Welcome to the second part of
iUniverse Tips on Naming your Characters. Previously we covered getting to know your character and giving them their first name. In Part 2 we look at surnames and how to work it into your characters personality and position in your storyline. We follow this by naming your secondary characters and how important they are to giving your story body and richness. Our final section covers the genre you are writing. Do the characters fit into your wild west novel or not? Supplying your cast with the wrong name will make them unbelievable to your readers.
iUniverse stresses the importance of getting the right surnames
Up until the 12th century surnames are said not to have existed. Later a person got their name from such things as their occupation, nickname and place of birth. Some even took their name, such as a country estate worker, by combining such things as their fathers name and the place they worked.
It was only around the 17th century that we have names that we now recognize in its present form. A popular way of naming one’s family was by using either the father or mother’s name, as the root and adding the suffix –son, such as Donaldson or Williamson.
If you are using historical figures in your adventure, then yes you can use it without much trouble. But be careful how you show this character within your story. A good idea is to take a real name and change it slightly, allowing you to portray a character trait you like, without upsetting historians.
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