Naming Your Villains (or any character really...) - Comments

When I'm trying to figure out what to name my characters, a huge part of my thought process has to do with what time period they're from and what country. I can't stand when a character has a name that doesn't fit with the setting. It's understandable if they're, say, immortal and from a different century but the time period is modern. I also hate when someone uses a modern name when the setting and time is something like 16th century France.

I know, but the 'g' in 'Ignatius' in particular is stronger and heavier. If compared to, for example, Lucius - which flows and and most constants are soft (unless you pronounce the c like a k), Ignatius has the same except the 'g'. And that kind of gives the name a stronger start then flowing through.

I would use Julius but I tend to avoid names I can strongly relate to, for example Julius - Julius Caesar. I've done enough research and reading to just think of Julius Caesar the moment someone mentions 'Julius' and it will be the biggest struggle for me not to write my character as Julius Caesar.

I agree with your statement on nicknames though, I tend to have that sometimes too.

There is also that, whether or not the name is it.
When I asked my friends for names, and they gave me lists, or I went through a list, I would see names but they would be out of place or they just wouldn't be matching to what I have in mind. I'll know it when I see it kind of thing. You know? You're looking for names or creating them and suddenly, you make/see a name and it's just it. It's it - it's the character you made, it's the personality you gave them. That name suits them from all four corners, and it's just the right match, like a pairing made in heaven.
The character is the name, and the name is the character kind of thing....

I'll just have to keep looking then, I suppose, and mixing names together to form new.

@ XXXataktoulaXXX
Yes, comfortableness. Like said above.

I mean, technically every consonant hinders or stops the flow of a word, so I don't fully understand your qualm with Ignatious... but that's really neither here nor there. Personally, I'm no a huge fan of Casius, really just because I think you might have a good number of issues with people pronouncing the name opposite of what you'd prefer. Lucius seems like the most logical option of those you've listed, but then on the other hand, it's also the one most commonly associated with a 'bad' character anyways, so it might come off as slightly stereotypical. I honestly prefer Julius if we're sticking to any name ending in -ius, both because I happen to be partial to the name and because I think it can very easily be compatible with a rich, manipulative and sadistic character while at the same time not being something that screams to everyone who hears the name "watch out guys, this dude's evil!"

BUT that's just me.

When it comes to naming my own characters, I don't really have a one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes the names just come to me, but most of the time it takes a while of contemplation and mind-wracking. My approach generally varies depending on the specific character. If I've got a background in mind for them, I'm very careful to pick a name suitable to that, either by scrolling through common names from that region or through scouring lists of royal individuals or CEOs or whatever else just for ideas. I don't ever look for names based upon meanings, although I have to admit one of my characters in a werewolf story is named Katerina (but goes by Kat) partially to be ironic. That was kind of a one-time-only thing, though. If I don't have any specific background or if I still can't decide, I usually just sit there visualizing the character in different situations and listen for what sounds right when the other characters in my head try out different names. I'unno.

Thinking about this now, I just noticed that all of my protagonist characters, or really just anyone who isn't the main opposition, has a name that can easily be shortened into a nickname, whereas all of the others do not. Huh. I can't tell if that's just coincidental because I happen to be partial to nicknames or if I'm somehow subconsciously trying to communicate that my villains aren't friendly enough to have anyone come up with nicknames for them.

Odd.

I got it. I believe it all comes down to what we like and what we feel more comfortable around. For example in my story Immortal Kiss, the female character has a strong personality but she can't always match up to it. I named her Ophelia because I felt comfortable and nice while I thought of myself as that character I had created which was called Ophelia. That's how it works for me.

I kind of see what you say, though I might be wrong. I try to base my naming of characters not by how others see them (i.e Black-Hand, or Fire, or all those 'super villain' kind of names, etc) but more by what their parents would name them. Of course there can be some resemblance/representation by their character but mostly what fits/what I connect with. For example, my main character's name is Sake. Not because he's the 'sake' of the world or he's destined for a 'sake' or purpose or whatever, but because I felt that name was right for him. Do you see what I mean? :c

It comes from Ancient Greece actually, but its still the same in Modern Greek. It hasn't changed.

Why don't you do this? Try to phantasize yourself as your villian, what would you like others to call him based on his personality and background? If you get into character, maybe you'll find what you're looking for. That's what I do.

Really? Came up as origins of Latin on my search The story though - it's a fantasy, so there isn't really a Greece or any other modern country, but where he is from (Arda) is like a mix of Italy/Greece/Spain and Europe in general.
Just the name itself is really hard to choose though.

Ignatius is a Greek name so if you are gonna use it, take advantage of the fact he's from Greece? Just an idea.