One of the great passions I have in my writing, apart from childish alliterations, double negatives and avoidance of long complicated sentences, is inventing names for my characters. Especially the ones that pop into the story for only a chapter or two. With my main characters I use a little decorum and give them half sensible names as it makes it easier for me to remember them. And spell them as well.
However, with the extras I can have some fun. Often I just randomly select a letter of the alphabet and see what goes with it. Just yesterday, I introduced a little man servant type character who will only survive a chapter or two. Selecting the letter A, I then went hunting on my keyboard for more letters. A consonant seemed appropriate, followed by a vowel naturally.
I ended up with a lovely little man called Adiddle. It will need to be seen if little Adiddle survives after the first draft, as many of my silly name selections often get chopped in the editing stages. However, I have a little premonition that Adiddle might just survive. He probably stands a better chance than Sergeant Sipply Snikkle, Lieutenant Hibril Likklet and General Durrgan Dirrth.
Others though might make the grade and get their names in print. I think Snurd Humped is a natural as well as Tylonilic Arundaplast. But two maids, Hergla and Migla might get re-baptised.
I love being a writer. What power!
I've often chosen names for incidental characters, and sometimes main characters too, by using a collection of names from somewhere else.
For instance every character in a recent sci-fi story I wrote, had the surname of one of the actors from a popular television sit-com.
I don't usually admit to the method I've used, so it would be interesting to see if anyone works it out, should one of these stories ever be published.
Hi Derek! It all makes perfect sense to me. Oh! what power indeed. :)
Continued success and best wishes with your WIP.
Always,
Your friend and fan,
Kathleen
All sounds a lot like the 'Snark' Derek :)