“A name can’t begin to encompass the sum of all her parts. But that’s the magic of names, isn’t it? That the complex, contradictory individuals we are can be called up complete and whole in another mind through the simple sorcery of a name.” ―
I’m working on a new book. That means I’m having to come up with names for everybody who steps onto a page. Well, if they are more than the shopkeeper or the girl scout who sells my character some cookies. Actually no girl scouts in this book and so far no unnamed shopkeepers either. But each time my character meets a new person, then a name has to come into play. And not simply for people she or he meets, but for the animals too. We do like to name our animals. Sometimes even our cars or trucks.
We like names. That’s usually the file heading in our bank of memories about a person we know or a character in a movie or a book. Of course, sometimes we call them “what’s-his-name.” Then we are busy coming up with that name of whoever has suddenly lost his or her label in our memory bank. That’s usually simply temporary. The name will come to us. If not right away, then hours down the road the right name will suddenly pop up out of nowhere. It was there all the time. Our retrieval mechanism is what was slow.
Writers have to come up with dozens of names in every novel they write. So when you look at the bookshelf above of my more recent books, you can imagine the scads of names in them. I try not to repeat the names I’ve used to major characters, but I’ve come close a few times. The main character in Words Spoken True was Adriane. Jocie’s mother in the Heart of Hollyhill books was Adrienne, and then I had Adria in River to Redemption. I perhaps should have rethought Jocie’s mother’s name but she’s not a character on stage too often in the stories and is sometimes referred to as DeeDee when she is. The name Adria was so perfect for my character in River to Redemption that I wouldn’t have wanted to rethink that one. The good thing about those three characters is that they are nothing alike so I don’t think readers would ever mix them up even if they did read the books close together.
I enjoy coming up with names that fit my characters. I know I’ve written about naming characters here before, but it’s been a while. I thought you might be interested in seeing one of my character list sheets that I keep for a book while I’m writing. So here’s a portion of my working list for the characters in my recent Appalachian book, These Healing Hills. First I name my main characters. I usually have at least two viewpoint characters. They are the ones I want to give perfect names.
I did struggle with finding the right name for Francine and changed it two or three times. I even started writing the book with her named Maddie, but it simply didn’t work. Finally Francine, shortened to Fran at times, was a name my character could accept. Then as I wrote about her, I had to come up with family names too. Those family names were even more important for my male main character, Ben. The Ben Locke name came easy. I wanted a name that would sound strong and very Kentuckian. I didn’t change his name. His family played a bigger part in the story than Francine’s family. So they had to have the right names. I thought Ruthena for his mother had the hint of an old fashioned mountain name. Woody was a little uncomfortable with his name for a while, but then it too fit him and his personality as a “jabber jay.”
Main Characters of These Healing Hills
Francine (Fran) Howard – Birthday April 2, 1923 – now 23 – changed from Madeline (Maddie)
Dog – Sarge
Father – Jim Howard
Mother – Charlotte Buxton
Stepfather – Harold Buxton
Benjamin (Ben) Locke – Birthday March 22, 1921 – now 24
Mother – Ruthena – 45
Older Sister – Ruthie – moved to Ohio to work in the factories during the war and married somebody there – 22
Sister – Becca – 18 (Rebecca Jane) (Husband Carl Hayden)
Younger brother – Woodrow (Woody) –15 (Birthday June 1, 1930) named for his father, Woodrow, who died the year before Ben comes home from the war
Sister – Sadie (5) Birthday June 7, 1940
In many of my books, I have animals who play a part in the stories. I had cats in my Hidden Springs Mysteries, and my characters have had plenty of dogs along the way. Most of the times, the dogs weren’t major characters, but in a few of the stories the dogs did matter. As you can see, Sarge, Francine’s dog, got a spot right there in the list of her family characters. Then in The Innocent, Carlyn’s dog, Asher, played an important part in the story. To name Asher I asked for help from Facebook friends and got so many suggestions. Asher, I think, was mentioned by someone. It’s actually a Bible name which made the name even better. The Bible is a great resource for names for characters and one I’ve used often.
Some of the animals named in These Healing Hills came straight out of my research of the Frontier Nursing Service. Mary Breckinridge, who founded the midwifery service in Leslie County, Kentucky, believed in giving all her animals names. She even named their jeeps and that beech tree. I had to find a way to work that into my story.
Animals & etc. names
Brother Lawrence – Mrs. Breckinridge’s name for a beech tree (actual)
Pinafore – Horse (actual)
Gretchen – milk cow at Wendover
Bella – Cow at the Red Bird Center
Jasmine (changed from Annie/Addie) – Fran’s horse
Moses – Betty’s horse
Clara Jane and Diamond Lil – Jeep names
Rufus – Coonhound
Priscilla – Sadie’s doll
Bruiser – Woody’s pup
Buttons – Sadie’s pup
So now I’m keeping a new list for the book I’m working on now. I have a mule named Ebenezer, a cat named Prissy, and a horse named Shadrach. But I’ll need more names as I go along. In fact, it could be I’ll need a name for a mountain dog before I’m through. So what would you name a pup that one of my characters might find lost along the mountain trail? He’d be part hound, part who knows what. He’d have long floppy ears and a happy puppy personality. I don’t know what color he might be. So if you suggest a name, you can suggest a color too. Then if my character does stumble across a pup, I’ll have a name at ready.
The following quote from Terry Pratchett made me smile and think of the name of my young girl character, Leatrice, in The Refuge.
“Letitia! What a name. Halfway between a salad and a sneeze.” ―
So what do you think about the names in the books you read? Do the authors get them right or do you sometimes think they don’t fit?
Oh, and what name do you suggest for that poor little pup abandoned in the woods?
Leave a comment and I’ll throw your name in my drawing hat for winner’s choice of one of my books. As always, you have to be at least 18 years old to enter and the deadline to enter is midnight EST February 18th. We’ll do this one fast. I’ll announce the winner next Wednesday. U.S. mailing addresses only for print books, but if you want to enter from a different country and you win, I’ll be glad to send you an e-book.
Thanks for reading, and Happy Valentine’s Day. Guess I should have written about love instead of names.
Comments 66
How about Tucker? I see a mixed breed with some definite Bassett hound and maybe some German Shepard. A goofy looking thing but very cute. 😊
Author
A goofy looking do named Tucker sounds as if he’d have a story all about himself, Ann. Thanks for the name suggestion. I’m keeping a list. I’ll have to wait to see if the dog pops up before I decide on a name.
Hi Ann… Enjoyed your blog about choosing names. When you talked about the little dog found in the story… I saw a gangly brown hound of mixed ancestry, tail wagging hoping for friendliness but eyes a little scared and wary. And the name that came to me was Renegade!
Author
Fun name, Lin, and a great picture of a hound lost in the mountains. Then, you do know mountains.
Rascal would be a good name for a black, brown and white beagle. I did enjoy seeing my names mentioned for characters in your books. Sister Janice in The Refuge and Sergeant Wilkerson in These Healing Hills. It made me wonder it my name had stuck somewhere in the back of your memory after I had commented on some of your Facebook pictures. Looking forward to your return to the Appalachian Mountains in your next book.
Author
Could be, Janice. I hope the characters were nice. I have to admit I’ve forgotten which one was Sister Janice. I do remember the Sergeant. But I’ve had a couple of new books to push those old names out and let the new ones in. That’s why it’s good I keep a list. Else, I might have a Janice in every story. 🙂 Thanks for your dog name. I’m keeping a list.
She was. Sister Janice was the one who told Sister Mona to leave Leatrice alone when she first went to the village and Sister Mona was telling her her father had brought her to the village to get rid of her. The Refuge page 219.
Author
Oh yeah. Sister Janice was the very nice little sister. I remember now. 🙂
Emma said to name the puppy Echo. That works for a male or female puppy.
Author
Love it, April. You tell Emma thanks for that suggestion. I’ll keep it in mind for a pup if not this book then one in the future.
I would name the puppy HAPPY and his fur would be blond. I love all your names you give your characters, especially the old-fashioned names like Sadie, which was my grandmother’s name. The other one was Ada. I don’t know if you’ve ever used that one or not. I love those old names. I changed my name from Kathryn to Kathy when I was in college and regret it. Love your books. Kathy
Author
I’ve never used Ada, I don’t think, Kathy. But it would be a good old fashioned name I could use in this mountain story I’m working on. Something you have to watch for and that I didn’t mention in my post is to not use too many names with the same beginning letter. I sometimes have a problem with that, but I don’t think I’ve used any A names yet. So who knows? Ada might find a spot in my book. 🙂
Happy is a good name for a pup too. A blond retriever or collie. Sounds fun.
I loved These Healing Hills and think of the characters and plot quite often—the sign of a good story, right?
The dog may a puppy with lots of energy at the moment, but he’s going to grow into a dog who uses his trailing skills in the future to aid his owner. Thus, he needs a strong adult name like “Scout”.
Author
Thank you for telling me you think about my These Healing Hills story, Fern. That has me smiling. I did enjoy writing that story and was happy when Granny Em showed up to talk to Francine at that swinging bridge. I hope I have some surprise characters show up to add to my work in progress . 🙂
Scout is a good name. I did name Lorena’s dog in Small Town Girl Scout. Well, at first they called the poor fellow Trouble. But Aunt Hattie said they should change the name so the dog could live up to something better.
I’ve known a writer to change a character’s name, and even with “Find and replace,” fail to change it everywhere. Even worse, I’ve known a proof reader to miss it. It’s amazing what can get into print.
Author
I’ve changed character names like that, Gin, but usually when I’m only a few chapters in. And then of course, I try to proof my books and catch mess ups, but some can get by a writer. My worst name mess up was when I called my Aunt Hattie in my Rosey Corner books Aunt Love from my Hollyhill books. I have no idea why I didn’t catch that mistake. I’m sure I read that book ten times before I sent it in to the publishers and then two editors worked it over. On top of that they have proofreaders that go over the book too. My husband caught it when he read the published book. Sigh. Sometimes your eyes just slide over those mistakes. So it is amazing what can get past writers, editors and proofreaders. But I hate it when I miss something like that.
I enjoyed reading about how your character’s names are chosen for your books. I think the color of your stray dog could be a gray blue and his name Blue or Sky. Happy Valentines weekend.
Author
Blue is a good dog name, Susan, especially for a dog that has the bluish black fur. As I told Connie Lee when she suggested Blue, I had a dog named Blue when I was a kid. Sky would bring to mind a different blue.
I’m glad you enjoyed my post about naming characters. I’m in the process of adding names to the character list for my work in progress.
“Sparky” popped into my mind as I pictured a long-eared pup who has lots of energy. Don’t ask me why…it just popped up.
I’m glad that you mentioned about Francine…its been a while since I read this book and I think its about time I went to visit those Healing Hills again.
Please keep writing…..so we can keep reading! Thanks!!!
Author
How fun that you would think about reading my mountain story, These Healing Hills, again. I’m always super complimented when somebody tells me they read one of my books more than once. Thank you for that.
Sparky is a good name. If I don’t name the pup that maybe I can name a horse or a mule Sparky.
Ann, Thank you for sharing this interesting post. Names are so important.
As for your pup in the woods, I’d call him Bear. If a girl, Sadie.
Author
Great suggestion, Caryl. Bear. I’ve known somebody with a dog named Bear but right now I can’t remember who. It might be a nice name for a mountain dog.
Glad you enjoyed my post about naming characters. The right name for one of my main characters is important for me. If I don’t have a name that fits, I have a hard time getting going on the story. The heroine in the story I’ve working on is Tansy. I’ve had that name in mind a long time now.