What’s in a name

It’s that time again, I’m brainstorming on names for the main man in an upcoming book that’s at the starting gate. This is always tough! I’m probably one of the few people in the country that has a baby name book with tattered corners (besides all the other novelists out there.) And it’s always a fine balance between something unique but contemporary, masculine but not macho.

I have to always pick a few, make a short list and then run them through the test. Does the name belong to anyone famous? Does it reflect the character? Does it fit the period, genre and mesh with the other characters names? I have to be careful at selection because I’ve discovered once I name a character, even if I’m not totally firm on it, it’s very difficult to change it and think of them with any other name. The old one is forever stuck in my head! By the time I start the name game, the character already has a physical description, a personality formed and a background. Kind of backwards from real life I suppose, but that’s the beauty of fiction!

So if anyone wants to throw a name in the hat, be my guest. Suggestions welcome!