Help with coming up with a titular character for my book
May 7, 2013 12:51 PM Subscribe
I need help coming up with a titular character of my book, someone who is sympathetic and sounds like a reasonable person to ask for advice.
My book was called Dear Charlotte: A Geek's Life in Self-Improvement. It comprises 80 or so letters to my friend Charlotte about my adventures in self-improvement. Initially she was fine with me using her name, but now that I want to add some pseudo-fictional details about her, I need to do so without implying that they're about her.
Right now, my working alternative in Dear Samantha, but I like it only 85% as much as I like Charlotte. Charlotte is a nice recipient because of its connection to Charlotte's web. It's an older name. It sort of calls to some refined, but compassionate sensibility. Samantha shares some of those features, but the ring of it isn't as great as Dear Charlotte.
Dear Katie, for example, wouldn't sound as good. It sounds like you're writing letters to your grand-daughter.
Further details if it helps: Charlotte/Samantha, in the book, is my age, and ages with me, as I write these letters. She likes to read books, wants to be a fantasy novelist, but also is ambitious. (She goes to Stanford, working for Google, etc.). She's half-Chinese, half-white, and potentially a lesbian.
The name Samantha came to mind quickly, because Charlotte and Samantha are characters on Sex and the City.
Thanks!
My book was called Dear Charlotte: A Geek's Life in Self-Improvement. It comprises 80 or so letters to my friend Charlotte about my adventures in self-improvement. Initially she was fine with me using her name, but now that I want to add some pseudo-fictional details about her, I need to do so without implying that they're about her.
Right now, my working alternative in Dear Samantha, but I like it only 85% as much as I like Charlotte. Charlotte is a nice recipient because of its connection to Charlotte's web. It's an older name. It sort of calls to some refined, but compassionate sensibility. Samantha shares some of those features, but the ring of it isn't as great as Dear Charlotte.
Dear Katie, for example, wouldn't sound as good. It sounds like you're writing letters to your grand-daughter.
Further details if it helps: Charlotte/Samantha, in the book, is my age, and ages with me, as I write these letters. She likes to read books, wants to be a fantasy novelist, but also is ambitious. (She goes to Stanford, working for Google, etc.). She's half-Chinese, half-white, and potentially a lesbian.
The name Samantha came to mind quickly, because Charlotte and Samantha are characters on Sex and the City.
Thanks!
Claudia came to mind. Sounds "older," and not far off from Charlotte.
posted by sweetkid at 12:54 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sweetkid at 12:54 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Dear Phoebe.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 12:56 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 12:56 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @Ruthless Bunny, that could be pretty cool. I could abbreviate her name in the actual letters to "Hi Cassie" or "Hi Cass" etc.
posted by philosophistry at 12:59 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by philosophistry at 12:59 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Libby, Amy, Hannah, Rebecca, Jane, Sarah, Zoe, Claire, Vivian.
posted by notquitemaryann at 1:01 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by notquitemaryann at 1:01 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
The fact that she's half-Chinese made me think of the trend of Asian daughters being given old-lady names. Obviously Agnes or Eunice or Prudence wouldn't work, but there are others that work.
Rosemary
Harriet
Grace
Faith
Edith
Charity
Beatrice
Cora
Sylvia
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:13 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Rosemary
Harriet
Grace
Faith
Edith
Charity
Beatrice
Cora
Sylvia
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:13 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
How about Violet? Chinese girls frequently get named after flowers, and there's something old-fashioned and sweetly feminine about it.
posted by Diagonalize at 1:17 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Diagonalize at 1:17 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Obviously Agnes or Eunice or Prudence wouldn't work, but there are others that work.
Actually, Dear Prudence would be awesome.
posted by capricorn at 1:18 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Actually, Dear Prudence would be awesome.
posted by capricorn at 1:18 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Aside from being a Beatles song, Dear Prudence has been an existing advice column persona for awhile now. I would recommend you don't go that route.
posted by Diagonalize at 1:22 PM on May 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Diagonalize at 1:22 PM on May 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
"Dear Sophia" has a similar quality to "Dear Charlotte."
posted by third rail at 1:25 PM on May 7, 2013
posted by third rail at 1:25 PM on May 7, 2013
Dear Dahlia
Dear Jeannie
Dear Sam (gender neutral)
Dear Annie
posted by cell divide at 1:25 PM on May 7, 2013
Dear Jeannie
Dear Sam (gender neutral)
Dear Annie
posted by cell divide at 1:25 PM on May 7, 2013
Hmm, well the thing that strikes me about Charlotte is that it's a feminine form of Charles. Ergo, something traditional but also somewhat masculine...Avery and Aubrey both do this for me, as does Camille.
posted by tooloudinhere at 1:51 PM on May 7, 2013
posted by tooloudinhere at 1:51 PM on May 7, 2013
"Dear Sophia" has a similar quality to "Dear Charlotte."
And "Sophia" means "wisdom." I like this one.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:07 PM on May 7, 2013
And "Sophia" means "wisdom." I like this one.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:07 PM on May 7, 2013
something traditional but also somewhat masculine...Avery and Aubrey both do this for me, as does Camille.
"Dear Avery" is a Decemberists song, if you want to avoid other pop culture references.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:08 PM on May 7, 2013
"Dear Avery" is a Decemberists song, if you want to avoid other pop culture references.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:08 PM on May 7, 2013
Response by poster: Lots of good suggestions so far! Much better than randomly polling friends.
posted by philosophistry at 2:14 PM on May 7, 2013
posted by philosophistry at 2:14 PM on May 7, 2013
Names with gravitas... maybe European queens' names? (Charlotte is one.)
Beatrice
Joanna/Joan
Alexandra
Elizabeth
Catherine
Anne/Annie
Margaret
For some reason "Dear Maisie" is popping into my head.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:37 PM on May 7, 2013
Beatrice
Joanna/Joan
Alexandra
Elizabeth
Catherine
Anne/Annie
Margaret
For some reason "Dear Maisie" is popping into my head.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:37 PM on May 7, 2013
If you want to go phonetically similar, "Dear Scarlett" sounds really close to "Dear Charlotte." Loses some of the refined sensibilities of Charlotte, though.
Elizabeth
Addison
Catherine
Lucy
Lillian
I was going to suggest Margaret (for its ties both to Wrinkle in Time and Little Women), but, well, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret kind of kills that one.
posted by tan_coul at 2:44 PM on May 7, 2013
Elizabeth
Addison
Catherine
Lucy
Lillian
I was going to suggest Margaret (for its ties both to Wrinkle in Time and Little Women), but, well, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret kind of kills that one.
posted by tan_coul at 2:44 PM on May 7, 2013
Typing "Charlotte" into Nymbler (which suggests names one might also like) yielded a bunch of suggestions from above as well as Stella, Mary-Louise, Jessamine (! but spelled as shown), Hannah and Astrid. Play around with it and you might get some ideas.
posted by carmicha at 3:01 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by carmicha at 3:01 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Beatrice is wonderful: Shades of a guide from Dante's Divine Comedy, an older, gentler name, and one that could be shortened to "Dear Bea."
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:23 PM on May 7, 2013
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:23 PM on May 7, 2013
The fact that she's half-Chinese made me think of the trend of Asian daughters being given old-lady names. Obviously Agnes or Eunice or Prudence wouldn't work,
I actually popped in for the purpose of suggesting Agnes, since I've recently encountered several Chinese women with that name in my work.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:32 PM on May 7, 2013
I actually popped in for the purpose of suggesting Agnes, since I've recently encountered several Chinese women with that name in my work.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:32 PM on May 7, 2013
Hattie!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:47 PM on May 7, 2013
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:47 PM on May 7, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
She was cursed to tell the truth, but no one would believe her.
It's a pretty kick-ass name and it's close to Charlotte.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:54 PM on May 7, 2013 [3 favorites]