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By KC Herbel, on August 6, 2012, 10:32 pm  Morpheus (& Neo) - The Matrix As promised in an earlier post, here are a few items to consider when naming your science fiction characters. (Some part of this will be a repeat of what I covered in naming fantasy characters, so if you read that post, please bear with me.)
Before you start:
It is important to start from a position of knowledge (rather than ignorance) about the science fiction world (galaxy, universe, etc.) your character inhabits. This means you’re going to have to engage in some world building (something I’ll discuss more in later posts). The point is, that your character is a product of the world in which she lives. In order to be consistent with her environment (world, galaxy…), her name should reflect this fact.
Race:
Like fantasy characters, the race and racial culture of a sci-fi character can play a big part in naming them. Also characters raised by aliens will likely have names from the alien culture. In science fiction, race is often a matter of what planet, solar system, or quadrant of the galaxy you were born on, more than what part of any planet. The scale can be enormous! Therefore, the differences between races can be quite vast. They don’t have to be all that different, but logically, sentients from different planets would be quite different, not just in how they look, but how they move, speak, and interact with their environment. Just look at the biological diversity on our little planet of Earth. Now, multiply that by thousands of variables. You get the idea.
The point I’m making is the differences between alien races will not stop with the surface appearances. Even if an alien race looked much like us, their racial culture would be nothing like our own, sharing little if anything in common with our experience. Even thinking patterns, logic, philosophy and emotions are likely to be very different. Keep this in mind when designing your alien race(s), but remember that your readers have only their limited experience as humans living on Earth their entire lives; whatever differences exist must be relatable to them using this primitive method of communications called writing.
Remember too that an alien race could be entirely artificial or augmented by technology (mechanical, electronic, biological/genetics, etc.). Their experience and knowledge base could be inherited from their creators or could (with ”artificially” extended lifetimes) be so advanced that their creators knowledge is now as quaint as ancient cave drawings are to us. All this will contribute to their means of communication and individual identification.
Culture/society/family:
Is the character’s race, culture or civilization highly ordered? Then perhaps names might include numbers or some other series signifier. This is likely if your character is an android, cyborg, robot or member of a similarly “mechanized” race (R2D2, C3P0, 7 of 9). This could also be true of societies which take logic and order very seriously. Keep in mind that such races don’t have to use these devices. They may be quite human in their predilection for naming offspring. If the individuals of the society are virtually identical, the need for some method of identifying them may be high. This may be less important if they belong to a “hive” civilization where they share a collective consciousness or all members can perform functions interchangeably.
Does the character’s culture commonly use traditional or religious names from their family, history or holy scriptures. Just look at your own circle of friends. It’s very likely that one or more of them is named after a family member like a father or grandmother, or after a biblical personality, like Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Caleb, etc.
A name might also signify the character’s importance in their community/society. This could be a name they were given at birth because they were expected to fill a high office upon maturity (Emperor…), or it could be a name taken once the character has matured and taken an important position (High Inquisitor…).
Remember, no matter how badly you’d like to give your character a bad-ass name, it’s really up to the person that named them. The personality and cultural sensitivities of the person who named your character will decide the kind of name(s) he/she will give your character. If that person isn’t important to your story (or your character’s arc) then name them whatever you choose, but realize that the name you give your character reflects the name-giver’s character too and if you should decide to introduce the namer at some later date, their character should be consistent with a person who would give such a name. In other words, a straight-edge square who wears horn-rimmed glasses and a pocket protector is unlikely to name their child, Rainbow Harmonica Woodstock.
Language/communications:
Does the character’s people speak an alien tongue? (Just as a note, reserve alien languages for when you have humans or other race interacting with your aliens. Even in such circumstances keep your use to a minimum. A few new words from an alien language can add some interesting flavor, but too many and the reader will stop reading with a bad taste in their mouth. Also, make sure any alien words and names are easily pronounced by the Earthlings reading your story.)
Is your character’s race telepathic? If so, is it a natural psychic ability or is it the result of advanced technology? The society your character belongs to, if telepathic, may be less dependant upon individual names or names that can be pronounced with the tongue, depending on the level of telepathy enjoyed by the people. Think about your own family and work environment. How easy is it for you to ask someone to do something without saying their name? Now how easy would it be if you could transmit clear thoughts and images directly to others?
Also consider giving your character a nickname, which may be the only thing they are known by in your story. Their nickname or actual name can be revealed later in the story or in subsequent stories. This is especially true for a character from a speechless, all telepathic society. Such an individual would likely be given a name/nickname by one of the other characters in order to communicate with them.
Personality:
Though I’ve listed personality as the last consideration, it should not be the least of your concerns. Your character’s name should most of all reflect their personality and their part in your story. Their name should be such a natural fit to the way your character acts/reacts that your readers could not imagine them with any other name. As I stated before in an earlier post, the character’s name will become a short hand symbol for everything the character comes to mean to the reader. Be sure it’s up to the task. They should see the name on the page and immediately have a mental picture of the character (and his actions).
Remember, no amount of language/race/world building can replace a name that is “just right”. If you come up with a name that fits your character “perfectly” – and no one can know that better than you the writer – then by all means go with that name. The lead character in my fantasy novel With a Jester of Kindness has a name unlike anyone else in the book, but that is one of the reasons I chose that name.
Please leave a comment below naming your methods for naming science fiction characters. 
By KC Herbel, on July 30, 2012, 11:43 pm  Gimli son of Gloin - Lord of the Rings As promised in an earlier post, here are a few items to consider when naming your fantasy characters.
Before you start:
It is important to start from a position of knowledge (rather than ignorance) about the fantasy world your character inhabits. This means you’re going to have to engage in some world building (something I’ll discuss more in later posts). The point is, that your character is a product of the world in which she lives. In order to be consistent with her environment (world) her name should reflect this fact.
Race:
The character’s race (human, elf, dwarf, dragon, orc, fey, etc.) and any racially identifiable culture should play a big part in naming them. If however, they were named (and probably raised) by someone outside their race or culture, they should bare a name that reflects the namer’s racial culture (unless of course they possess knowledge about the character’s race).
The values held by each race are different. The traits each places value on will vary depending upon their importance to that race. For instance: underground dwelling dwarves who depend on mining to survive may value strength, engineering smarts, precious metals and jewels, and superior tool manufacturing. The names these people give their children could reflect these attributes. They might name their children something like Anvil, Hammer, Ruby or Steel. These values-names might be in the form of a nickname or epithet [Gimel the Hammer], the character’s actual given name [Steel or Steele] or a part of the given name [Anvilrune, Hammerstein, Steeleye]. Of course this also could apply to family or “last” names (see below) of characters [Nugget Silverpick, Emerald Copperbottom].
Language:
Does the character’s race speak a racial language (Elvish, Dwarfish, Entish, etc…) as opposed to a “common tongue”. If you decide to give your various races their own native tongue, you don’t need to create the entire language. In fact I don’t recommend you use these fantasy languages much at all. For the sake of naming your characters, you only need to decide if they are named in their native tongue, and if so, what those names (words) would be, and lastly which version they go by. Most names have a meaning in the language from which they were spawned. In a fantasy setting, as the author, you decide how to construct the language and names. You decided what their name means (go ahead, I give you permission ). Two notes of caution: be consistent and keep a list of whatever foreign and/or fantasy words and names you use in your story, and don’t make your fantasy words or names difficult to pronounce.
Culture/society/family:
Does the character come from a society that commonly uses traditional and/or religious names from their family, history or holy scriptures. It’s common in some cultures to give a child the name of their father or grandfather, mother or grandmother, etc. The names of heroes and holy men are also commonly used in one form or another in almost every culture.
Remember, no matter how badly you’d like to give your character a bad-ass name, it’s really up to the person that named them. The personality and cultural sensitivities of the person who named your character will decide the kind of name(s) he/she will give your character. If that person isn’t important to your story (or your character’s arc) then name them whatever you choose, but realize that the name you give your character reflects the name-giver’s character too and if you should decide to introduce the namer at some later date, their character should be consistent with a person who would give such a name. In other words, a straight-edge square who wears horn-rimmed glasses and a pocket protector is unlikely to name their child, Rainbow Harmonica Woodstock.
Another facet of living in a society that needs a way to differentiate it’s individuals is the “last” and “middle” name. Not all people have a middle name, but aside from celebrities, people also have a family name (sometimes referred to as a “last name”). The family name bestowed upon a child is generally that of the father, but could just as easily be the mother’s family name, especially in a matriarchal society. Again, this is entirely up to what you the writer decide is the tradition of your fantasy society. If the society is small enough given (“first”) names might be enough. Just remember the larger the group population the more they will need additional means to identify individuals.
A name might also signify the character’s importance in their community/society. This could be a name they were given at birth because they were expected to fill a high office upon maturity (like a tribal chief…), or it could be a name taken once the character has matured and taken an important position (like the pope and some kings…).
Personality:
Though I’ve listed personality as the last consideration, it should not be the least of your concerns. Your character’s name should most of all reflect their personality and their part in your story. Their name should be such a natural extension of the way your character acts/reacts that your readers could not imagine them with any other name. As I stated before in my earlier post, the character’s name will become a shorthand symbol for everything the character comes to mean to the reader. Be sure it’s up to the task. They should see the name on the page and immediately have a mental picture of the character (and his actions).
Remember, no amount of language/race/culture/world building can replace a name that is “just right”. If you come up with a name that fits your character “perfectly” — and no one can know that better than you the writer – then by all means go with that name. The lead character in my fantasy novel With a Jester of Kindness has a name unlike anyone else in the book, but that is one of the reasons I chose that name.
Please leave a comment below naming your methods for naming fantasy characters.
By KC Herbel, on July 18, 2012, 10:45 pm  Doug Jones in Candy Shop As I mentioned in a previous post. Naming characters is an art.
What follows is a list of methods and things to consider when creating/choosing names for your fictional characters.
Something old, something new
Some writers use listings for naming children or popular names in different cultures/languages. These sources may be found in book form at your local library or online. To look online, simply run a search on your favorite search engine for the language/culture and the type of names you’re looking for, i.e. “Celtic names” or “popular Irish names” or “French female names”. You can even search for popular names by year or decade (“popular boy baby names 1940′s”). (I’ve done these searches and found a number of great names.)
Something borrowed, something blue
Some writers look in the dictionary or a language-translation dictionary (or similar text) and pick out words that fit their character’s image by meaning and/or sound. (Guilty.) These can be the primary words being defined or words from its etymology. (This is one of my favorites.) Others have told me that they put together words or partial words (phonemes) and letters on a page and scramble them around until they see something they like. This method can render some very unusual names. (I’ve tried this.) Authors who have the training and/or guts to create a new language (Elvish, Martian, Na’vi,…) will use words from the new alien vocabulary to give their character’s names “authenticity”. (I’ve dabbled in this one too.)
Let’s hear it
I need to pause here momentarily to insist that you say the name you’re creating out loud (especially if it’s unusual). Make sure it is easily pronounced and sounds in your ears as you imaged it. This is important as your readers will have an easier time reading and talking about your characters if their names are easy to read and say. And imagine if you are giving an interview and the interviewer asks you about a character whose name they can’t pronounce or they mispronounce it because you haven’t trained them in the proper inflections of Northern Malgornian Wood-Spritish. (Not an easy language to pick up.  )
Quacks like a duck
Key to the name game, in a three way tie with readability and pronounce-ability: the name should sound like it belongs to the character. This, of course, does not apply to false names given by the character to deceive. However, his true, given name should be something appropriate to his upbringing culture. Often the best names reflect some aspect of the character’s persona. It’s no accident that J.K. Rowling, in her hit Harry Potter series, gave Snape a name that sounds like “snake”. I gave my character Snegaddrick (from With a Jester of Kindness) his name for the same reason; he’s a sinister serpent of a man. His brother Ergyfel got his name because he is the villain and a worker of evil, and my protagonist got the name Billy (William), because it is different in sound and weight from all the other characters in the book. Each of these names helps my readers keep the characters straight and gives them a good “handle” on their personalities.
Looks like a duck
Another facet of name-sounding is imagery. When you hear the name aloud, do you see an image in your mind? Is this image compatible with your character’s image? You may wish to embed this in your name creation process.
Be curt
Names should be (relatively) short. Do not use character names that take a line on the page to spell out. Besides the wrapping problems, waste of space and carpel tunnel you’ll get from typing them, long names are generally hard to pronounce, break the reader’s suspense of reality, and can be accomplished with less letters. If you must have a character with a ridiculously long name (for effect), give also that character a nickname or a shortened version of her name that is easy to say and read. Of course if humor is your intent, an impossibly long name can sometimes accomplish a lot. But remember how much Douglas Adams accomplished with names like Zaphod Beeblebrox and Slartibartfast (The Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy). OK, so these are a tiny bit long, but I can’t imagine these characters with better names, can you?
Cut the Cookie-cutter names
One last thing. When choosing names for your characters, try to use names that don’t all sound the same. For instance, if you’ve got a character with the name Suzi, don’t name another character Suzy or Susan or Sushi or Zusi. Names that look or sound alike can cause confusion. Keep your name choices unique and distinct. Avoid names that start with the same letter when possible. One luxury of writing fantasy and science fiction is that character’s names can be quite exotic. Why is this a boon? The ability to give your characters unique names (and still fit the setting) helps to make them more memorable (i.e. Strider, Obi Wan, Elric, Ripley, Pug, Bones, Gandolf, Spok, Hogfather, Morpheus, Mordred). Don’t go overboard, but by all means use your imagination!
I will be discussing specifics for naming fantasy and Science Fiction characters in later posts. Please stay tuned!
Please leave me a comment about the names of your favorite characters or anything else related to naming them.
By KC Herbel, on July 6, 2012, 5:40 pm  Romeo and Juliet (1968) Naming characters is an art.
The Bard (William Shakespeare) wrote in Romeo and Juliet, ”A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Thus implying that the importance of a thing is not dependent upon its name, only on what it does. This may ring true, but even Shakespeare knew the importance of naming characters well. Romeo echoes in our heads with images of Rome and romance, and rushes boldly from the lips, while Juliet is a gentle (lover’s) whisper, precious like a jewel, and forces your lips into a kiss when you speak it. You see where I’m going with this?
But wait. What’s all this talk by Juliet of names and roses? Are we missing something here? Let’s listen on lest we pass a chance to hear The Bard’s fine words.
Juliet:
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
 Romeo and Juliet - by Frank Dicksee Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
Romeo:
[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
Juliet:
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.
Romeo:
I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo
Wow! Sorry for the Shakespeare geek-out, but I really do love the way his words flow and gush onto the page with such deep understanding and passion for the human condition. Even these well-known and over-published verses still have heat.
For those of you who don’t know the story, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are teenage children of two Italian families in the midst of a long standing blood feud (much like the Hatfields and McCoys of West Virginia and Kentucky, but without the corncob pipes and shotguns). They accidentally meet, fall madly in love (before realizing they should be at war), and spend the remainder of their tragically short lives trying to figure out a way they can be together despite their families’ murderous hatred of each other, only to take their own lives. So what has this to do with naming characters? I’m glad you asked.
What’s in a name?
Shakespeare has given Juliet quite a dilemma. In childlike denial (befitting her character), she contemplates changing their names as a way out, yet in her heart she knows that no amount of name changing or “denying” will change the fact that they must both leave their families in order to be together. Her family will always see Romeo as a Montague, just as his family will only see her as a Capulet. The families are not blinded by love as are the two young lovers (the families are blinded by hatred). The lover’s (family) names in fact encompass everything they are to their lover’s family, and probably most everyone else in town.
The point I’m making is this: a person’s name becomes a shorthand symbol of their identity to everyone that knows them or knows of them (through friends and family). This goes for fictional characters and the readers that love/hate them. Therefore, it is important for each character to have a name that suits their personality and role in your story. Your readers will form a relationship with that name. It’s the character’s handshake, their calling card, their CV, their reputation. The character’s name is a meaningful glance or wink across the room to the reader. It signals the reader like a Cliff’s Notes micro-story, “Look out. He’s back.” or “What’s she up to this time?” or “Thank goodness the cavalry’s here!” The name’s “message” is the character’s persona exposed in a revealing portrait. A name can reveal and should buoy everything the reader knows about the character. It can tell them about and even come to symbolize the character’s world and culture.
So, what’s in a name? … Everything.
Please stayed tuned! In later posts, I will be exploring how to name characters.
What’s your favorite character’s name? What’s your favorite name for a character? Are they the same? What’s your process for creating names for your characters? Please leave a comment below.
By KC Herbel, on June 29, 2012, 4:32 pm  Charlie Chaplin - The Great Dictator Readers get to know literary characters through the descriptions of their appearance and actions, their speech patterns in dialog with other characters and themselves, observations/statements by other characters (or the narrator), and sometimes directly from the character’s thoughts and emotions. The art behind this information-download process is known as characterization.
There are two methods to convey characterization information to the reader.
Direct Characterization. In this method (also known as explicit characterization), the reader learns directly from the narrator/author all about the character’s personality and traits. This is not always a bad thing, as a first person POV narrator might relay his own observations and conclusions about the character. In this way, we not only learn about the character being described, but something about the narrator himself. In telling his audience directly about another character, the narrator may reveal their own biases and attitudes. Of course, if the narrator is unreliable, then the reader should be cautious in accepting their conclusions.
Indirect Characterization. In this method (a.k.a. implicit characterization), the reader must come to their own conclusions about the character, based upon observation of his or her actions, speech, and sometimes thoughts. This is at the heart of the ”show, don’t tell” writing maxim. Again, the reader might be wrong in their interpretation of the events offered by the narrator, or even purposely misled into assuming something erroneous about the character in order to make a point or further a mystery, but ultimately it is the author’s job to provide all the necessary information to make a clearly defined character, complete with well motivated actions and words.
Where’s the goal line?
The goal of good characterization is for the reader to empathize with the characters so much that they feel and desire the same things as the characters (especially the protagonist) and that they seem entirely realistic. This is achieved by creating complex characters and steering clear of flat, stereotyped characters. This may be accomplished through the way they look and dress (don’t forget attitude can show), or the way they talk (word choice, accent, and syntax patterns). Generally speech is a dead giveaway to personality and history. It relays the character’s attitudes, emotions, education, and origins. Their thought patterns should likewise be well anchored in personality.
What works?
The interesting character will say and do unpredictable things that still originate in their fully-realized personality, which has been shaped by past experiences. One method for staying away from stereotypes is to take the stereotype and stand it on its head (do something surprising, counter-intuitive and unique). The unexpected is more interesting and makes the reader want to read more, especially when it comes to characters, but remember the unexpected must always be explainable and eventually explained. The manner in which a character responds to a special circumstance or incident will tell us quite a lot about a character. When confronted with a terrifying or horrific incident, do they run towards or away from danger? Why? The answer is likely at the very core of the character and will reveal their true nature.
Remember.
Villains are characters too and require strong complex and exciting personalities. The more developed they are, the more compelling the conflict between them and your hero will be. Secondary characters also require some development in order to avoid boring your audience and not break the reality of the story.
One last thing to help your characters stand out is choosing for them an appropriate name – one that fits their personality, is easily pronounced and hard to forget (perhaps something ironic, funny or dramatic). This goes for all characters: big or small, good or evil. A character’s name may proceed them like a reputation and linger after they’ve left the stage, even haunt your readers long after they’ve put down your story.
Please make a comment below about characterization…I dare you!
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