No one knew how to name characters better than Dickens. Who else would come up with a name like Ebenezer Scrooge? It sounds exactly like who he is. No one in the world has ever been named that, and that’s just the point. It’s fine to be a little outrageous when it helps to define the character.
Sure, you can name your character Dave or Linda or Chris. But what if you went with Dexter, Winona, or Clementine? It just sounds more interesting, like these people are not average. And why should your characters be average?
We have expectations of certain names. Irving is bound to be someone older, and probably dull. Tallulah is probably unique, or very southern, or both. Anyone named Samson is bound to be strong. It’s hard to imagine a puny, wimpy kid called Samson, unless you are being deliberately ironic.
If you have trouble coming up with names, get a book of baby names and have fun with it. You can also get foreign names on line for just about any nationality.
Think about what the name means. Corleone means “heart of a lion”. What a perfect name for that particular family. And there really is a town in Sicily called Corleone. Mario Puzo used it because it was real, but also because it was so evocative.
Naming characters and places can be maddening when you can’t think of just the right thing. But it’s worth it. It’s all part of the storytelling.
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