling and twin brother of Nestra/Wrath
Pride (m), purple, he will be the next king
Lust (m), red
Gluttony (m), orange
Greed (m), gold, he’s going to be one of the protagonists of the story
Envy (f), green, main character, young princess who wants to break the curse, i gave her a more modern/common name than the others because she is the main character and I want her to have an ‘easy’ name.

Their personalities look like the sin they are based on. I hope I gave enough information:)

If you have any suggestions or opinions about the names I have now, I would like to hear!

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I’m glad that everyone’s suggestions helped!

You’re finishing everything up quite nicely, so here are my thoughts are your latest picks and ideas (with my favorite picks in the headings) …

Wrath (Black) … Nestra

Nestra feels just as commanding and assertive as she has from the beginning.

Sloth (Blue) … Neel

This is a really great name choice that is specific to the character and helps round out the other character names!

Pride (Purple) … Kian

I still prefer the Kian spelling to the Cian spelling. “K” feels much more ancient, menacing, and powerful than “C.” Plus Kian feels pretty at home with your other name picks now.

Lust (Red) … Wil

As said before, this is a great, simple name pick.

Gluttony (Orange) … Revel / Gaius (Tie)

Revel still feels a bit modern, but it looks right at home with your other name choices. Revel could also be great in that connects to all of the other names with "L"s, though this might not be desired. For example, from what your story sounds like, it appears that Nestra and Kian will be the most powerful while Neel, Wil, and Gluttony (Revel) are secondary. As the protagonists, Greed is visually different from this secondary group while Livia could be considered lesser and unimportant by Nestra and Kian. The subtle “L” connection could connect to Livia’s choice to be complicit in the curse or not while also implying how Greed possibly feels neglected. Again, I am just reading into what your story could possibly be and not what it actually is, so take or dismiss what you will. :slight_smile: Gaius feels more staunch and ancient, though it could work if your character could pull off the fullness of this name. I especially like the choice of Gaius if it helps to round out other character names, specifcally whatever name you choose for Greed. I also like the choice of Gaius if the “L” sound is too much with Revel or your character dynamics don’t work as I assumed they might.

Greed (Gold) … TBA (Oipinions Below)

I am not sure what name works best. I like Midas in that it is ancient yet familiar, but I feel it still might be too specific in way that is unexciting, unlike Wil and Revel. Phoebus also feels old, while Onyx feels much more modern. Corvus seems old, but it does have the grit of a name like Onyx that gives it more weight and edge. Regarding Isidore, I might prefer the spelling Isidor for your character instead. I think Isidor is the more approachable and friendly of these names in the same way that Livia is the most familiar name of all of the sin names, but I don’t know whether or not this would be a good thing or whether greed should be more imposing.

Here is how I rank the possible names …

1.) Corvus … Suggests power and cunning. Somwhat old sounding but it has a powerful punch. It doesn’t have the specificity of Midas, but I like the imagery of “greedy crows” and that this can imply greed as a means of survival that can turn to cruelty. For me, Midas implies choice that turns to a curse while Corvus suggests the curse of surviving and scavenging that can’t be broken because someone believes they can’t provide or be in control of themselves; in other words, the curse is within and formed out of habit. I also love the subtle mythology link that could relate to how Livia and Greed try to break the curse.
2.) Isidor … Approachable like Livia and potentially powerful, but it may not be as imposing as desired.
3.) Midas … Too specific and familiar compared to the other characters. I would question how his name came to be knowing of the Midas already existing in mythology, unless his name in story was specifically given for the purpose of this connection.
4.) Onyx … Strong, modern, and imposing, but lacks specificity.
5.) Phoebus … A bit too old and robust for this character group.

Envy (Green) … Livia

Livia feels purposeful and appropriate now. She is definitely simple, but she doesn’t feel out of place.

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Good luck writing! If you have any other ideas, I know I would be happy to help!

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This sounds like a very intriguing book I’d love to read it. Would you mind sharing the title and where I could find it?

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[name_m]Isidore[/name_m] for greed sounds perfect.

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This could actually be turned into a really interesting continuous thread :smile:

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Gluttony: [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] (similar to ambrosia food of the gods), [name_m]Dennis[/name_m] (from [name_m]Dionysius[/name_m])
Lust: [name_m]Eros[/name_m] “desire”; [name_u]Beau[/name_u] “beautiful/handsome”; [name_m]Irvin[/name_m] "handsome; [name_m]Rupin[/name_m] “handsome”
Sloth: [name_m]Morpheus[/name_m] (or variations) “god of sleep and dreams”, [name_m]Nguyen[/name_m] “sleep”