However, doing such a thing usually becomes too specific. You try to make the character it the name more and more. It is good to have names that make you think of your characters in a certain way, but you don't want to give a name that makes you stretch the character to be almost a stereotype to fit that name.
Instead, you may think of people who know and how those names make you feel. Maybe most of the Amandas that you know are high spirited and fun loving. So, you might give your character the name Amanda if that's what you want your character to be.
Maybe all the Jonathans you know are extremely smart and are music lovers. If you want those characteristics for a character, you might name your character Jonathan. Perhaps you want a unique name, but you don't want it to become a nuisance to try to make your character fit that name.
Find a basic name and then change the spelling so that it sounds like the basic name, but it makes your character unique. Perhaps you want a character who like video games and you know a Jeremy who likes video games. Yet, you want to make something unique about the character, so you change the spelling of the name to Jairmy. That way the name sounds like the familiar name, but there's a uniqueness to it.
Whatever you name your characters, you want them to resonate with you. If you decided that the names don't fit, you can always change them.
My first novel I had 4 Steves in it. I had to rename them. I guess I never got over my childhood crush, Steve, lol
ReplyDeleteThat's funny. I have a story called, "Ol' George" or "George." I have other stories with characters named George. I never had a crush on a George, but my paternal grandfather's name was George and I knew a George in a band I loved. Now, I've learned that one of the community theatres says it has a ghost and they call him George. There must be something about that name.
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