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Character Namesfor River Bones, a Thriller
Selecting names for use in my first thriller, River Bones, was both fun and a lot of work. I’d already written Two Novels and chosen great names for characters in those. So once a name is used for a character in one book, it cannot be used for a different character in any subsequent story. I also try to avoid reusing names when writing short stories. The exceptions are when you write sequels using the same characters, or when you’ve written so many books you’ve used up every great name you can find. But that’s nearly impossible. We create characters to be any type of person we need them to be. Doing a little research to make the names compliment the personalities can cinch how your reader loves or hates your fictional people. In this study of the characters in River Bones, the meanings of most names are included. I usually first refer to my old copy of The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Sourcebook. Sometimes I peruse baby naming books as well. So, using names to enhance characterization, what follows is the list I settled on, their meanings, and their placement in the story.
Sara May Mason - (princess, daughter of Atlas, works in stone) – Protagonist/Heroine Daphine (Daph) Ella Whelan – (victory, beautiful fairy, joyful) – Sara’s best friend Linette Alden - (little lion, wise friend) Buck’s wife, Sara’s high school friend Buck Alden - (male deer, wise friend) Linette’s husband, Sara’s distant cousin Pierce Newton - (rock, from the farm) Sara’s crush in high school, struck by lightning Esmerelda (ET or Esme) Talbot - (Emerald, bloodhound) Former owner of Talbot House, founder of River Hospice Fredrik Verner - (peaceful ruler, friend/protector) Nurse - Director at Esmerelda’s River Hospice Tripp Unwyn - (traveler) Esmerelda’s hospice groundskeeper Johanna Conroy - (persistent, fighter) Sheriff’s deputy Xavier Isidoro - (owns new house, gifted ideas) Sheriff’s deputy Huxley (Hux) Keane - (from Hugh’s meadow/intelligent, sharp) Esmerelda’s elusive friend Crazy Ike Ames – Man in fog who digs in graveyards
Latte – Coffee & cream female pit bull puppy Mimie la Jolie - (protector, the beautiful) Esmerelda’s black Standard Poodle
Character names are also important for deceased people who show up in the story. They have a history, a reason why they are gone. When they play a huge part in the personalities of heroines and villains, you develop them a bit. At times, only a few sentences may be needed.
Petra Lou Mason (rock, stone) Sara's deceased mother Starla Gay Mason (star, stone) Sara's deceased sister
I found myself spending time creating names and personalities for those who were not real active in the story, but who had “speaking parts.” At times, these were not background or filler characters. They came to the front when their scene called for it to happen. Then they receded again.
Luningning (Luni) Rasay - Filipino fisherman, bait/boat shop. Val’s brother Valeriano (Val) Rasay - Filipino fisherman, bait/boat shop. Luni’s brother Herbert Frayne - Class President Iana Underhill - classmate missing since 1994 In creating character names for those with minor parts, I did not spend as much time on their meanings, in fact, couldn't find any since I made up a couple names! Final Notes - To Top
When creating character names, there are always those who remain in the background. They are only mentioned or seen in passing. When creating character names to “fill a scene” most likely a line or two will describe them. So, too, will their actions, even though they may not speak a word. Quite a few of the people in this list do speak, however their scenes are short. But don’t let that fool you. When creating character names to portray anyone in your story, you must develop them, perhaps by their actions, which will usually suffice.
Kuan Ying - (Hawk, well-off, hawk) Jade’s father. Daphine’s exhusband Orson Talbot - (bear, bloodhound) Esmerelda’s husband Jonas - Hospice patient Woller - artist Zara and Fred – Linette’s dinner friends. Demetrio – one of Esmerelda’s hospice employees Betty – Esmerelda’s daughter Morgana – classmate who liked Pierce Caren Olof York – High school classmate, wealthy, snobby Norwood York – Classmate, Sacramento Police Commissioner Mrs. Zheng – Pierce’s landlady Fletcher Grable - Farmer Xena – Part owner of Coffee Oasis Paula Rowe – body identified Laura Baines – body identified Margot – Esmerelda catered her party. Detective Vance – Female Detective De Giorgio - Male Lt. Gary Quill – Runs Sheriff’s K-9 Unit Pete Carswell – Sara’s American boarder Beni Noa – Sara’s tattooed Hawaiian boarder Representative Stanley Poole & Nelda - Esmerelda's friends Upton Zeno – Sacramento County Sheriff John Glosser – declared missing Some final thoughts on creating character names:
If you read any novel and list the characters you find there, you will see that every book contains many who people the story. Most of them fill the background of scenes but they are there. Even the dilapidated, haunted mansion was named Talbot House because the Talbots once owned it. In choosing a name for the house, I closely considered the last name of the Talbots to make sure it would sound great as a name for the house. Creating character names touches every aspect of a story.
Important, too, when setting a story in your hometown area, as I have with River Bones, choosing character names means being careful not to use names of friends or anyone else in the area. It's important to do more than just research names for heroines, heroes, and villains. I also make a list of full INITIALS of each character. I don’t want two or three people with same or similar initials, no matter how different the names sound.
They fact that their parents named them similarly also makes a point for the personalities of the parents. That adds to the parents’ characterization. In creating character names, avoid naming your heroes or villains something like John Foster Day and your villain James Frederick Dunn. The initials are the same and when speaking or reading the names, John Day and James Dunn are just too close and would confuse your reader. The same applies to heroines and other females who people your plots.
Great character names are one aspect of a story that people remember. Character names and characterization can make your story memorable.
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