Are there any names you won't use?

[lunaartemisasama]

My own name and close friends and family members names, just because it feels weird lol. Unless they have a really common name in that case I don't care too much.

[maelstrom51210]

Yeah, it feels really weird to use names of people you know. Sometimes it's a necessary evil if its a super common name like Michael or Jacob.

Fortunately for me, Demon King takes place in Japan and I'm pretty sure I know absolutely no one named Toru or anything like that.

That's probably the good thing bout fantasy names, too. You can just cram together random syllables and be reasonable certain it won't be similar to someone you know's name.

[SynCypher]

Green with smudges of white with a lot of red at the end. (There's also a hint of indigo where the "A" is)

[joe_galindez]

That sounds strange. But then "Galindez" means "stranger" so I guess we've always been weirdoes.

EDIT: "I devote my life to spazzing out, mixing it up, and generally keeping it weird. And my sons will follow me."

[melindemari]

I look up names with meanings, and often make 2 names 1 like Aria - something to do with songs, if remember right and Alita - winged one = Arialita - so to me the name man winged song. Which is perfect for my MC in one of my novels that I haven't touched in over 4 year and sort of forgotten about... (Terrible I know!) she's ends up becoming something akin to an angel when she's reborn after "dying"; killed by her own 'brother'.

But then sometimes the simplest of names are just as good! I used "Melody" as my MC for Dragon sword and only upon finishing it, and sent it to a friend of mine (who knows my pen names) did I realize, through his remarks, I used my penname, I never even thought about it! Melody is my pen name chosen cause of my 1st 3 letter of my name and a love for music, so even in the Novel Melody's friends call her Mel - which just so happens to be plenty of people's nickname for me - When I start writing I don't think I just act on what feels natural.

But 1 name I guess I'd never use is my own Melinde-Mari (even though a perfect name for say a mermaid - cause it means lady of the sea) But I would use Mari on it's own and maybe even Belinda or Melinda or Malinda (which just so happens to be a school friend of mine's name) and I have no qualms about naming character with names that's familiar with friends and family cause the character will never be them and aren't based off of them - like Theresa (my mother's nickname) I used it, but I used it cause of Mother Theresa (a nun) my character in one story called Theresa is a healer and good will ambassador just like her.

[konamanta]

Ha, well, I'm kind of the same way in that I wouldn't want to use my own name. I'm also feel really awkward about using names of people I know - I find it hard to focus on the character's personality as opposed to the real person, and I always worry that they might see it and think this character is supposed to represent them (which might not be too good if the character's isn't the best person.)

[joe_galindez]

"Theresa" is a scary name for me now.

[melindemari]

Hahaha How come?

[melindemari]

I was once asked why my one character's name's "surname" is Darwin - cause was the story is a fantasy (mermaid tale - Of the Sea series) as it stand in contradiction to Charles Darwin and evolutionist... But that's something I love to do is take names of people in history and re-create them for my stories (not always but just one of many ways I decide on names)

[joe_galindez]

In 2013, in a comprehensive review[16] covering 96% of the literature on Mother Teresa, a group of Université de Montréal academics reinforced the foregoing criticism, detailing, among other issues, the missionary's practice of "caring for the sick by glorifying their suffering instead of relieving it, … her questionable political contacts, her suspicious management of the enormous sums of money she received, and her overly dogmatic views regarding, in particular, abortion, contraception, and divorce". Questioning the Vatican's motivations for ignoring the mass of criticism, the study concluded that Mother Teresa's "hallowed image—which does not stand up to analysis of the facts—was constructed, and that her beatification was orchestrated by an effective media relations campaign" engineered by the Catholic convert and anti-abortion BBC journalist Malcolm Muggeridge.[17]

[melindemari]

Ooohhh yeah I never got that far in my history studies of her, only thing I learned was she helped the poor, and healed them, but reading about the part where she "forced" baptism on dying patient just now... yeah no in that regards I agree she aint no saint that for sure!!!

Now I'm kinds scared of her too... But that gives some ideas on other story direction for another character in another story that I had no idea how to portray (A character in the Divide United - novel I'm posting on Tapas) there's a healer with no name that's all saintly but I mean I didn't want to end up with the same kind personality I have for Theo so thanks for sharing now I know what to do!

[orchidesyl]

I wouldn't use names that are like silly names.
Like
Aneda Dick
Ben Dover
Dixon Uranus

stuff like that

but i wouldnt also use names are sacred...
Like, Shiva, or Ganesha, cause they do sound cool, but there's meaning behind them.

But in terms of common names,
I wouldn't use names that are weird for me to say.
Like, Tom, Dan, Ben, Jason. John, Tiffany, Miranda, etc...

[TheThoughtfulBoxful]

Aneda DickBen DoverDixon Uranus

Dude, those are awful

[orchidesyl]

i know lol
thats why i choose them

[melindemari]

But creative

I mean where else would you find those kind of names? XD

[TheThoughtfulBoxful]

It actually reminds me of bart simpson

[TheThoughtfulBoxful]

just to add to the discussion

I think my own name is boring/common, so I doubt I'd ever use it.
Naming characters after friends/family is too obvious. (edit: though there may be one exception...)

I honestly have to train myself to use more common/relatable names for my characters. I always use the unconventional names (Tip, Remi, etc.) so my characters are more interesting.

also regional names! I love using names that line up with my characters' cultures. I'm kind of obsessed with name meanings too, and usually will pick a name that relates to a personality aspect of the character.

so yeah, that's my two cents!

[SynCypher]

Nothing wrong with that!

(Though now I have 'People Are Strange' stuck in my head. XD )

[NDmangaka]

Eve, Carlus, Aaron, Og, Nor,
Well that's all I've got

[MK_Wizard]

I don't like using the same name twice. It gets confusing even for me.