What's In A Name?

A lot actually.

When it comes to writing and selecting a name for characters some people aren't sure where to start. In my experience, I've both had successes and failures with names.

I think the best way to go about naming a character is by doing research. My series is of the type where each book is sprinkled with hints and evidence of a plot that doesn't become entirely clear until the final book. If a reader is keen and watchful they could probably discover the end of the series before they even reached the last book.

Because of this, there are tons of meaning-heavy aspects in the series and names are one way I do this. I want each of my characters to provide a puzzle piece to the series and present an aspect that is different from the rest of the crew.

So let's check out a few of the main characters' names and how they correlate to the story.

1) Roan - Roan's name is actually the same word used to describe the color of a horse. The horse would be a sorrel (red) with flecks of either black, grey, or white in its fur. While this wouldn't make much sense to describe a person, it actually applies to the main character here. He is similar to the horse in the fashion that he is the man responsible for the troubles of the nations. He is a beast of burden, forced by fate to carry the burdens of thousands. He is also red in the sense that he is the first and only flame mage in hundreds of years. The grey, black, and white all come in because he wants to represent every side of the war, from good to neutral to evil.

2) Jace - Jace is actually a variation of Jason but I tend to steer away from that meaning. I actually chose Jace for this character because he is a snarky, rude, impatient, yet fiery, fiercely loyal and passionate best friend to Roan. It's only when Jace is at his side that Roan performs his best, making him Roan's ace out of his deck of friends.

3) Aella - Her name descends from Greek mythology. She technically means "whirlwind" but in the books she has a softer side and personality. She is a whirlwind in the fashion that when she shows up, Roan's world basically changes overnight as her beliefs and actions challenge him to take action in a way he never did before.

4) Arobin - This name is purely made up by me. Arobin began as Roan's enemy and murderer of one of his close friends. However, when he switches sides, he actually signifies a rebirth, both of the wicked into the pure, and Roan's past as an innocent child into the veteran he becomes. Basically, the way I saw it, when spring comes around people always shout "Look, a robin!" and point out the bird as the sign spring has come. I wanted his name to represent the same signal.

Here are a few quick meanings of several more characters...

Rand - "Shield". Serves as Roan's general in the west and personal melee guard
Sella - "Freedom". She represents the ability Roan wishes he had to live freely in the wilderness.
Meika - "Meek". She was a quiet desert-dweller who developed feelings for Roan which he reciprocated.
Kaelyn - "Beauty". Represented both physical and emotional beauty as a woman embittered by war but healing.
Travis - "Crossroads". It is with Travis that Roan's realm and the other realm intersect.
Tucker - "One who cleans cloth". A confusing one. He serves as the first of the new race of Steppers, essentially sifting out the old from the new.
Arri - "Lion". She is the first of the Steppers that vow allegiance to Roan despite it meaning they might be executed.

So that's how I choose names for my characters. It takes time and work but I love the names my characters are given. At least, after some editing. Some of these characters have been named and renamed. Aella was once Bridget and Rand was Raul. Other minor things also changed. The spelling was tweaked, etc, but in the end the names fit the characters and become something I feel deeply about.