Are connotations with certain names inevitable?
In my book (fantasy novel), there's a character named Brad. Unfortunately, Brad has become synonymous with "douchebag".
Now, when I first introduced him I just came up with a name. It needed to be on "B", because he was a butcher. "Brad the Butcher", rings nicely right? But then after a while, a thought popped into my head. Isn't the name Brad a bit douchey? Now, I know this is kind of opinion-based, but then again, there are many people who say that they correlate the name Brad with douchery. The thing is, Brad is not a douche. He is likeable, at least from my perspective. I am worried that his name will give my readers a preconceived notion that he's a douchebag. FYI, he's 16 years old.
To give some context, here are his character traits.
- Nonchalant
- Apathetic
- Witty
- Cool-headed
- Kinda psychopathic
- Usually calm but very passionate about one subject (He loathes the upper-class)
- Has a soft spot
- Best friend to the main character
- A bit greedy; can easily turn on someone
So, he's no douchebag. Perhaps he's a bit of a bad guy sometimes, but not a textbook "wazzup" douchebag. So, will people regard him as such anyways? Don't get me wrong, someone named Brad is not necessarily a douchebag, but unfortunately the name has that connotation. But is this connotation so strong that it will overshadow his prominent traits and make people expect things about him that I never intended to be a part of him? Or will experiencing the character prevail over its connotation?
Also, as a note. I changed his name to Barney, but it felt wrong. I had written him as Brad for a while, and the name grew on me. But the fact that I like Brad better is probably primarily based on the fact that it was my initial choice and the one I've written with. Do you think Barney would be a better name for my character?
EDIT: I just want to clarify exactly what I'm asking. Will the development of a character thwart the false connotation a certain name brings?
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4 answers
How important do you consider using a contemporary English name? Your book is a fantasy story, probably set in a world similar to our medieval times, but with magic. Brad is a modern name which is a diminutive of Bradley, Bradford, Brady. These names were all pretty much created in the past 2 centuries. Having Brad as a name in a fantasy world to me sounds somewhat anachronistic and might somewhat distract me from the novel.
If I were you, I would try to find names from the time period and possibly region your book is supposed to invoke a fantasy version of. It would improve immersion into the story and can give you an opportunity to find a name that you like and likely has far less personality implications for a modern audience.
The OP has clarified they want to use the name to indicate Brad doesn't belong. This goal can still be achieved by using a name from an entirely different region than the one being fantasy invoked. This has the added advantage that fewer people will make unwanted connotations with the name, while still invoking the feeling of being a stranger.
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LISA's main character is called Brad because Dingaling's father was called Brad, and he associated the idea of father with that name. He loved his father so much, he renamed his studio to LOVEBRAD after his father passed away. In some ways, LISA's Brad is fairly similar to your Brad, which is curious considering the idea Dingaling had of the name.
You can't control what people think of a name. I will even add that the idea someone has of a name depends only on themselves: who they know, what have they read, where they live... for example, I am from Spain, and here people will think of Brad Pitt if you ask them what pops up first in their head when you ask them what they think about the name. Likewise, "Jennie" will be associated with Spain's personal brand of guidos, whereas in the USA it is yet another female name; someone who has spent too much time on the Internet will think of Chad and Stacy as being big frat/sorority promiscuous douchebags, and so and so.
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There are many names starting with B; here are 1000 most popular boys names. Do a CTL-F and search for "B" capitalized. I am sure you could google for others.
Yes, Brad will have a frat-boy vibe for as long as your story sells.
No, "Barney" is dufus; think of Barney Fife, Barney Rubble.
Perhaps Braydon, Benjamin, Brandon, Blake, Brody, Bryan/Brian, Brendan, Blaine, Brett, Bob/Bobby, Bill/Billy, Bjorn.
Edit: As David Richerby notes in commentary, the negative connotations of names will vary by culture. The Brad & Barney connotations may be a result of fiction clichés Americans are exposed to growing up through movies, TV series and commercials, and print. Many clichés, aphorisms, curse words, slang, obscenities, gestures, and insults are cultural, even in majority English speaking countries. Fictions can likewise be localized; some of it is good enough to be loved everywhere, but not all of it. Some relates specifically to life in America, the UK, Australia or Canada. Even India. That said, your biggest market for English is the USA (283M). I don't market books, but I'd guess the UK (60M), Canada (30M), Australia (17M) likely follow; even though several countries like India have more English speakers (125M).
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While names have connotations, those are, most of the time, different connotations for different people. Hearing the name 'Brad' one person can think of Brad Pitt, another of Brad who bullied them at school, and yet another - of their best friend Brad. You cannot account for every association a reader of yours might have from any name.
However, just like in Real Life I might meet a person named Brad and get to know him as quite separate from Brad Pitt, so your readers would get to know your character as quite separate from whatever image their previous connotations might have drawn.
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