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Mini-Muse Monday-I Hate That Character’s Name
Maybe it’s because I’m a teacher, and I’ve seen the same name spelled ten different ways, or perhaps I’m just a crotchety old curmudgeon, but I confess, names can make or break a story for me.
First I have to be able to pronounce it, or at least think I’m pronouncing it in my head even if it is wrong if I dared to say it aloud. I also think some names have been over-used for heroes and heroines in all genres and all time periods.
I like names to be authentic to the period, but I’m also open to creativeness. I mean, how bloody many Mary’s and Margarets or John and Charles’s do we need?
Sometimes I cannot get beyond a name and that makes me dislike the character. I know that seems shallow, but it’s true, and I’m betting my shortbread, I’m not the only one.
I love new names though. Just the other day I heard a lovely one. No. I’m not sharing it, because I’m going to use it in a story.
I adore the name Sebastian, but every other hero is named that, so alas, I probably never will.
My sister-in-law—an OBGYN Nurse Practioner—tells a hysterical story of a woman who was being wheeled into the delivery room. Let’s just say this lady wasn’t of a well-educated social status, and as she was wheeled down the hallway, she saw a sign with the most beautiful girl’s name she had ever heard of. Being slightly illiterate, she read it phonetically: Gahnoriah
She gave birth to a darling baby girl and promptly named her Gonorrhea.
Are there any names you are tired of seeing in romance novels? How about a few you’d like to see?
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Collette, we are of a similar inclination. Nothing disturbs my reading more than constantly worrying about whether I am pronouncing a heroine or hero’s name correctly. And then if I find out later I had it all wrong, I suffer post-reading discomfort. However, I don’t mind ordinary names.; better plain or boring than unpronouncable!
True. I have a character I introduced in my first book whose name is difficult to pronounce. In hindsight, I wish I would have changed it. She gets her own book, in fact, it’s the next one in my Highland Heather Romancing a Scot series, and I’ve decided I’ll have her explain how to pronounce it to someone who keeps saying it wrong.
Funny thing is, I actually say it different when I read it than the correct pronunciation still!
lol… my friend did a rotation in an inner city LDR–woman named her baby Noxema!
Sometimes, names will irk me, but I try not to dwell on it. I figure the writer had a reason or really dug deep in a baby name book lol.
There are times when it’s great to have a name stand out, but other times, I think simpler is better. Noxema! That’s a hoot.
It is one reason I dislike reading books set in foreign countries like Russia . If I can’t pronounce it, I generally just go by the shape of the letters. However, some authors have ten characters with names that look alike . This goes for the great classics as well. I prefer George to an unpronounceable name. I do not care how many heroes are named Sebastien ( not an especially Regency name) , I will read the book. I do dislike modern sounding names and pet names .
As for many heroes having the same name– they did in the time period– I prefer too many Georges ( I don’t particularly like the name George) to so many dukes.
Great point about similar names in books. I try not to do that, though I’ve had a few.
I’m watching a historical series with my daughter right now that have very unusual names, but they were appropriate for the era.
Ah.. Now I fail at this.
I use traditional names, names right for the time period but also for the location. I did a poll type thing asking how people thought about that as I do use a fair amount of Scottish and Scottish Gaelic names. I was told that most would just say it how they thought it anyway….. My last work had Alasdair as the hero (which in Scottish was the first version of Alexander and not Alistair as most people think) and Ina was my heroine, however their daughter who is the heroine for the second book in the series is called Ebha(It’s pronounce EE-Fa but I figured people would call it what they like, whatever makes sense to the individual reader). Ebha is a common name for that time and location and even now there is still some use of it althoough it is no longer as popular. I also actually touch on the subject of names and their importance in one book (not published yet but coming up!!)
I don’t find it off putting when I read but i did have to check what others thought…
And apologise to those who do find it distracting.