The Importance of Naming Ernest

The Importance of Naming Ernest
by
Tami D. Cowden

You first heard their voices in the middle of the night. At first, just a few scenes or some snatches of dialogue played in your head. But after a while, the disjointed bits and pieces began to flow together. A complete world has sprung forth from your imagination. peopled with vibrant characters who lead exciting and profound lives.

But they have no names.

In your mind, where you see them so clearly, they need no names. You know who they are. You see what they do. You hear their thoughts and feel their emotions. You know them.

But they have no names.

The day will come when you feel compelled to write their stories. You will have to tell the world about these fascinating characters. By writing, we present our creations to the world.

And now, they must have names. So, like any excited parent, you must decide how they will be called.

But choose carefully. The names you choose will influence the way readers perceive your beloved children. The cowboy you see as brooding will probably seem a bit more petulant if his name is Humphrey Winthrop. But a Jake Winston, well, can’t you just see him leaning against the hitching post, a dusty cowboy hat shadowing his eyes?

Studies show that our names influence how we are perceived by others. “Our names have a significant impact on the impression we make,” reports Albert Mehrabian, a professor of psychology at UCLA. Professor Mehrabian, author of The Name Game, has devoted his professional career to the study of names and their power. The study of names and their effect on our lives has attracted many social scientists. The American Name Society homepage lists many experts in this field.

In real life, names influence more than how we view others – they also help define how we see ourselves. Helen Petrie, Ph.D., a British researcher, found that girls with very feminine names tended to have more girlish personalities, while those with names with more unisex or masculine connotations tended to have a more assertive demeanor. Perhaps your character’s personality will not actually change if given a name seemingly unsuited to his or her personality. Or perhaps it will. Could teasing about an awkward or unusual name be the backstory you need for an embittered character? At any rate, this naming decision is a bit more complicated than you might have imagined.

Fortunately for authors everywhere, the Internet offers plenty of help for choosing the perfect moniker for that perfect hero or heroine. Baby naming guides!

That’s right. You can solve half of your naming problems by perusing a few sites that, while intended for expectant parents, can be quite helpful to those involving in a mental birthing process.

Hints for Baby Naming has lots of straightforward advice for choosing a name. Mehrabian also has some suggestions, at Selecting Attractive Names.

Want to know what names were common in the year of your character’s birth? Popular Baby Names has a list of baby names in order of popularity since 1930. Experts note, however, that today even the most popular names occur in only 1 baby out of 50.

Do you want your name to convey some subtle aspect of your hero’s personality? At First Names and What They Mean you can review thousands of names, meanings and origins to find one that fits your vision. Or, need a connection to the old country? Names Around the World includes modern, traditional, and even some ancient names from nearly every nation on Earth.

In the 1830’s, one out of every four girls in the United States was called Mary, perhaps to honor a very famous mother. If you want a name with special religious significance, try Saints for names and biographies of Catholic saints". Writing a book about Mormons? The Utah Baby Namer offers names unique to Mormons.

Setting your story in an exotic location? You’ll find help at Muslim Names with explanations of Islamic naming conventions. Try Turkish Baby Names or Indian Baby Names for more names from far away lands.

Now you’ve plenty of ideas for first names but unlike most parents, you have to think about surnames, too. Well, have no fear, because the World Wide Web has plenty of places to look for those, too. Genealogy sites are a wonderful place to find surnames and their origins. Historical surname conventions from around the world, and a vast list of names and origins appear at What’s in a Name.

More than 2000 last names, with their country of origination (mostly British Isles) and meaning, are listed on Family Chronicle. If you prefer a Germanic name, another 2400 names are indexed at Traditional A-Z Surname Index.

Dutch Surnames offers just what the title implies. Authors do have one tremendous advantage over parents when it comes to choosing names. Mehrabian’s research shows that one of six adults wishes they had a different name. But unlike real children, your characters can’t make any changes. But choose wisely anyway. While the characters can’t complain, your readers can.

Tami Cowden is a charter member of the Heart of Denver Romance Writers, and currently serves as New Books Chair. She is also the editor of the Regency Reader and is hard at work on a contemporary romance.

The Importance of Naming Ernest by Tami D. Cowden

The Importance of Naming Ernest
by
Tami D. Cowden