The Name Game

[Kali]

Just curious, how do the writers here choose names for your characters? Take names of friends and family? Use a name book? Divine inspiration?

[coolmike1586]

i jus use a name that sparls my eye and i usually use Hephaestus for my names but i wanted to have my name in one so i did! :grin:

[Machias Banshee]

Well, in my pursuit story, i use variations of scientific names, as well as Celtic words...

In my Turtle pox, i used my neice's name. And in my upcoming, Mine. couldnt think of anything else...

[Saisei]

Most of the time, I hear a name and think it has a nice ring to it so I'll keep it in mind until I find that it fits a character. Still, for some chars I have to spend hours browsing through my mind for inspiration, and if that doesn't work out I'll turn to a name site on the net! :razz:

[Kali]

I use lots of different things. I've got this big baby names book I use most of the time. Names come to me in different ways. For example, I used five different techniques to come up with the names for my original characters in Out of Time.

[Machias Banshee]

Wow! I look at musical group names too, like Clannad, Etain (pronounced Ay-deen), and other things as well... for example, I used the word Taladh *celtic word*, which means Lullabye, and used it for my male character because his voice is so nice, as well as because of him being Clannad's *musical group name* father . :grin:

[Kali]

Yeah, I try and use the definitions of names too. Like Midori, it's a Japanese name meaning "green".
For Out of Time:
Tempest: I wanted something 'time' oriented, sorta a shoot off of temporal.
Yoshi: Seems obvious, no? I figured Leo'd name his first son that, after Hamato Yoshi.
Random: It made sense, given Raph's chaotic nature, and she's like that, too.
Karma: Title of the latest Jessica Andrews song. Doesn't it just sound like something Mike would name his daughter?
Dante: From my name book, a nice literary name. Try to pick another, but this one refused to be pushed aside.
Once I heard them I knew those were the perfect names.

[azure turtle]

Names! They come from all kinds of places. I get lots of inspiration from (believe it or not) videogames. Some videogames have some cool names for their characters, and I'm not talking Mario either. Names like Zidane, Squall, Cyan, Serge, Relm, Magus, all cool names that come from videogames. I also get inspiration from fantasy books, like Anne McCaffrey's works. And, of course, I love using colors!

[Kali]

Colors are good, I've used those too.

It's very important to find the right name for a character. There are many factors. One is nationality. Can you tell me why a Caucasian American has a Japanese name? If you can't, find a different name. Even though these days name origins are becoming blurred.

Gah, I'm sounding like a text book. *baps herself* But remember, as cool as exotic names sound, don't go overboard. There are Johns and Bobs and Sarahs in this world too.

[HorseTechie]

Hrmm... when it comes to naming human people and other bipedal sentient beings, I also use the baby name book, or that really big name archive (Kalibarians, something like that). For last names, I'll look through the phone book, or the authors of other books, or even CD's. (I got Heather's last name from one of the producers on U2!)

The way JRR Tolkein defined how his characters are named in LotR is very interesting too. Hobbits have earthy names and the lady hobbits are often named after flowers and pretty plants. Elves, on the other had, have rather elegant and celestial sounding names.

When it comes to naming horses, animals and other unsual creatures, I'll derive from adjectives, thoughts/expressions, or different languages. Chinese names are fun to use too, since many of their names take after animals, plants, and nice adjectives.
(aka Meih Pieh Chi - beautiful turtle of energy)

[Skeletoncrew]

Well, obviously I haven't written much fanfiction...but my werewolf will be named after one of my favorite David Bowie songs.

When it comes to naming pets (Which I have plenty of experience in.), I look for resemblances. Or things that happen while I'm thinking about a name. My first rat was named Mrs. Robinson because the song came on the radio as I was driving her home.

[HorseTechie]

Oh yeah.. outside of fanfic char names, I would name my pets and model horses after characters and famous people. Back when I used to have oodles of gerbils, they got named after all the characters from 'the Labryinth'. :razz:

[Skeletoncrew]

Labyrinth!!! Whoo-hoo! Sexy goblin king...*drool* Mmm....Bowie...

I named one of my cats Jareth.

[Machias Banshee]

I have that soundtrakck on record! Loved it. The orange figures that removed their body parts, well, turns out the main singer was done by Kevin Clash, the guy who did Splinter in the Movies!!!! :grin: :grin:

[HorseTechie]

Yeah! I guess he was a Jim Henson kinda guy!

Lesse, I remember using Sir Didymus (that gerbil even looked like him), Hoggle, Jareth, Ambrocious.. who else..?

Ohh.. off topic for a sec, did anyone think that gabby bird on the wise old man's head remind ya of Wick, Dragon Lord's pet in TNM?

[Machias Banshee]

Yeah, he DID act similar!

hmmm... the gerbil thing DID look like Splinter! *looks around nervously for Sensei*

The big guy with the red hair, I have a 'grandma' who looks just like that, red hair, underbite and everything. *cringe*

Jum Henson was awesome! I heard that the last real project he did before he died *sniff* was The first TMNT movie!

[BlitzTurtle]

Where do I get my names? Everywhere.
Randi-I got because I wanted something boyish but with a human touch.
Tezlof-I got this off of SeaQuest.

Morgan Daily-Pulled that out of my Arse
Dianne Rose-Same
Laura Mitchel-same

Fishro-Fisher... I HATED my JROTC Lt. Colonel.

for my lesser used characters, I think up the name and THEN the person and personality...

[Hannah]

-chuckles evily-
This RP hasnt been responded to in like a year :D

[Kali]

-chuckles evily-
This RP hasnt been responded to in like a year :D
That's because it wasn't an RP, it was a simple discussion about how people came up with the names of their RP/fan fic characters.

And please don't bump old threads.

[InsaneZane]

when i make a character, i just take an everyday word that i think would sound cool as a name.... like Python, or Vortex or even stuff like Inferno or Roundhouse....... just a normal word can make a name.

[terran631]

Ohhh..names ok...well, as far as fanfiction my only original character is Leo's son. I named him Ren because I needed a Japanese word that Raphael could use to mock him and irritate Leo. Miren is Japanese for regret. <yeh Raph isnt really a nice guy in my fic but he has his reasons>

RPing, well with my RP with Machi I used the name Roxann because of my cousin who has always been something of a flirt since we were really little. And the character Roxann is kinda based on her.

The hardest things were finding Japanese nicknames for Splinter to use for all of the guys in the RP. Leo's was the hardest. Dont ask me why we settled for Shino. It was a fun way to annoy Leo for awhile. :)

[Meeko]

MeekoAngelo

Meeko is my cats name
Angelo From Michaelangelo

[azure turtle]

Wow, this is an old thread... :eek:

But I still use the same things for inspiration. Which reminds me, I've got a lot of work to do during spring break regarding a few unreleased fanfics... :evilgrin:

[heretic888]

Depends. I don't use too many original characters on these threads (usually playing Mikey), but when I do, I usually base the names off of real-life individuals that have been of inspiration to me, such as Ken Wilber.

I sometimes base the names off of other fictional characters I have an affinity for.

[Lady Estel]

I happen to be writing an attempted serious/dark fic, with the guys in Nt TNM.
The four new characters are

Gabriel: The eldest sibling- turtle, damned angel of mercy.
Samuel: Second eldest- wolf/turtle hybrid, mercenary. (sorry about spelling)
Sachiel: youngest and only girl- lizard/turtle, empath.
The baddie is named Azrael, as in demon.

[Jade Green]

I happen to be writing an attempted serious/dark fic, with the guys in Nt TNM.
The four new characters are

Gabriel: The eldest sibling- turtle, damned angel of mercy.
Samuel: Second eldest- wolf/turtle hybrid, mercenary. (sorry about spelling)
Sachiel: youngest and only girl- lizard/turtle, empath.
The baddie is named Azrael, as in demon.

Azrael isn't demon. its the name of the angel of death.
And death is nuetral, neither good nor evil.

[Lady Estel]

I happen to be writing an attempted serious/dark fic, with the guys in Nt TNM.
The four new characters are

Gabriel: The eldest sibling- turtle, damned angel of mercy.
Samuel: Second eldest- wolf/turtle hybrid, mercenary. (sorry about spelling)
Sachiel: youngest and only girl- lizard/turtle, empath.
The baddie is named Azrael, as in demon.

Azrael isn't demon. its the name of the angel of death.
And death is nuetral, neither good nor evil.

sorry, in dogma, Azreal's a baddie, and in the smurfs.

[Hamato Inya]

lets hear it for random names! w00t! i usually use something that sounds japanese to me... sorry if i desrespect any japanese ppl here! *runs away* but yah like Rei Ichika... Hamato Inya :lol: the last name wasn't mine but Inya i found awsome... some others i use have the same name such as Inya Takima and Inya Tachiya... i used those of forums but for some reason I liked Tachiya over Takima.... anyways i jsut go with what my fingers write...

Takina Horimoto
Jante Koorim
Rei Ichika :lol:

anything! i also like taking spanish or japanese words and using them for names... thats fun like take the japanese word for fire, kaji and then i take it and do Kajima Takeno. I also use things like Ichigo is the word for strawberry right so Ichigo is a name! anyways i'll stop blabbling...

Yuki is snow and so i do the name Yukina! ok i'm done :goof: :thyper: