We've all been there. You know she's called Sandie or Kaylee or some other cool name
but can't for the life of you find a suitable surname. You've wrung your hands to the bone,
you've drunk the midnight oil, but still a good solid name won't come. What, oh what can
you do? Read on, dear writer, an inexhaustible supply of quality names awaits.
The answer lies, in fact, in the common or garden road map! Most homes have one,
but if yours doesn't your local newsagents almost certainly will. And before you say,
"What is he blathering about? I'm not naming MY hero Chorlton-cum-Hardy!" just hold
your horses a second and give me chance to explain.
Centuries ago when someone moved from their native town or village, say
Nyewood in Sussex, and settled down somewhere else, they might be known as John of
Nyewood in order to differentiate them from all the other Johns. Eventually they would
simply be called John Nyewood. So there is nothing wrong with taking this principle and
bending it to our own creative purposes.
I have before me a road map of that fine county of Essex and I need a few names
for my next best-selling novel and they've got to be believable. OK, so I cast my eye over
the page which is awash with the most amazing and inspiring towns and villages with
names like Bishop's Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet and Stondon Massey.
Of course you don't take these names quite as they stand, but with a little bit of
tweaking a fine bunch of characters can soon be standing in front of you bursting with life
and veracity.
Take for example Bishop's Stortford. You might be tempted to include a Bishop in
your story and call him something like Bishop Gerald Stortford. I would advise against
that. We don't want to make it too obvious, do we? But you could use Gerald Stortford, or
maybe adjust it slightly to Gerald Startford or Stertford.
Let's move on to the redoubtable Stansted Mountfitchet. What a name! It would
almost work as it stands. But no, we must refine it and make it believable for a human
being. The idea is to use these place names as inspiration and develop them. So, what if
we drop the Stansted and also, I think, the Mount and call our likely lad Fitchet? Better
still add an extra 't' to make him sound a bit posher and call him Fitchett. Brilliant. You
could even reprieve the Stansted and call him Stanley. Stanley Fitchett. I can see him now
sitting at an oaken desk in his solicitors office fixing his client with a gimlet eye through a
pair of highly polished pince-nez. Frightening! Fitchett, Fitchett and Stanton. Hey, that's
not bad!
Now I've given you the idea, what can you do with Stondon Massey? You could
use Massey as is, but if it's a female character don't call her Anna! What about Stacey
Massey? Or Stella Mansey? Or Sophie Mensie?
You may still be a little nervous that some of these names could still be genuine
people and what if they write you a stinging letter of complaint? Well, just write back
calmly and politely pointing out exactly how you arrived at 'Fortescue Mancaster' or
whatever it is, giving the Ordnance Survey grid reference or other means of identifying
where you got it from. I recommend culling all your names for a particular story from the
same area on the map. It just makes it easier I feel.
Finally, let's drift back to that disparaging remark apropos Chorlton-cum-Hardy. If
you've been paying attention this will present no problem at all. We can easily convert it
to Charles Hardy, Chester Hardy and goodness knows what else.
So, when you've populated your novel or story using these tactics drop me line. I'll
buy a copy. Promise!
About the Author:
Mervyn Love offers advice, resources, competition listing, markets and much more
on his website. Go here: http://www.writersreign.co.uk Subscribe to his free Article
Writing Course here: http://www.writersreign.co.uk/WRac.html
