Names you hate?

[3113]

I'm cognating on a new story and I find I really can't get started till I've named the characters. Sometimes, the names are right there, ready to go. Other times, I have to search for them.

The problem is, there are some names I just don't like and can't really consider. Maybe bad associations...or they're just wrong. "Ethel" for example. Outside of "Lucy & Ethel" I just can't imagine naming any character Ethel (though Ethelred is just fine). It sounds too much like a gasoline.

Are there any types of names that you hate?--ones you just can't bring yourself to use in a story? Or can't use unless they're attatched to a particularly awful character? And if you see certain names in a story--will you stop reading it in disgust? When I say "type" of names, I mean, for example, "Soap Opera" names like "Hunter" and "Brittany" or fantasy names like "Red Wolf" or "Mistress Dark." A grouping of names associated with a type of fiction or that were popular at a certain time among certain folk.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Todd.

Just can't do it.

 

[Guest]

.....

 

[artisticbiguy]

As a general rule, I don't have a hatred of any names save for ones that are just formulated for being cruel to the children because the parents were on drugs or were just idiots. To me, this includes most flowers, foods, seasons, astrological bodies, land masses, geological features, towns, etc.

Examples: Jupiter, Savana, Summer, Tulip, Meadow, Fern

that, of course, is just me.

 

[Guest]

IAre there any types of names that you hate?--ones you just can't bring yourself to use in a story? Or can't use unless they're attatched to a particularly awful character? And if you see certain names in a story--will you stop reading it in disgust? When I say "type" of names, I mean, for example, "Soap Opera" names like "Hunter" and "Brittany" or fantasy names like "Red Wolf" or "Mistress Dark." A grouping of names associated with a type of fiction or that were popular at a certain time among certain folk.

I don't know that there are names I'd NEVER use so much as names I reserve for certain kinds of characters. I've got a penchant recently for old-fashioned girl names and I like multi-syllibic names for heroic men. I save single syllables -- with a few exceptions -- for characters I don't intend anyone to like very much.

I try to avoid gender-ambiguous names just because I get confused. And, until very recently, I would never consider naming a character "Danny".

I dislike any name that has more than 2 apostrophes in it, or more than three groupings of contiguous constanants, just on principle

 

[BlackShanglan]

(ETA - I am a cranky and intolerant horse, but please don't take this to mean that I am suggesting anyone needs to cater to my demanding and ungovernable whims about names. Also note that in a later post, I will confess to doing nearly all of these things myself. )


I think it's the "types" that really get me:

1) Overblown fantasy or sci-fi names. Elves who are all Alessaria and Finnarethan and whatever sounds vaguely Tolkeinish, or hulking aliens who all have to have names and be called Graptnk and Krudgeickt or what have you. I recognize that names help to create the sense of the text, but after a while the overblown dramatic names really annoy me.

2) Authors who always use the same two or three interchangable names for their characters of one gender. Usually it seems to be a sign that the characters themselves are indeed interchangable.

3) Soap opera names, indeed. I'm happy to leave Hunter, Alexis, Chandler, and Rock sunning themselves by the pool, as generally their names are the most interesting things about them.

4) Novel re-spellings of common names - or words, for that matter. Same reason as #3 - it's usually a sign that the chief creative impulse was expended in the spelling.

(Cranky damned thing tonight, aren't I?)

Shanglan

 

[carsonshepherd]

I hate names that are mispelled. Like Trystan, Kristel, Danyelle, Audree, Kayte. Blech.

 

[BlackShanglan]

As a general rule, I don't have a hatred of any names save for ones that are just formulated for being cruel to the children because the parents were on drugs or were just idiots. To me, this includes most flowers, foods, seasons, astrological bodies, land masses, geological features, towns, etc.

Don't forget weather. And it's great when we can combine vices. Anyone want to read my story about Stormee and Cynnamon?

 

[cheerful_deviant]

As a general rule, I don't have a hatred of any names save for ones that are just formulated for being cruel to the children because the parents were on drugs or were just idiots. To me, this includes most flowers, foods, seasons, astrological bodies, land masses, geological features, towns, etc.

Examples: Jupiter, Savana, Summer, Tulip, Meadow, Fern

that, of course, is just me.

Actually, some of those names have an appeal to me. I rather like 'August' as a girls name. I'm not sure I would ever name my child that but I do like it in a story. But then again, many of my character name lately have been a little different. Pasha, Topanga, Phaedra... etc.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Don't forget weather. And it's great when we can combine vices. Anyone want to read my story about Stormee and Cynnamon?

Hello! Great minds think alike.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Just so it's not all whining - there are some names I simply adore. Any man named Jem (that is, the shortening of James) has a terrible advantage over me, as do (for reasons I have never quite understood) women named Grace or Constance.

Shanglan

 

[carsonshepherd]

I think it's the "types" that really get me:

1) Overblown fantasy or sci-fi names. Elves who are all Alessaria and Finnarethan and whatever sounds vaguely Tolkeinish, or hulking aliens who all have to have names and be called Graptnk and Krudgeickt or what have you. I recognize that names help to create the sense of the text, but after a while the overblown dramatic names really annoy me.

...Jor?

 

[BlackShanglan]

Hello! Great minds think alike.

Then again, so do ours.

(I have always quite liked "Carson.")

 

[artisticbiguy]

(Cranky damned thing tonight, aren't I?)

Shanglan

*holding up a bucket of oats with an apple or two, brush and comb, and a hoof pick*

I know how to cure that

 

[Guest]

I think it's the "types" that really get me:

1) Overblown fantasy or sci-fi names. Elves who are all Alessaria and Finnarethan and whatever sounds vaguely Tolkeinish, or hulking aliens who all have to have names and be called Graptnk and Krudgeickt or what have you. I recognize that names help to create the sense of the text, but after a while the overblown dramatic names really annoy me.

2) Authors who always use the same two or three interchangable names for their characters of one gender. Usually it seems to be a sign that the characters themselves are indeed interchangable.

3) Soap opera names, indeed. I'm happy to leave Hunter, Alexis, Chandler, and Rock sunning themselves by the pool, as generally their names are the most interesting things about them.

4) Novel re-spellings of common names - or words, for that matter. Same reason as #3 - it's usually a sign that the chief creative impulse was expended in the spelling.

(Cranky damned thing tonight, aren't I?)

Shanglan

Eep, I'm going to irritate you a lot then. When writing fantasy and SF, I often take a common name and redo the spelling a little to make it sound enough like a name to be recognized as a Name, but still give it that Not This Place feel.

I'll make you nuts

 

[cheerful_deviant]

Eep, I'm going to irritate you a lot then. When writing fantasy and SF, I often take a common name and redo the spelling a little to make it sound enough like a name to be recognized as a Name, but still give it that Not This Place feel.

I'll make you nuts

Ditto.


Current character nema: Kariana.

 

[BlackShanglan]

...Jor?

One syllable, plain spelling. Simple, straightforward, not at all pretentious. I quite liked it.

But then, I think I am the opposite of Malachite in male names; I seem to quite like some single sylables. "Will" is one of my favorite names. The SO also pointed out the other day that Edward, Edmund, and Edgar seem to crop up unusually frequently in my work.

Shanglan

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I don't like or use names that don't have a convient short form. I think that may be a little genre specific, but if both your characters are female, you can't really use she and her liberally without leaving your reader using a graphic to keep up. At the same time, proper nouns used everywhere give a staccatto feel. So Katherine and Kate, or Victoria and Vicky, give you some flexibility.

Mildred? Donna? Bobbi? Eh?

Aside for that there are some names I just find essentially difficult to work with. I love Titannia and Anastasia, but I wouldn't use them in a story.

 

[BlackShanglan]

*holding up a bucket of oats with an apple or two, brush and comb, and a hoof pick*

I know how to cure that

Ahhhhh. Whatever your name is, I think I have a new favorite.

Shanglan

 

[BlackShanglan]

I'll make you nuts

Oh, you do. You do.

 

[carsonshepherd]

One syllable, plain spelling. Simple, straightforward, not at all pretentious. I quite liked it.

But then, I think I am the opposite of Malachite in male names; I seem to quite like some single sylables. "Will" is one of my favorite names. The SO also pointed out the other day that Edward, Edmund, and Edgar seem to crop up unusually frequently in my work.

Shanglan

I have way too many Dan/Daniels. Maybe because I fucked a really hot guy with that name?

 

[cheerful_deviant]

... Anastasia, but I wouldn't use them in a story.

Ugh!

Guilty again.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I think it's the "types" that really get me:

1) Overblown fantasy or sci-fi names. Elves who are all Alessaria and Finnarethan and whatever sounds vaguely Tolkeinish, or hulking aliens who all have to have names and be called Graptnk and Krudgeickt or what have you. I recognize that names help to create the sense of the text, but after a while the overblown dramatic names really annoy me.

2) Authors who always use the same two or three interchangable names for their characters of one gender. Usually it seems to be a sign that the characters themselves are indeed interchangable.

3) Soap opera names, indeed. I'm happy to leave Hunter, Alexis, Chandler, and Rock sunning themselves by the pool, as generally their names are the most interesting things about them.

4) Novel re-spellings of common names - or words, for that matter. Same reason as #3 - it's usually a sign that the chief creative impulse was expended in the spelling.

(Cranky damned thing tonight, aren't I?)

Shanglan

My fantasy and sci fi would have you cholicy then

 

[carsonshepherd]

Favorite female name: Antonia

Favorite male name: Kieran

but I'm unlikely to use either one of them in a story because as character names, they are too distracting. I'm still struggling over naming the main character in my novel "Rylan." It's jarring every time I see it. I think a simple name focuses the reader on the story.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Bah. You know, I hope, that I'm not saying that I am *right* about these names - only confessing my own narrow-minded prejudices. Pray don't take me too seriously.

Besides, I'm as bad as anyone. I've got a fantasy story in progress with the leads named Harulth and Aelwyn. Perhaps Aelwyn's three sisters, Aelethe, Freyna, and Janna, should be renamed "pot," "kettle," and "black." Oh, and I think it was Dr. M. who observed of my Victorian piece that naming a gay man "Julian St. Claire" really is the gay equivalent of "Fifi Va Voom." Let's not even get into what sort of mind names someone "Lord Sebastian Vayne" - why, is that a pseudo-exotic mispelling of a common word I spy?

Shanglan