Naming characters: Physical v. Personality [closed]

This is an opinion question. My opinion is that people are generally given names. Some later decide to reject their given name, and name themselves, but for the most part it is their parents that decide their name, not them.

All my sisters (and myself) have names given by my parents: One has the same name as my mother, another has a pretty name that means "pretty" in another language, a third was named after a movie character in a movie my parents saw on a date, a fourth name was inspired by a religious figure. None of them changed their names. Me too, I was named after a grandparent.

When I name characters, my MC typically has an unusual name for their social circle, but it will have a logical reason: They were named after an ancestor, or some obscure religious figure, or whatever.

I do "vet" my names by finding out what they originally meant, but I do not try to make my names reflect their personality or role in life, other than they may have been teased about them, or may have attached significance to them on their own. For example, it is documented that many boys with their father's name and "junior" attached are affected psychologically by their own expectations they should be like their father, in particular if they are not. They may rebel and try to be the opposite of their father. Or may strive for their father's acceptance and do what he tells them.

For adult reading, at least, I'd keep names realistic. If you are writing for four year olds, you will have to be more on-the-nose, but even there you can just use a regular name. Henry is a penguin in the Oswald (octopus) children's cartoons. (Oswald is the MC.) Henry has a distinct stuffy, rules-following personality, but none of that is reflected in his name.

posted almost 5 years ago

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Amadeus‭

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