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Harry and Ginny _ The Writers' Well _ Name Help

Posted by: nome Jul 28 2003, 08:43 PM

If people want to start gathering names for incidental characters, but can't think of enough middle class American/ancient greek/sixteenth century irish/whatever names, they can post here for suggestions.

For example, if anyone would like to help my extreme name-related incompetence, what is the most classic ninteenth-century-esque English uppercrust name you can think of? (first, last, both, whatever) I'd be immensely grateful for anything you can think up, as I try to pick names to really fit certain characters.

Nome

Posted by: Guest_percival Jul 29 2003, 08:55 AM

Georgette Heyer and Regency romances tend to use Romn inspired names, such as Horatia or Minerva. Actually, Horatia sounds as stuffy as it gets to me

Posted by: percival Jul 29 2003, 08:57 AM

Georgette Heyer and Regency romances tend to use Romn inspired names, such as Horatia or Minerva. Actually, Horatia sounds as stuffy as it gets to me. Octavia is another good one!

percival

Posted by: Aibhinn Jul 29 2003, 09:45 PM

Hyphenated names seem to sound awfully stuffy upper-crust. E.g. Sir Nicolas de Mimsy-Porpington, aka "Nearly Headless Nick," and a character in a mystery I recently read, "Peregrine Foggington-Smythe."

Aibhinn

Posted by: rdehwyll Jul 30 2003, 12:13 AM

Nigel Witherspoon

Oscar Clappoole

Lord Philander Worthington Sylvester Mimsy of Darkepool

All real people circa 1870 London

Posted by: percival Jul 31 2003, 08:07 AM

ok, now I need help - what are typical posh middle class first names that people would give children 40-30 years ago?

percival

Posted by: Elenarda Jul 31 2003, 09:33 AM

Would names like 'Felicity' fit in with that time period, Percival?

I'll ponder over it this morning and see what else I can think of.

Imogen

Posted by: percival Jul 31 2003, 12:17 PM

Felicity sounds good - but what I'm mainly after is very British, not too new-agey, slightly tweedy. Sussexy. If you know what I mean ...

percival

Posted by: Elenarda Jul 31 2003, 01:47 PM

Penelope

Posted by: b4zookajules Aug 2 2003, 10:06 PM

Susan, Elaine, Gillian... *names her friend's mum's names * They're all I can think of, really. :/ Any good?

I've got my christian names sorted out -- it'll probably end up being Lorna and Will. Although in saying that, so far there's been Lora, Adam, Roy, and Richard. So... yeah.

But does anyone have a good surname generator, or something of the sort? I'm awful with 'em. ><

-Jules. xxx

Posted by: nome Aug 3 2003, 06:48 AM

I second the request for surnames!

but for first names, if anybody's struggling, I suggest http://www.behindthename.com/

Posted by: Shimmer Aug 7 2003, 06:27 PM

Another good name website is http://www.babynames.com. It lets you search for names by the meaning of them, which is quite useful! Since some of my characters are Selkies, I searched for Water, Sea, etc, and came up with some good ones!

Oh and does anyone know some traditional Irish names and last names?
Thanks!

Shimmer

Posted by: rdehwyll Aug 7 2003, 07:07 PM

Surnames and where to find them --

My favorite place to look for names is a Phone Book. Try your local library -- they may have phone books for other states (in America), and even foreign countries. (My local Library has them for London, Paris, Moscow, several hundred others, plus almost every city of 50,000 residents or more in the US)

There are also similar listings online -- try a google search for Phone Numbers, then use the browse function to run through the lists.

Posted by: rdehwyll Aug 7 2003, 07:18 PM

Irish Names:

Given names can be found here http://www.hylit.com/info/Names/

Surnames can be found here http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a8700035/irnames.htmlhttp

Posted by: b4zookajules Aug 8 2003, 08:15 PM

Thanks so much rdehwyll -- that's such a fantastic idea. I never even thought of it. It's so simple, and yet it just never crossed my mind.

Much thanks!

-Jules. xxx

Posted by: rdehwyll Aug 20 2003, 10:09 PM

QUOTE (percival @ Jul 31 2003, 04:07 AM)
ok, now I need help - what are typical posh middle class first names that people would give children 40-30 years ago?

[QUOTE]

America's top 1000 names from 1960's are listed at:
CODE
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/1999/top1000of60s.html

Hope it helps...