Bisky's Twitterling's Scribbles! discussion
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Middle Names
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I've never given any of my characters a middle name. It never even crossed my mind. Maybe it's because I hate mine so much. :p
No honestly, I think it's because where I come from middle names are not important. I've never really used mine until I moved to the states. Ok, I'd fill it in for the social security number, ONCE, but else, we were never asked for it as opposed to the US where you can't sneeze without having to type it somewhere. Grrr
That's when having a great middle name is a blessing, but really... who does? Certainly not my hubby. :>
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Most of my characters middle names relate to past family members though, which is what it's used for in my family.
If the character has little or a dubious family linage, they have no middle name.
I never considered giving my characters middle names, either... heck, it took until Book 2 for their family names to get mentioned! And I do like my middle name, so I don't have a bias... it just never came up in the book itself, so I didn't delve this time around.
I have nothing agains middle names, in fact I'll be getting one in may; so please don't feel offended by my lack of care for middle-names.In my WIP, people are given a name, once they survive their first week. They're called 'son of...'or 'daughter of' depending on their gender, since family names are reserved only to the pureblood nobles. many go by nicknames based on a characteristic trait or deed. But, some choose their own middle name once they learn who they really are.
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@Bisky I'm so confused *wail* This is why I will only ever call you Bisky lol
This is so interesting that the general consensus is that middle names don't really matter. I would have to agree to that. Most of the time they probably aren't all that important, but there are exceptions to the rules from time to time. While my character does have a middle name, it's never brought up. There hasn't been a reason to bring it up and it doesn't need to be forced into the story if it doesn't belong haha
In Guarding Angel, I've given middle names to my humans, but the angels only have their first and second name. For instance, my main character is Enael-Nehleaz, but knowing an angel's/demon's entire name gives supernatural power over her. (So they only go by the first part.)In GA, the humans are reincarnating as a specific human, so middle names seemed fitting, i.e. "You are Daniel Michael Wheaton in your upcoming life." Other books I don't bother with middle names.
I love to reveal a character's middle name when their parent uses all 3. That's when you're in trouble. :DTo be honest, the only time I give my character a middle name is when it's disclosed in the book. Other than that I may think it when I say the name to myself, but I don't bother to write it down unless I know it's going to be brought up in the final product.
Like most, I've never thought to use middle names. It's hard enough for me to remember the first and last names of my characters, so the idea of adding another name into the mix is downright terrifying. Outside of my family, I don't think I know a single person's middle name.
I like finding out people's middle names because there is usually a story there. Most people seem to name their children something they like ("Samantha sounds pretty, right?") but the middle name comes with a story. sometimes a boring one ("it's my grandmother's name.") but a story nonetheless.Me? I'm names after a book.character, Samantha Lane. So my middle name is actually a last name. I like that story, and I like hearing other people's!
@James True Story: everyone in one line of my family tree has the name James as a first or middle name, yes even the women! My grandmother's name was James Cornelia. (She went by "Connie")Funny ol world innit?
My mother didn't have a middle name, so she adopted her maiden name as one when she came to the states. I could see that being used in a story to introduce some big reveal about a character's ancestry.
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My grandfather had a thing for daisies. It was by far his favorite flower. As a result, his four daughters were given the name Marguerite (French for Daisy) as a middle name.
I don't care for my own middle name and don't know many people who do. Except if they hate their first name. :) I don't give characters middle names either, just significant or fitting first and last names. If I had a kid, the only way I'd give it a middle name is if I couldn't decide between two names. But even if I loved a named I wouldn't give it to multiple children even as a middle name. I would want different names. Although my kids would have possibly now-unusual names like Penelope, so they should probably have more average middle names in case they hated their first names. :)
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Neither my husband nor I have middle names. So of course we were going to give all 4 of our kids middle names. I felt like I was missing out - lol. And my two daughters are referred to by their middle names - their first names are more of a formality.
I used a middle name for the co-lead protagonist in the book I just finished writing ("Havoc"), which is in the beta review stage.I smiled when I saw the label for this thread. I've never bothered to assign a middle name to a character before, but in this book, it actually services a major plot point. I can't elaborate without including spoilers for my own work. :)
Ah, sure, keep us in suspense, Steven. :P
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I've just realised that my characters don't have last names in my first book. Surprisingly, none of the readers/reviewers have noticed.
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If I do a middle name, it's something that hits you in the face. I love devising a character name, as it is the chance to really engage a reader straight away. A middle name can turn Terrance Plum into Terrance Othellio Plum.Everybody likes Othellio.
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#OnePiece
Bisky wrote: "Haha! My friends are jealous that my middle name begins with D.#OnePiece"
that explains why you're such a troublemaker
Perhaps this sounds strange, but if I hear a character's middle name, I add it, and if I don't hear a middle name, I don't invent one. With one of my novels, the character's middle name was her mother's first name. With another novel, I never heard a middle or a last name for my character so I didn't add one but she did have an infamous nickname. Does that make sense? lol
Read the Russians --Andrei Michaleyovich said to his sister, Malena Krindaskya...
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TWEET!"
For a second I thought you were saying Scribbi Doobie Doo!
Must be the lack of sleep. :P
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I think it is only useful if the character's mother is calling them because they are in trouble... hence why the three Linsey brothers of my House collection/series all have middle names thought out. :x
Depends how it is used. The Roger Thornhill character in North by Northwest didn't have a middle name so he gave himself an O. When asked what it stood for he said nothing. The character at that point was superficial and self so it highlighted more about the character than exposition could.
(@GG I bet you thought I was gonna ask what everyones middle names were :p)