What's In A Name?

[mistymassey]

Okay, a character who's been wandering around the edges of my story has decided to bring herself forward in a more prominent role. I don't normally have any trouble naming people - they walk in with their names firmly attached, most of the time. This time, she's being a bit mysterious with me. She's a dancer who's been sold into slavery, but she believes all things happen as they should and therefore seems unusually serene. She's a handsome woman in her mid-thirties.

[Poll #1014799]

Comments

[museclio]

None of them seem to be crying out me me me I'm her, at leat to me.

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I understand. That's my problem - I've been writing her for two days, and I keep having to call her Dancer because she won't tell me her name (and no, 'Dancer' won't do. *grin*)

[johnbroadfoot.livejournal.com]

Have you thought to look up synonyms for "dancer" in whichever languages may be appropriate to the tale?

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

Well, I wanted to use something Persian or maybe Turkish. I'll keep looking.

[kaeleigh-faire.livejournal.com]

How interesting that both beatrizwench and I chose Mayyadah. :)

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

Great taste, the both of you! :D

name choice

[melanie-griffin.livejournal.com]

Hi Miz Misty!

Just an FYI if it matters: I voted for Meryam because it said something to me about the strength of her self-reliance/determination, and perhaps happiness despite her previous/current situation. I will say that I like Alimah as well. Seems airy and serene, but for me it somehow lacked an element of drive that I suspect she must have. Hope that helps for more than just a vote - the "why" for a thing is something I always prefer knowing.

Happy Fourth!

Re: name choice

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

The 'why' does help, indeed. Alimah is pretty, and it had the right meaning, but it sounds so young to me. Sort of the same way an older woman named Jenny Sue sounds anachronistic (even here in the South!)

I think I made a decision last night...I'm going to write with it a bit, make sure the name I've found is really hers. She's a secretive thing, my dancer! I'll share a little later.

[inannamoon.livejournal.com]

What, her name isn't Naima??? LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

HUGS!!!!!!! Ok, now I need to go vote on the names...

[inannamoon.livejournal.com]

Ok, So I picked mahvash- but, I can't help it- I knew 4 out of 5 names! The only one I didn't recognize was Rukan.

I know too many dancers named Alimah or Meryam (or maryam, mariam)... And one of my favorite dancers (she's pretty unknown, she's out of Argentina) is named a variation of Mayyadah (she spells it Maida)... and I knew Mahvash cause I'd looked at it myself (hey, I'm a Cancer, I'm a moon-baby!). I like Mahvash though b/c I've never heard anyone with it before, still exotic and beautiful. I'm going to go look up Rukan now :-D

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

I actually loved Mahvash for the same reasons you did, but it wasn't quite what she wanted. Then, the other night, I was typing along and all of a sudden, I realized what her name was: Nasrin, which means "wild rose".

It'll make sense when you read the book. *grin*