Saturday, June 9, 2012

Spotlight on... What's in a name?

What's in a name?

I was ready a book the other day and one of the main characters had the name Kelly. I know, I know. You're probably thinking "Well, it's not that uncommon. It was bound to happen at some point. In fact, how has this not happened before? Really." No, it's not uncommon and I have read other books with characters that had my name. But this Kelly was a male. And... I'm not. And it made me blink in confusion.

The wrong name can ruin a character for me. Whether it's a name I associate with someone else or simply a name that doesn't fit the character in question, seeing it used over and over can (and will) take me out of the story. Obviously, all the authors in all the world can't dip into my head and use names that don't have any negative connotations for me - although my head is very fun and all the authors should want to get all up in there - so it's something I have to deal with. Or I have to walk away from the book.

So... Have you ever decided against reading a book because the name of a character reminded you of someone you hated? Or have you ever started a book and thought "Oh, this person does not fit this name!"?


12 comments:

  1. A wrong name can definitely put me off from liking a book/character. Not just the names of people I know in real life, but also if a character has the same as another character I hated. I think that's just the way it is - there are so many people and names that once in a while we're bound to come across a book in which a character's name ruins it for us.

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    1. I read a book once where I didn't think the main character's name fit her AT ALL and it took me out of the story every single time it was used. That was not enjoyable. Although I did like the book, so I guess it didn't put me off too much. Lol!

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  2. I did do a nose turn at a book whose male MC was named Kyle recently. I don't think I was very interested in reading it anyway, but with the boyfriend's name there? No way!

    I also read a book where the male MC has the boyfriend's brother's name and that took some getting used to as well. There's something about reading a book with a character (or characters) whose name is similar to someone you know that makes it difficult to get into the book. It doesn't even have to be someone I hate.

    Also, I feel weird reading books where the MCs name is Amanda.

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    1. I have problems with the name Cole. Especially as a romantic lead. I'm sure you can understand why.

      The whole boy-Kelly thing took me quite a while to get used to. I think I made a pouty face every time it was used.

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  3. I read that post and left it assuming the guy in the picture was called Kelly. The power of names *boggle*.

    It took me a while to get used to Hannah in Morganville. I mean.. I'M not a badass black cop lady who's an ex-marine with a wicked scar down my face. Thankfully she had a few books to grow on me but if that was just a trilogy, a stand alone, or perhaps if she was a one-off character then.. hm.

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    1. Yes. The power of names. Exactly!

      Lol. In my head you're totally bad ass!

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  4. (not quite on topic but...)I had a friend (girl) named Kelly and a boy named Kelly liked her but she couldn't date him because she didn't want to date a boy with the same name.
    I don't like romances with leads named Daniel. It's my brother's name and I think it just naturally puts me off the name.
    Lisa is a common enough name that it doesn't bother me if my own name is a character's name. I don't associate it with me.

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    1. For the most part, it doesn't bother me when female characters share my name. The boy thing threw me, though. I... had a tough time with it.

      When I was in middle school, there was a boy with the last name of Kelly and everyone used to tease me that if I married him my name would be Kelly Kelly. I was not amused.

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  5. WORSE---I read a book with a Felicia (which evidently is hard to come by in Fiction) and hated her. So how do you reconcile that in your head? I literally could not write a review because it seemed to weird to say I hate Felicia LOL

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    1. Lololol! Okay. That's hilarious. "Dammit! I hate Felicia!" Oh, but imagine the fun you could have with a review for that. Lol! I can't stop laughing at the idea!

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  6. I love reading books with characters named Ruby. Except when they die. I'm reading Darkest Minds right now, and the MC's name is Ruby, but the narration is in first person, so the use of the name is infrequent and always pulls me out the story, but in a good way. I like it.

    On the other hand, I recently listened to The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda and I hated the MC's name. You don't learn it until you're well into the book, and then it's like you're being punished for waiting. No teenager should be named Gene. That's an old-guy name.

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    1. Normally, seeing my name on a character doesn't bother me either way but they whole boy-Kelly thing... I don't know. Are there a lot of Ruby books out there? I know I've read a few but I'm drawing a blank on them at the moment.

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