#12 Names

Figuring out names for characters can be such a drag or a lot of fun, depending upon what tools you use. . I've changed the names twice in 'Blue.' All the names. *g* I've also changed the names of the lands these characters live in. I'm very comfortable with them now. 

I like to use baby name sites to help me pick names for my characters. These sites are usually set up as male/female, origin, meaning, and timeliness. I had to giggle at this site: http://www.babynames.com/character-names.php  They posted a tips page for authors. Somebody's been telling my secrets. Here's the home page:  http://www.babynames.com/

This site drives me mad because of the loud commercials, but I found I can pause the nasty little suckers. I like the site because it's easy to use. Six drop-down fields at the top and color-coded, too. Since I write fantasy, I like to find names that are unusual and this site helps a lot. 

http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/

One of the problems with names is making sure it is appropriate for the time I am writing for. If the book is in the future, I've not got too much of a problem, but if it's set in the past, then I've got to make sure the name is not a 'modern' name. This can be tricky. But the baby name sites can really help.

Another site I found recently helps with character development, once I've decided upon a name, or if I'm brilliant (which I am not), before I decide upon a name. I can use numerology to discover the traits for that name. This is a fun and easy site.

http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp

I discovered, when I used this website's tool, that three characters' names in 'Blue,' all had, according to numerology, similar characteristics, destinies, soul urges, and dream numbers. Not exactly what I had wanted. I am not going to change the names again, heaven forbid, but I am going to make the characters who are opposite of these three more dynamic and a bit more substantial. I'm looking forward, once I get into the 'real' editing phase, to focusing on the dynamics more for each character. Should be fun to see Kathleen and Kaspar and Flynn grow even more.

I got this idea when I was watching an episode of Dr. Oz. He had a numerologist on. When I used a tool numerologists use, I found my number pretty much described me. So - needless to say - I used Kathleen's name. That was exciting. Then I used Kaspar's and Flynn's. Great stuff. 
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/numerology-healing-numbers

Life is name changing.