I’m still working on what I call my “[name]Destiny[/name]” novel.
I would like thoughts on the name I’ve picked for the main male character and would like some suggestiosn for his deceased wife and daughter.
The main male character is [name]Oren[/name] [name]Kodiak[/name]. He is a 36-year-old pilot from Alaska. He has brown hair, kind brown eyes, and a face full of facial hair, full beard and all. His friends consider him a gentle giant, but most are glad to have him on their side when trouble comes knocking. He is sort of a loner, while at least he is since his wife and daughter died in a car accident a year ago. He’s a pack a day smoker and has taken up drinking since his world fell apart.
His wife was sweet and kind. They were high school sweethearts. [name]Oren[/name] was the type of guy every girl at the dance wanted to dance with but was afraid to approach him. And his wife wasn’t afraid of anything. She walked up to him grabbed his hand and pulled him out to the dance floor. I was thinking of the name [name]Gemma[/name] or [name]Julie[/name].
The daughter was sweet and looked just like the dad. She was famous for talking the ear off of anyone who would listen. She was 9-years-old when she died. She had lots of friends and liked to draw and go fishing with her dad. I was thinking [name]Abba[/name]…I like it because the double ‘b’ makes me think of babbling.
[name]Julie[/name] totally suits the wife!
[name]Abba[/name] is okay… do you like [name]Abigail[/name] nicknamed [name]Abba[/name] / [name]Abby[/name]?
I like [name]Abigail[/name] with the nn [name]Abba[/name] or [name]Abby[/name].
This is what I picture the wife to look like: http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u377/crissyc76/hairstyles.jpg. She was full of life. A bit on the ditzy side. She would just start laughing for no reason other then it made her feel good. Talked with lots of hand gestures. Another name I could see her being is Tricia.
I think [name]Abby[/name] would be adorable for the little girl! As for the wife, I think [name]Lisa[/name] would be nice too.
My one concern is that your main character, [name]Oren[/name] [name]Kodiak[/name], has a very unusual (and awesome!) name and I think it might sound out of place next to [name]Lisa[/name] and [name]Abby[/name]. I’m not saying that you should change [name]Oren[/name]'s name, or that you should name the girl and wife [name]Katniss[/name] and [name]Andromeda[/name]. But I do think you should name the other characters something a little more “out there.”
Try this - it’s one of my favorite writing tricks: Once you get a name for the wife, think about what [name]Oren[/name] and [wife] would name their daughter. [name]Don[/name]'t try to name her as a character, but think about what they’d do.
Suggestions for the wife: [name]Meredith[/name], [name]Della[/name], [name]Laurel[/name], [name]Nora[/name], [name]Penny[/name], [name]Rebeka[/name]
Suggestions for the daughter: [name]Fiona[/name], [name]Briar[/name], [name]Hattie[/name] ([name]Harriet[/name]), [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Bonnie[/name], [name]Sidney[/name], [name]Addie[/name], [name]Devin[/name], [name]Everett[/name]
Thanks for the advice. I see what you mean, but opposites do attract sometimes. I really like [name]Penny[/name] and [name]Laurel[/name] for the wife. Out of the suggestions you gave for the daughter, I like [name]Sidney[/name] and [name]Addie[/name].
So for the wife, it’s a toss-up between Penny, Laurel, and Julie / Jules / Juliet / Juliana. Thinking about the wife’s maiden name, maybe Avery. Penny Avery doesn’t sound too bad. I also like Julie or Juliet Richmond.
I like [name]Penny[/name] and [name]Julie[/name] for the wife. [name]Abigail[/name] nn [name]Abba[/name] is very cute for a little girl. I disagree about too many unusual names. I always get annoyed when reading a book and everyone has a special name. [name]Oren[/name] and wife might give their daughter an unusual name, but I always find it strange when an [name]Andromeda[/name] marries a [name]Stirling[/name] whose best friend is a [name]Talon[/name] whose ex-girlfriend is a Sparklepony, you know what I mean? On the other hand, unusual names (at least for those born and raised up here) are fairly common in Alaska, so it could work. When naming characters, I think about where they were born, whether their parents were liberal or conservative, religious or not, etc. It helps make a well rounded character. [name]Even[/name] if none of the info ever makes it into the book, the author should know these things.
Haha, I just saw that the person who gave the advice used Andromeda as an example of a name NOT to use. Too funny. I was talking at the same time as I was posting, and didn’t notice it. I must have flickered over it though, since I used the same example.
Thanks. I like to do a mix of names too. Most of the time a uncommon first name should be paired with a common surname. Not the case with my [name]Oren[/name] [name]Kodiak[/name]. To me, [name]Oren[/name] feels like a sweet guy but beware, and that is what the character is. You mess with him or his family and you have an enemy for life. [name]Kodiak[/name]…never thought of the whole camera angle, or the Alaska town angle…the name just fit.
I don’t like to see the same old names when reading too…same with t.v.
I’m going to go with [name]Penny[/name] [name]Richmond[/name].
What di the wife do? Think interest in both of them say if the wife was into music,or Poets or art or fashion. [name]Aria[/name],[name]Keaton[/name],[name]Chanel[/name],[name]Monet[/name]
and he had a beloved grandmother [name]Margaret[/name] or do a normal name and off kilter one.
On the other hand, unusual names (at least for those born and raised up here) are fairly common in Alaska, so it could work. When naming characters, I think about where they were born, whether their parents were liberal or conservative, religious or not, etc. It helps make a well rounded character. [name]Even[/name] if none of the info ever makes it into the book, the author should know these things.
