Naming a character can be
difficult. It has to fit the time period if the story has a historical
setting. It has to fit the world if the story takes place in the distant
future or on a planet other than Earth. It has to fit the character.
You don't want a strong alpha male named Leslie or Terry. Just as you
don't want a geeky character named Lance unless there's a specific
reason for it. In my opinion the most important thing about a character
name is that it has to be pronounceable.
More
than once I've picked up a book only to set it down and either give it
away unread or take it back to the library because one of the main
characters has a name that I have no idea how to pronounce. One name I
came across looked like a bunch of consonants were jumbled together with
a vowel mixed in.
I
don't mind unusual names if the writer finds a way to let me know how
to pronounce it. One book I enjoyed had a strong secondary character
named Naomi. I was reading it as Ni-O-Me which is how a childhood friend
with this name pronounced it. The writer let the reader know the
correct way to say the name by having the Naomi character correct
another character's pronunciation of her name as Nay-O-My. Okay, now I
knew how to say her name. Although I have to admit I still read it as
Ni-O-Me.
How do you feel about unusual character names?
