Names You Hate in Stories

W. Axl Rose:

I also hate name like Rainbow or Lithium, or normal names that are spelt strangely, like Gessyka instead of Jessica (no, I haven't seen that, I just couldn't think of a good example)

Lmao the way you spelled Jessica made me think of an STI for some reason.

I hate the name Hannah, Jessica, or Madie. I know at least four Jessicas in real life and even though they all have different personalities. I always end up cringing while reading a story where I can see the person in real life doing it.

I don't like the name 'Harry', either. I always end up thinking of Harry Potter and it makes me think "...Harry wouldn't do that." Then I have to remind myself I'm not reading an HP story :3

On another note, I read a lot of One Direction fanfiction as well, and that's about the only time I don't think of HP

Other random names I cringe at: Caleb, Nick, Courtney, Denise, Ron, Cassidy, Michelle and Benedict / Benjamin.

It annoys me when I see original characters that are obviously named after a celebrity. If a celebrity has an unusual name/spelling of a name or a very unusual surname and I see that name in a story, I'm likely to just assume that the story's about that person. For instance, if I see a character called Billie Joe, or a character called Mr. Iero, then I'm likely to immediately think of Billie Joe Armstrong or Frank Iero. And it's the same when I see characters obviously named after other book/film characters.

@ iBleedSarcasm
Death Star? omg wat? Someone was a Star Wars fan.
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When a character has the same name as someone I dislike in real life. alksjdflkasjdfasdf.

@ amaranthine.
I agree. Hermione in Harry Potter is the one that annoyed me most. I was pronouncing it Hermee-own.

But it's equally annoying in everything else.

@ josh franceschi.
On the tacky typical fandom name, I agree ... unless it's supposed to be a songfic or a fic specifically about that person. But when it's just randomly chosen, it's so freaking annoying.

I also don't like people naming Billie Joe Armstrong's dad 'Brad' because of the lyric in JOS ... it doesn't make sense.

I can't stand names that sound too unique or odd. I mean, if the story is futuristic then that's fine but otherwise...no. It's too much and half the time you can't pronounce the name, you know? Also I'm not a big fan of super duper common male names in romances, like Tyler, Dylan, or Brett, or Matt. And I can't stand female names like Taylor, Brittany, Kassidy, Kasey, Jessica, Crystal, Crissy, Christina, Katie....I just...I dunno. I like names more along the lines of Luke, Connor, David, Alex...and for females, stuff like Alice, Ava, and Eve.

I'm at both ends of the spectrum. I hate really plain names and I despise "creative" names.

For example, I don't like Lilith. I like Lily though, but I definitely don't like Lillie-Raven Crystal Anne. For characters, I try to keep their names normal unless there's an actual reason for them to have a weird name.

If I had a character whose parents, lets say, were hippies, I'd be okay with naming the character Luna after the moon. If their parents are very classy and urban, I'd probably go with a name like Chloe for a girl or Alex for a boy.

I really can't get past names that have already been used in other books. For instance, every "Harry" I see, I'll always reference it to Harry Potter. Or when I see the name "Noah," I automatically think of the Notebook. I really try to stay away from names that I've already read about ie Tessa, Will, Bella, Clary, Jasper, Fred, etc. Like, I'll always picture them as the character from the other book.

For me, pretty much like everyone else, I hate names that are either spelt ridiculously or when they're overused from that particular fandom. Like Raven. Or Rain.

Or, (and I'm just cutting this out of that awful My Immortal fanfic)

Raven Darkness Dementia Way.

WHY. Whyyyy.

Dementia has so many negative connotations for me, as well, so when I see that all I think about are those sad adverts that have backstories about grandparents forgetting their grandchildren and stuff. :'(

Anyway.

I absolutely hate reading stories with names like Rhaine (or osmething like that). I just don't like seeing names spelled differently. Also, it's annoying to read a long 'creative' name like Kaitlyn Ashlyn Bells.

To sum it all up, I just don't like long and weird sounding names.

I have so many different peeves with first names that it would be impossible to list them all. So I'll talk about surnames.

Usually writers make the surname at the last minute when they realise there's a moment in the story where it needs to be shoved in. I too have done this (not sure if I've ever published it here though), but reading it annoys the hell out of me. Nine times out of ten, it'll be a 'something-son' surname. Otherwise it'll be completely insane and not at all like a regular name. We can't choose our last names at birth, so it's good to make a realistic name that fits the first name, even if it's slightly odd. Our surnames come from our heritage, so you might even go as far as to thinking into the character's past.

A list of OC names I found on a quick ficwad browse (they're on a roll lately):
Tristan
Aislinne
Penina
Serenity
Mallie
Chloe and Taylor in the same story, for those who hate them.
Adrenaline (male, and not even a Killjoy fic)
Avery

I was here two pages ago doing the exact same thing, whoops.

I really dislike Chloe and Lydia whether they're in stories or not. They remind me of Chlamydia.

Ellie, Ana, and Ashley.

Axel and Jayden

I see Axel used a lot in fanfiction I read off this site. Axel is always used as the "emo" character's name or the guy twin brother. Jayden is always used as the twin brother name too. I just avoid stories that have those names.

I would just like to say don't act like there are no people with less popular names. I mean, sure, how many Aymiees or Aleksandraa(s) can there possibly be, but some of the names you've listed are names of people I know.

Some of my friends have names you don't hear every day (Asia, Tristan, Ollie, Remy, Lukas, Trevor, etc.) but are by no means ridiculously uncommon or "weird."

When everyone's names in a story match their personalities completely

When the author takes fairly ordinary names, but then replaces all the 'y'/'ie's with an 'i'. For instance, when there's a character called Ami, and she's friends with Jenni and Becki and Maddi. The occasional character with a name like that is fine, particularly if the author acknowledges that there's a reason why it's spelt like that, but when all the names have this trait just because it makes them look 'cool' or 'different,' then it looks a bit ridiculous.

Any normal names with weird spellings, for example: Dayvid (David), Mykal (Michael), Lyndsay (Lindsey), Kaysi (Kasey), Zacari (Zachary), Emmilie (Emily). Its sort of irritating defiantly if its a group of oddly named girls like Jenni, Kelli, Cari, and Mari; or something equally annoying so that the names "match".

Weird and long drawn out names: Rayven Elizabeth Margaret Brunson-Harrison Price. NEVER have I EVER met ANYONE with six different parts of their names. I saw it a lot back when I was on Quizilla or sometimes on FP when I'm carousing through stories.

When original fiction characters are named after actual book characters. I've started to read several stories where the name character's name is Isabella Swan or Jasper Cullen even Harry Potter. I just don't like it because I immediately categorize the story as Fanfiction.

Honestly, I think if something as simple and subjective as a character's name is enough to make you not read a story, maybe that's not the writer's problem, maybe you're just way too critical as a reader

@ i saw sparks
I don't think people are letting the names define the story and if they read it or not. Its just slightly irritating... like a word that's being misspelled over and over.

I know that I will read the story no matter if I don't like the name as long as its well written and has a plot that's interesting.