http://journalingwoman.blogspot.com/2015/01/sticks-and-stones-but-names.html
wrote an interesting blog about authors choosing names. Go visit.
She asked about how her writer friends chose names for their characters.
The Native American shamans will tell you that there is power in the use of names --
and death if you use the wrong ones.
Laughing Wolf, a cyber friend, once asked what Elu meant.
He told me that in Estonian it means life. I hadn't known that.
I did know that in several Native American languages it means "full of grace."
But Elu is only half-Apache {a name meaning 'enemy'}.
His mother is the Turquoise Woman, who was called Gaia by the ancient Greeks.
So I was very careful in selecting the name Elu, for there is more to him than even Samuel McCord knows.
Elu in ancient Chaldean encompasses in its Semitic essence, the concept of surpassing might, immense power, and unlimited strength.
There is more to Elu than what his surface would suggest.
As there is with Wolf Howl, but more of that later.
I consulted baby name books for meanings for my own children. Excellent idea to use the name as a character trait too. I'll make a note of that!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteI had fun with doing this with my characters for my own enjoyment. Who knows? Maybe in years to come some teacher will point it out in my books as they teach them in English classes. Hey, a guy can dream, right? :-)
Hi Roland!
ReplyDeleteI came over thanks to Alex's post that included this link. Fascinating site! And I love researching names. I usually use behindthename.com but I'm also a sucker for using old mythological names for characters. Makes them more interesting in the long run!
Thanks for the blog/post plug and your expanding on the subject of the name game. Names are awesome, unless they hurt :)
ReplyDeleteJennifer:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. I will definitely use it. Say thanks to Alex for me for sending you here! :-)
Teresa:
Yes, names can sometimes hurt. There was a Texan millionaire Hogg by name. He named his daughter Ima. There is now a Hogg Mental Health Association funded by that daughter. Man. I sometimes despair. Have a great mid-week!