Naming your characters

This is from a website of a YA author called Cassandra Clare who wrote a book called City of Bones which I've read - this is so honest about naming characters:



How do you name your characters?


See, that's where your friends can be helpful.





In fact, the other day I was looking for help naming an evil character.


"I need help naming an evil character," I said.


Writer 1: Hot evil or hideous evil?


Me: Hot evil.


Writer 2: Montague.


Me: Montague? Is anyone actually named that?


Writer 2: It's an evil name.


Writer 3: Exactly. You might as well name him Evil McDarkington.


Writer 2 (in an unfriendly tone): So what do you suggest?


Writer 4: Ed.Me: My uncle's name is that.


Writer 5: See, that's the problem with naming characters. You'll always know someone with that name and it'll skew your view.


Writer 2: That's why Montague is a good choice.


Me: I'm not naming him Montague.


Writer 5: Okay, I've got this great evil name. I've been saving it up. It's awesome. I'm going to give it to you. It's a gift. My gift to you.


Me: Great. What is it?


Writer 5: Magnus von Magnus.


Me: What?Writer


5: MAGNUS VON MAGNUS.


Me:: . . .Thanks.





Meanwhile my friend is trying to name some characters in her vampire pirate saga, so she asked me for help.





Me: The problem there is that most vampires have names like Sebastian de Montclaire-Fotherington and most pirates have names like Bloody Beard, so the two don’t really go together.


Writer 1: How about Plaid Beard?


Her: Plaid Beard?


Writer 2: He’s the fashion-forward pirate.


Her: This character is not just a pirate, he’s a vampirate. And he’s Spanish.


Me: How about Enrique?


Her: Enrique what?


Me: Enrique Iglesias.


Her: Great! *writes it down*


Writer 1 (aside): Are you going to tell her?


Me: Eventually.





So it’s not like I’m a lot of help either. Clearly if you need assistance naming characters you should ask someone else.