Why Choosing the Right Name for Your Paranormal Story Characters is so Important

Imagine if Stephenie Myer had named Bella’s vampire love interest Ernie Cracker instead of Edward Cullen.  Would you still obsess over him and rush out to buy all of the “Team Ernie” merchandise you can find?  Or for Jacob fans like myself, would the mere mention of his name still make your heart skip a beat if it was Jimmie Purple instead of Jacob Black?     

I think not. 

Names matter, especially in paranormal fiction.  They give clues about each character’s background, social status, personality, appearance and even whether the character is human.  Nicknames reveal how others perceive the character, whereas aliases reveal how the character perceives him- or herself, or what they aspire to be.  Aliases can also reveal personality and provide a clue as to the character’s true identity (e.g. the mischievous “Bob” in Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange series).    

The right names can also add richness and authenticity to paranormal novels.  Consider the following names from popular Faerie novels:  Nephamael, Nuala, Aodhan, Irial, Niall, and Bananach.   Not only are they from Irish folklore, but the names themselves conjure up images of beauty, otherness and cruelty.  

If you write paranormal fiction, please see my next post for a list of name-choosing tips.