3. How do you come up with names for characters (and for places if you’re writing about fictional places)?
I’ll stick to character names for this question. I have a name spreadsheet; whenever I come across a noteworthy name, I add it. I do consider names important, but I don’t necessarily ascribe a symbolic meaning to every name for every character in every story. It just depends on the needs and goals of the piece. If I do choose a name for symbolic or allegorical reasons, I try not to be too heavy-handed or on-the-nose about it.
I do know that I need to discover a character’s name before writing for them. Names help shape who we are, so I can’t possibly know the character well enough to write for them if I don’t know their name. Other writers I’ve spoken with don’t experience this, so I’m not sure whether I’m in the minority on that.
In the case of Omphalos, citizens of the city have only one name, i.e. there are no surnames. This is, in part, due to the way lineage is traced, which is entirely different than in our own society or any other I’m aware of. Families aren’t the most significant social units in this city, so an individual’s name isn’t connected to their biological background.
As an aside, this sets Ember (the main character) apart from other citizens; she’s unusually preoccupied with her familial ties.
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