On Names Pt. 2

So, I love how I said that I was going to do the part about names I hate "sometime later this week" on my last post, and it ends up being the next day. Anyway, doesn't really matter; I was going to get to it eventually.

So, to continue where I last left off. There are certain names that I just can't stand. I think we all have that feeling sometimes when someone tells you their name, or you overhear one, and you think to yourself, "Ew. Really? I feel bad for you. . . ." We can't help it. It's human nature to like some things, and dislike others.

Anyway, as a creative author of the fantasy genre, I find myself creating odd names (re: last post). As mentioned also, I do like a lot of pretty mundane names as well, so I'm not incredibly blinded by my ignorance . . . just a little.

I enjoy names that sound like they come from the 1920s, '30s, or around that era. Margaret, Mitchell, Joshua (Not "Josh," I do actually like the full name), etc.

It's so strange how names morphed from the previous decades to this current one. Biblical names seemed to be the hot commodity "back then," and still they are pretty prevalent today, but more and more kids are being named something extremely unique. Like actually being named "Unique" (FYI, don't name your kid Unique).

And it's not like I completely dislike that. Like I said earlier, I make up my own names all the time. It's just . . . some of those names are so strange. They are portmanteaus of their mother's and father's names. So if the child born is a girl and the the mother's name is Becky, and the father's is Shawn, the child might be named "Beshawny."

WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD NAME THEIR KID THAT?!

Excuse me as I do my deep breathing exercises. 

...

Done.

Anyway, as a writer, I tend to stray away from portmanteaus of names. They just don't ever come out right. And maybe that's just my preference (actually, it IS just a preference. But it's a pretty darn good preference if you ask me). I know that that sort of name is supposed to be a "tie" to the parents. And as cute as that sounds, it's just that I feel like you are holding back your child from certain aspects of life. The problem with society and culture today is that we are constantly trying new ways of being our self and expressing who we really are. There is nothing wrong with that by any means. But also as a culture, we were always, and will continue to be always, extremely judgmental of others. If I were an employer and I saw such a strange name, I would immediately (and begrudgingly so) think bad thoughts of that person before I even met him/her.

... How did a talk about names I dislike somehow morph into this attack on names and society?

Anyway. I think the point I was trying to make with that is that when I create a name, I try to have it fit the story, but also be respectful and not completely wacky at the same time. There's an "air of Latin" to my names. In other words, strange, but it looks good, and sounds good.

I'm actually a huge fan of changing around spelling of a name. But there are tacky ways that it can be done, and there are definitely great ways it can be done to enhance a name. Sometimes it's better to add letters to a name than take them away. An example: Jessie looks weird spelled Jessi (I know, only one example).

I think that this is all I have to say right now. Keep in mind, my ideas and thoughts are ALWAYS changing. Right after I publish this, I may just change my thoughts on a number of these things. But also keep in mind that a lot of beliefs take several years to change. For example, I once hated the name Sebastian, probably since 8th grade when I first saw a book and wanted to read it, but couldn't pick it just because the main character's name was Sebastian (I know, shallow, right?). Well, just recently, I've gained an affinity for the name. It took like 6ish years, but I can finally appreciate it.

Anyway, so don't take what I say as the golden standard: it's not by any means. It's an opinion at one moment in time. Who knows what one's beliefs are in the next few seconds?

Certainly not I.