Thursday, December 9, 2010

Find the Perfect Name for a Fictional Character Part 4


Because of the popularity of one name over another, the meaning of the name may not seem too important to your readers. However, it may be important to you as the author to pick a name that matches the character traits you want your character to have. In my work in progress, Vengeance Is Mine, the main character is Chris, who is a young man in his mid-thirties. He was brought up by parents who made sure he attended church regularly. Chris continues to worship each Sunday after he is grown and out on his own. In fact, it is the church where he meets Sarah who he plans to marry.

When Sarah is brutally killed, Chris blames God. Not only does Chris denounce God and leave the church, he takes it upon himself to avenge her murder, knowing that vengeance goes against everything he had been taught.

Why the name Chris?

I tried several names before settling on Chris. But, before finalizing the decision, I went to Behind the Name website and typed in Chris. I learned that Christopher, the full name for Chris, was used by early Christians as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. Perfect. For, even though my Chris denounces God, God stays in his heart until it is time for Chris to accept Him.

Behind the Scenes is an excellent place to find the etymology and history of first names. To use it, go to:
http://www.behindthename.com/. You may want to try the name Chris and see if you agree with me that it is the perfect first name for my character.

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