| Picking Names for Characters | |
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+8Shelagh dmondeo Malcolm alj Betty Fasig dkchristi P. Gordon Kennedy Dick Stodghill 12 posters |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:57 am | |
| A Stodghill Says So blog: As a young fellow I developed a liking for odd names. I also liked sports at the high schools and Akron U and they offered a veritable treasure trove of great monikers. The football team at the municipal college, now a state university, was a poetic pleasure. In the backfield were Al Abdullah and Frankie Zazula. On the line were Mike Fernella and Dominic Patella. The captain was Walt Kominick and playing center was a tough Irishman named Shanty Hogan. I liked Joe Zemla, Andy Maluke and Collie McCombs. East High athletes had great names. Jim Comedy was a favorite of mine, as was Sam Serves, pronounced service. Walt Gezzar (geezer) and Charley Nurse were fine ones and so were Joe Yen, Willie Lee and Bob Royal. Gene Woodling went on to play baseball for the New York Yankees. There were good names out at Garfield High, names like Mike Feduniak, Ernie Stadvec and Kenny Batman. It almost seemed unfair to have Batman carrying the football. At South High were Fritz Nagy, Wyndol Grey, Joe Papp and Ara Parseghian. The latter went on to coach Notre Dame football. North featured Ralph Vinceguerra, Tony Campanella and Chuck Palazzo. Central had Felix Latona and at West was Friend Van Fleet. Latona went on to coach football at his alma mater, then died of a heart attack at practice while still a young man. Van Fleet was killed in WWII. I have always enjoyed picking names for characters in short stories and novellas. Memory and the Akron phone book ensure a steady supply of the memorable variety, but it's best not to turn on the spell checker. |
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P. Gordon Kennedy Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1076 Registration date : 2008-01-13 Age : 35 Location : Crystal Falls, Michigan
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:48 pm | |
| This is my list of invented names so far. it took many years for it to get this long. P. Gordon Kennedy’s List of Invented Names Aniitron Arcadivo Asachanci Bictengal Bikiia Bracophlor Caanteris Dalic Deltick Drakintech Dunahy Eptannia Eptonon Eratol Exxcelcis Gattomine Holliphlor Immahyr Intaevvian Intigulus Jarranal Jarronal Jijjon Kelluphlor Laegomarine Laegophlor MacMurtagua Medize Medronidon Mernomus Merriphlor Orpilliar Paeletani Selturg Sunuphlor Thallanstal Xeoromir |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:21 pm | |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:02 pm | |
| Ghost Orchid is in final edit and I am having name trouble. It's short for a novel and does include a "mystery" so it might have minimal appeal to you Dick. Since you enjoy naming; here's a chance to read a short novel (50,000 words), perhaps tell me your opinion in general, and name the characters whose current names are quite dull with the exception of one name with which I am thrilled, Neambh (Neev in English) for the red-headed Irish girl. It's open season on the rest of the dull names. This is the final manuscript before the publisher continues with their many steps. |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:27 pm | |
| I'm no good at critiquing manuscripts but I'll be glad to read it and see if any names leap to mind. If you're going to email it the address is: dstodghill6071@juno.com |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:54 pm | |
| Thanks for the look and the thoughts! |
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Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:06 pm | |
| Dear Gordon, The name I liked the best is Jiijon. I love names. A name kind of defines a character. Well, maybe just in the author's mind. DK, I am glad that Dick is looking at Ghost Orchid. Love, Betty |
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P. Gordon Kennedy Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1076 Registration date : 2008-01-13 Age : 35 Location : Crystal Falls, Michigan
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:00 pm | |
| Jijjon is the first name of a minor character in The Tale of Medize, a 10,000 word story I wrote when I was 14. He's only mentioned in a sentance or two. I like all my invented names. |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:19 pm | |
| Two of my characters are nondescript, just moving through life. I had trouble naming them at all!!! |
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Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:23 am | |
| When my chickens hatched their eggs, I named the chicks, Feeney, Sweenie, Herminie and Flo. I smile every time I look at those chickens because their names have a nice cadence when said all together and they are always all together. Love, Betty |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:53 am | |
| Some years ago I read a series of historical fiction by Sharon Kay Penman: Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and the Reckoning, all set in the British Isles during the reigns of the Plantagenet kings of England. One of the heroes was David ap Llewellyn, a son of Llewellyn the Great, who might have changed the history of Wales had he not died young. I liked Penman's portrayal of that character, and put the name, David Llewellyn, into the list of characters inside my head. He eventually became one of the major characters in And Adam was a Gardener. Since the character's backstory involved his having been born on a different planet, he needed a name for his earlier life there. I came up with Dawilan. And as the story developed, I decided to tie him to another major character. I called this one Brian "Briny" Devlin. The main female character in Adam is Maggie, for Magdalene, a woman who has sometimes been thought to be the bride of Christ, at other times, a prostitute. She was definitely an independent woman, as was my Maggie. In some ways I believed then, sometimes still do, that in a culture where women are expected to marry and be supported by their husbands, rather than having a purpose not tied to their husbands and children, the result is a form of prostitution. All of these thoughts went into the creation of Maggie.
I wrote a series of short stories several years ago, all revolving around a hidden cave, and a magical stone inside the cave, that was lit by its own, red-orange light. The individual who discovered it (but kept it hidden) started calling himself Redstone. I later learned that a red stone was one of the alchemists' later stages in turning lead into gold.
Ann |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:47 am | |
| An acquaintance of mine used the name "orangedog" in email. I asked why. He said the orangedog is a caterpillar that is ugly beyond expression; however, when it becomes a moth, it is an exquisite beauty. Therefore, orangedog to him meant hidden beauty just waiting for its maturity. As he pointed out to me, the caterpillar and the moth bear a striking resemblance in their eyes. |
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Malcolm Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1504 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : Georgia
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:40 am | |
| Gosh, y'all make my character names actually sound normal. In the upcoming book, the police are named after pastries (Hank Kruller and Parker House), the rich guy is named Cash, the protagonist's first name is Jock (to sound tough), and his best source is called Coral Snake. Needless to say, I spent no time whatsoever mulling these over. :-)
Malcolm |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:14 pm | |
| Just popped into your head, did they? Yeah, sure. |
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Malcolm Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1504 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : Georgia
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:27 pm | |
| Well, I had to drink three fingers of Scotch first, Dick. That's basic to my creative process.
Malcolm |
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dmondeo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1485 Registration date : 2009-02-15 Age : 69 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:55 am | |
| It always seems easier to name your characters in a story than actually naming your kid's.
Oh the endless arguments over naming your offspring that has occured in years gone by.
My next door neighbour wanted to call her son Miles after her Grandfather but her husband refused on the grounds that their surname was Long.
Last edited by dmondeo on Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:32 am | |
| Could have been worse; their surname might have been Away. |
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dmondeo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1485 Registration date : 2009-02-15 Age : 69 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:42 am | |
| It may seem unreal but it is true my friends family have the surname Janus the whole family tried hard to convince the youngest son to stop his wife naming their first born son after one of her uncles 'Hugh'. It is amazing how name blind some people can be! |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:41 am | |
| Sometimes it works out well. A good one is the race driver Will Power. I like the one from years back when a couple in Akron couldn't agree on first and middle names for their kid's birth certificate. As they were in Summit County, that's what they named him. |
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Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:23 pm | |
| Every once in a while I have the urge for a Stodghill fix. I pick at random out of his blogs. Today, it was this one. Where is Malcom? Ann, I see your first mention of your Redstone story. Festering is a term that used to be used for something that finally comes to a head and burst forth. Where is Peter? Love, Betty |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:30 pm | |
| I thought about him today also. |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:58 pm | |
| Sometimes we just need a Stodghill fix.
Ann |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:33 am | |
| I often think of Dick. Glad I'm not the only one.
The subject of birth certificates, especially that of our President, lingers. When I joined the US Air Force, I needed my birth certificate. I didn't have one. I needed proof that I was born. When standing in front of the recruiter and saying, "I was born, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here," is not written certification. The Doctor who failed to issue the certificate was long dead. We had to get notarized signatures from people who could certify that I was born to (my mom an dad) and on a specific date. That was sent to the State where they issued a certificate of birth. At that time, the USAF Also required a baptism certificate. That was prepared by our church pastor.
Obviously our President was born, otherwise he wouldn't be here. If he lacks a certificate, that is not unusual. Opponents will use anything to discredit him. Would love to hear Dick's take on all of this. |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Apr 17, 2011 7:24 am | |
| Dick always liked my Uncle Feagin stories.
Feagin was our family attorney in addition to being one of Mom's brothers When Dad was invited to read a paper at an international conference, held in Sweden, he asked Mom to go with him. At that time, she had never been outside the states, and so, needed a passport. That's when she learned she didn't have one. While Feagin realized that it was a fairly simple matter, he couldn't resist the opportunity to tease his older sister. He told her he was afraid she didn't legally exist, and was too old for there to be anyone left alive who could prove otherwise.
Mom said, "Oh he**, Feagin!"
Ann |
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Domenic Pappalardo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 2557 Registration date : 2009-04-27
| Subject: Re: Picking Names for Characters Sun Apr 17, 2011 7:45 am | |
| Those who leave a piece of their character are never gone. Dick left more than one piece. He made those who never met him, feel like his favorite friend. |
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