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Q&A Giving a character a name that is based on his storyline

This is a perfectly reasonable way to name your character and introduce the name with a little backstory. Some people will call it cheesy. Some people will say that it lacks originality. But all ...

posted 6y ago by Secespitus‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T23:01:22Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34468
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T08:21:55Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34468
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T08:21:55Z (almost 5 years ago)
This is a perfectly reasonable way to name your character and introduce the name with a little backstory.

Some people will call it _cheesy_. Some people will say that it lacks originality. But all stories are always just retellings of what someone else previously wrote. Your goal should be to give it a personal spin by using your own words and your own style. The way you present the ordeal, the way you show the characters, the way you show their emotions and describe their surroundings, the way you show the importance of this episode for the people involved - that's what makes it original and interesting.

I can't remember ever reading this exact scene somewhere before, but I am sure someone somewhere at some point had a similar premise. No need to obsess over this.

Your way of naming your characters reminds me a little of my own technique for coming up with names, which is to take a characteristic and put it into different translations until one looks interesting, at which point I slightly change it. You can read more in my answer to [What are good resources to get fantasy names?](https://writing.stackexchange.com/a/31643/23159)

I would say that you already put a good deal of thought into this. What is missing now is the execution - go and write it! If you obsess over every name like it's the end of the world if you don't get it right in the first draft you will never finish something. If you feel the name is not good enough or you simply come up with something that is _even better_ you can change the name later.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-03-21T10:17:02Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 4