“Delaney.” Graeme said her name into the dark, fingers lightly tracing up and down her arm. “That is not a name one typically hears in the ballrooms of Mayfair.”
“I am not the typical woman one finds in the ballrooms of Mayfair.”
“Thank God for that.” He chuckled at her cheeky reply, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.
We writers are always looking for names. Not only do we name our books, but we also need names for characters, their pets, their friends, and–at least in historical fiction–the names of servants, titles, and stately homes.
Writers of contemporary and spec fiction (fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi) have it easier, I think, than historical writers. Contemporary writers can use modern names, the occasional odd spelling, or names with a more international flair; and spec fiction names can be completely made up without anyone batting an eye.
But historical writers… we are constrained by the names used in history. Along with various character name books (two excellent examples you see here), I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent scouring the internet looking over birth and death records for the late 1700s, searching for the perfect name. One that is unique enough to stand out, but is still considered traditional for the time period. I’ve scanned the Surname Datebase looking over last names, paying close attention to their origin since some are derivatives of professions. And anyone who is familiar with Regency peers and aristocrats knows that they didn’t sully themselves in trade, much less a manual labor job. This is where Behind the Name comes in handy since it will help me eliminate names such as Cooper (barrel maker), Carpenter (carriage maker), Baxter (baker), Brewer (beer maker), Chandler (candle maker)…well, you get the picture.
And don’t get me started on titles and place names. Writing in a time period as recent as the Georgian era, I have to make sure I pick the title and name of a place that is not currently in use by a living person, or has not been used in the past. For instance, I cannot title my Hero the Duke of Devonshire, as he is a real, living person, and the history of that title dates back to the 1600s. Then I have to make sure that the title I make up is not the same as a last name in the case of an Earl, Marquess, or Duke, though Viscounts, and Barons could have a title that was the same as their surname. For example, Delaney’s uncle, Lionel Townsend, is Viscount Townsend while my Hero, Graeme Attwood, is Duke of Claremont.
It’s all very confusing at first.
So choosing a name, for a historical writer at least, takes quite a bit of research and consideration. I can’t just pick a random name just because I like the way it sounds.
Or can I…?
I was once told that as long as I have a justification for the name I choose, I can use it.
Take Delaney, for instance. In Seduction of the Duke, Delaney Townsend is the name of my Heroine. Yet Delaney is not a name found on any records for that time period. Delaney didn’t start to gain popularity as a given name for a girl until the 1990s–more than 200 years after my character would have been born. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that the surname Delaney was listed on ship registries for those immigrating to Boston and New York. However, that is not always the case.
So how did I justify naming my Regency Heroine Delaney?
With research.
People argue with me all the time over Delaney’s name. They say there is no way a Regency Heroine would ever have an Irish name. I find myself constantly defending my choice in her name. My character Delaney is not Irish, she is English, and comes from a very old and distinguished (albeit fictional) family. According to Behind the Name…
As you can see from the excerpt at the top, even her husband questions her name when they are alone together.
So how did my Regency Heroine end up with an Irish sounding surname as a first name? Well, I’d love to tell you, but since she hasn’t yet told Graeme–her husband–I am not at liberty to reveal the origins of her given name. But it is revealed to him in a most unexpected way.
How do you go about choosing your character names? Is there a method to your madnes? :)
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