I always struggle to name characters. I find that the perfect name will give me a much greater feel for a character than reams of backstory and depth. Trouble is, I don't like many girl's names. Having a large cast in Impressions means I've already used most of the female names I like, or at least, can stand to write constantly. I may have to literally start making up names, because every name people suggest to me, I know a girl with that name, and nine times out of ten, she ruins the name for me. Like Mia. Oh how I hate that name...
The funny thing is, there are so many boys names that I love, I know I'm going to struggle to name the son I will one day have. This is one of the reasons I want to have lots of children - so that my favourite names can all be used.
I've recently been thinking about surnames too. Earl is a weird one, and I don't know if I'd ever use it. Common as fuck in Suffolk, so very appropriate to use in Impressions, but I'd feel off doing it. I can't pinpoint what makes a surname usable or not... I remember writing Dali for the first time. I didn't know how I should spell it at first - Dahli, or Dalie, or whatever - I eventually decided that sticking to salvador's spelling was best - and I almost immediately thought of Spence. Dali Spence, yeah, that sounds real. Then the Spence family fell into place, Rene fitting the surname too, and I asked my friend Spence if I could use his surname. He said sure - it's not like he's the only one with that surname - so I borrowed my friend's name. Ever since, I always try out friend's name for characters, but sometimes they seem really wrong. Like Appleby. I don't think I'd ever want to use it as a surname, because it feels too personal and like I would then base that person upon Appleby. Same goes for Macina and Ingham. Yet, there are male names I really like, I just happen to know people called it: Edmund has always been one (thanks Narnia), also Sebastian, James, Jack, Tobias, Zak, Max and Will. I don't know how long I can re-hash these names for... Maybe I need to start learning foreign names.
I also have realised that as much as I don't like most girl's names, especially my own, I really like flowers as names. Lily and Rose are already characters: I'm now thinking about Violet, Tulip, Daisy, Buttercup (not the powerpuff girl) and Lavender. Any other suggestions?