Naming a character can be a daunting thing, because you want your reader to connect to your characters and the first thing they know about them and the way to indentify them is often their name.
But not all people go with their given name. And that's where nicknames come into play.
Different forms of nicknames
names based off events or activities
the character doesn't like their given name
it's a long or complicated name
people cannot spell or pronounce their given name
someone just called them a certain name and it stuck
people around them like to give nicknames to everyone
it's a name that automatically has a nickname that is known in their language
you have to choose who is calling your character by a nickname and which one
what are their parents and the whole family calling them?
is it a nickname so common, that even their teachers or coworkers call them like that?
is it an inside joke with their friends?
do different friends call them different names? (childhood friends vs. friends they made as adults)
is it a nickname that only one person would ever call them?
nicknames are often based on the first name of the person
use only the first (or first two) syllables of the character's name = (Jessica;Â Michael)
use only the last syllables of the name = (Isabella)
your character can also go by their surname
they can go by their initials = (Taylor Johnson =Â TJ)
base a name on the character's looks (don't be mean) = (Freckles)
base their name on their personality or their interests (again, don't be mean)
Different nicknames in different languages
in English, you can often see an -y or -ie at the end of the name, or the first syllable of the name
- John = Johnny; Charles = Charlie; Patricia = Patty
in Spanish, a lot of nicknames (especially for kids) end in -ita (for girls) or -ito for boys
- Carlos = Carlito; Susana = Susanita
in German, it's common to end names with -i or with -chen or -lein (which indicates cuteness and requires closeness, often not a very serious nickname)
- Jana = Jani or Janchen or Janilein; Andreas = Andi
do they like all their nicknames?
did they try to give themself a nickname, but no one used it?
do some people not even know their real name because they know their nickname?
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