Questing for a Name
By Karen Kincy
© 2005,
Karen Kincy
When I name characters, I embark upon a
lengthy quest. The name must be fairly unique and pleasant to the eye and
ear, and have a meaning suitable to the character. In the case of my current
novel, the name must also be of Scandinavian, Germanic, or Slavic origin to
fit the culture of my fictional country. Picky as I am, this can take weeks.
Sometimes I just skim through a baby name book and get lucky. More often
than not, I dig out my full arsenal of naming equipment.
The first thing I reach for, my baby name
book, is tattered from past naming quests. 20,001 Names For Baby: From A
to Z -- The Best, Most Complete Baby Name Book has plenty of names, both
popular and unusual. I often browse until a name catches my eye.
A wealth of names can be found on the
Internet. The Google search engine (www.google.com)
can be a great help if you type in something like "medieval German names" or
"name meaning golden." The flood of results can be tiring to wade through,
however, so I'll share my favorite naming websites with you.
An excellent place to start would be Behind
the Name (www.behindthename.com).
Their large directory of names can be searched or browsed by meaning, by
country of origin, or alphabetically. Their message boards have helpful
people ready to comment on a name, provide suggestions, or clarify a name's
pronunciation or meaning.
For aficionados of unusual names, Name
Nerds (www.namenerds.com)
can't be beat. Their specialty is "unique, unusual and creative names." They
have a nice collection of names and a helpful bulletin board. Check out the
interactive features like favorite names, least favorite names, and name
stereotypes.
If these names aren't unique and unusual
enough for you, there are plenty of name generators online. I think the
Seventh Sanctum Page of Generators (www.seventhsanctum.com)
is the current champ. If you like to fiddle more precisely with a generator,
try Samuel Stoddard's Fantasy Name Generator (http://rinkworks.com/namegen/)
and read the advanced instructions.
One problem with the Internet is that you
can never be sure if information is accurate. This is fine for a fantasy
writer's inspiration, but not for historical names. The websites I've listed
seem reliable, but double-check your names with at least two or three
sources.
If you prefer print sources, names can be
gleaned from the most unlikely places. Baby name books are obvious, as are
phonebooks (the best source for surnames). But what about a dictionary of
etymology?
Some of my favorite names come from this
source. I use the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology. For those who
don't like lugging around a 1284-page book, there are online counterparts.
The Online Dictionary of Etymology (www.etymonline.com)
matches my print dictionary fairly closely. A similar source is the
Webster's Online Dictionary (www.websters-online-dictionary.com).
The etymological approach to naming
characters can be as exciting as a treasure hunt. For example, if I were
naming a character with fiery red hair, I would first check the origin of
the word "fire." Nothing catches my fancy in that entry, so I check "red."
Hmmm, still no luck. How about "burn"? Ah, I've found brenna, Old
Icelandic for "to set on fire." Brenna is also Irish Gaelic for
"raven-haired" (as discovered in my baby name book), so perhaps I'll keep
looking.
This is a creativity-stretching exercise,
and you can learn fascinating facts about words. Did you know that
peregrine is from the Latin peregrinus, "from foreign parts,
foreigner"? I see that the Old French name for a peregrine falcon was
faulcon pelerin. Pelerin would make a great name for a falcon-like
character.
If you prefer a botanical flavor, you can
research the origins of plant names. I use Gardener's Latin: A Lexicon.
Skimming just now I see chryseus, which means "golden yellow";
arvensis, "pertaining to cultivated fields"; and piperita,
"resembling peppermint; sharply fragrant or flavored."
Why not a golden-haired King Chryseus?
Arvensia, a farm girl who works in fields? Piperita, a fairy with a fondness
for peppermint?
I also use Plants of the Pacific
Northwest. (The publisher has guidebooks for other regions of western
North America as well.) At the bottom of each entry, there's often
information on the name of the plant, tree, lichen, etc.. Most are Latin or
Greek, with a few words in other languages like the Old English alor,
"reddish-yellow," an ancestor of alder.
Looking in this guidebook now, I see
tiarella ("little tiara" in Latin), the genus name of Foamflower.
Wouldn't that make a pretty name for a lady? The book also informs me this
kind of tiara "was a turban-like head-dress of ancient Persians, not the
glittering diamond affair worn by Princess Diana." Well! Perhaps my Lady
Tiarella needs a new name.
Naming characters can be fun and
fascinating. Enjoy your quest for the perfect name!
Works Cited:
Carol McD. Wallace. 20,001 Names For
Baby: From A to Z – The Best, Most Complete Baby Name Book. Avon
Books, 1992. ISBN 0-380-76227-7.
Robert K. Barnhart. Chambers
Dictionary of Etymology. Chambers, 1999. ISBN 0-550-14230-4.
Bill Neal. Gardener's Latin: A
Lexicon. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1992. ISBN 0-945575-94-7.
Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. Plants
of the Pacific Northwest: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and
Alaska. Lone Pine Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-55105-040-4.
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