Invented Names Vs 'Real' Names
Let's be honest, there isn't really a 'real' name. All names are invented at some point, Katia and Aaron didn't just spring into existence and everyone went 'Yep, that's a name.' All names were invented at some point, please don't argue semantics in the comments below.
However while we acknowledge that we can also acknowledge that each culture has their own set of names that were used in the past and are still used today. Names that are familiar to any audience you might have.
The real question is if you should use those names, or if you should come up with something brand new all on your own.
Honestly there isn't a right or wrong answer to this. It's really up to whatever you, as a writer, want to do.
I have my own personal rules when it comes to inventing names. Usually I limit invented names to only a handful of characters to keep the universe familiar to the audience. Also if I'm working on historical or contemporary stories I tend to use real names as well, but again, this is just my preference. You as a writer can do whatever you want.
However if you find yourself wanting to invent a name but struggling to come up with one, here's a helpful video for you to watch.
I think it is really interesting to think about how, at one point, no names existed and people did have to create names after they had alphabets and languages. It is also interesting to see the patterns that certain cultures follow when they name their children. I think naming characters is one of the funnest parts about writing. I always look at the meaning of names to help me decide what name best fits my character. This was a really interesting post in my opinion because I love names - I have especially always loved unique names - and I love linguistics. Great post!
ReplyDeleteIf you say any name enough times it starts to sound weird, I think my own name sounds weird. Naming fantasy characters is always a little bit of a struggle isn’t it? Not wanting it to be too foreign or long or strange, but also having standard irl names raises some questions about where those names came from. Where do you stand on mixing fantasy names and real names in a story? I like the names I like. I think that could either work in my favor, making things feel more normal because there’s some familiarity, or against me because the real and fantasy names will contrast each other.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that names really do influence the impression of characters and the story as a whole. The setting is also a big factor in it. A story could be great but then it will be ruined if the names are goofy. Overall names are pretty important.
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