Writing Tools: Names

One of the thing that I have always been fascinated by our names and their meanings. Even before I realized that I wanted to be a writer I have collected many different name books. With the Internet, it is even easier to find the meaning of names. It wasn't just first names but last names as well.

Take my name Amanda, is Latin and means worthy of God, lovable, or fit to be loved. The image that comes to mind when you think of Amanda is as followed (which is taken from Bruce Lansky's The New Baby Name Survey; one of my favorite name books): "Amanda will smile to your face, but watch out when you turn your back. Most people believe she’s chipper, bubbly, and smiley, but others sense she’s backstabbing, gossipy, and judgmental. Regardless, she’s said to be a smart, strong-willed risk taker, especially when it comes to activities like cheerleading and gymnastics." Whereas if you look at the nickname of Amanda, Mandy same meaning but the image is, “Mandy is the most popular girl in school, but popularity can cut both ways. She’s pictured as confident, perky, sweet, and sporty. These traits, along with her blond hair and cute looks, have likely earned Mandy a prized place among the “in” crowd. But anyone outside that crowd thinks she’s snobby, controlling, and even cruel.” Two very different images and yet there is something similar to both.

Now, let's look at another name like Thomas, is Greek & Aramaic and means twin. The image that comes to mind for Thomas is: “Thomas is as sophisticated and refined as the handcrafted leather chair in which he loves to read. He’s imagined to be mature, distinguished, and scholarly. Because he’s so quiet, some people say he’s snobbish, but others believe he has a good sense of humor and a positive outlook.” There are two nicknames for Thomas, Tom, and Tommy. The image for Tom is: “Tom is a funny guy, but different people react to him in different ways. Everyone agrees Tom is loud, silly, and famous for laughing too much. Some people find his silliness pleasant, others think he’s annoying and rude, and a few just call him a dork.” The image for Tommy is: “Tommy could be just about anyone. People say he’s a hyper jock, a rude snob who likes only the popular crowd, or a wholesome kid next door. With a diminutive name like Tommy, he’s most likely a young, small boy.” These three different forms of the same name all hold different thoughts in peoples minds.

What does your name tell you? Do you know how you got your name? Where does it come from? Or even think of the names of those around you. Even your pets name. These all have great meaning and they also convey an image in your mind when you hear them. Have you ever met someone and noticed how you felt when you heard their name? Or when you are reading a book and the character with a particular name draws an image of what you already think they might do? Names are important but be careful as you can get wrapped up in finding the right name for someone and lose track of what you really trying to say.

As Shakespeare wrote, "What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

Here are some of my favorite Name books and web pages with you all.

Webpages:
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-Unique-Names-for-Your-Characters
http://www.behindthename.com/
http://www.babynames.com/
http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names
http://nameberry.com/

Books:
The New Baby Name Survey by Bruce Lansky
The Writer's Digest Character-Naming Sourcebook by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Hidden Truth of Your Name by The Nomenology Project
The Complete Book of Magical Names by Phoenix McFarland
The Complete Book of Baby Names by Lesley Bolton
Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names by K. M. Sheard

(Picture is from https://pixabay.com)