#character resources

[stavroguine]

𝟏𝐎 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐍 (20 SEP. 2023)

ㅤㅤ┍⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ · · · ·

ㅤㅤㅤㅤPERSONNALISATION : ★★★★★

ㅤㅤㅤㅤDIFFICULTÉ : ★★☆☆☆

ㅤㅤ · · · · ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯┛

𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 extrêmement simple et personnalisable, le format 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄 a de nombreux avantages comme la possibilité d'écrire autant que possible dans les catégories dédiées sur le modèle ⎯⎯⎯ une véritable révolution pour les grands bavards que vous pouvez être. seul inconvénient : les plus esthétiques d'entre nous pourrons trouver une certaine frustration dans les limites de personnalisation du format 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄 puisqu'il est très difficile de manier le déplacement des images en dehors des tableaux. contrairement aux apparences, ce modèle est relativement personnalisable, à condition d'avoir quelques skills (minimes) pour placer son personnage là où se trouve tamino sur les images ci-dessus. des solutions s'offrent à vous : ➪ vos bases en graphisme vous octroient la possibilité de passer par l'intermédiaire d'une plateforme comme photoshop, etc. dans ce cas là, il devrait être simple comme bonjour de détourer votre OC pour le placer sur 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐍. ➪ comme moi (salut), vous n'avez aucune connaissance en graphisme. néophyte de niveau 1, le choix de la facilité nous a été donné grâce à l'évolution des technologies et notamment des I.A. qui nous permettent de détourer en un clin d'œil un objet dans une image. pratique, n'est-ce pas ? il est néanmoins très utile pour les débutants en matière de gdocs puisqu'il se focalise d'avantage sur le côté pratique de l'application plutôt que sur son côté créatif. quoiqu'il est toujours possible de faire preuve de personnalité avec 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐍 si l'on est suffisamment imaginatif...

note de stavroguine : j'ai rajouté sur ce 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 de nombreuses catégories pour ceux et celles qui souhaiteraient enrichir leur fiche. cela passe évidemment par la présence d'un registre de liens, d'une trivia et d'un moodboard, mais également d'une icône musicale personnalisable qui amène à un lien spotify, youtube, etc.

ㅤㅤ 𝑨𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑼𝑺𝑬 ;

ㅤㅤ┍⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ · · · ·

ㅤㅤㅤㅤGO TO FILE

ㅤㅤㅤㅤAND THEN, SELECT “MAKE A COPY”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤDON’T REMOVE THE CREDITS.

ㅤㅤ · · · · ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯┛

ㅤㅤ 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘&𝗥𝗘𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗦 are appreciated.

[enteryid]

CANDY POP (DOCS)

a spotify based docs. i wanted to create something similar to a character's spotify profile, but feel free to use it however you like (muses, stories, etc). just sharing it in case someone finds it useful.

how to use: file > make a copy > save in your drive. como usar: arquivo > fazer uma cópia > salve na pasta que preferir do seu drive.

note: it's an image-heavy docs, so to make things easier, you can find a folder at the end with all the image sizes, templates and shapes in psd format.

nota: é um docs com muitas imagens, pra facilitar as coisas você vai encontrar no fim do post uma pasta com vários psds com os tamanhos, templates e formatos das imagens.

disclaimer: do not reupload, do not claim as yours, don't remove the credits. disclaimer: não faça reupload, não diga que é seu, não remova os créditos.

DOWNLOAD (english) / DOWNLOAD (português)

FOLDER / PASTA (image templates)

[querenciadocs]

﹙𝟣𝟢﹚─ 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔

PROSPERA

hello again !! new doc today! hope you guys are excited and like my new doc, i tried something new today, a new pallette of colors which i think goes well together. prospera is a blue-ish dark themed doc, single muse with plenty of space, so should be easy to edit! huge thanks to @lemondaydream because she helped me sooo much!

INSTRUCTIONS

To prevent people from making copies of your docs select the blue SHARE button in the top right corner of your doc hit the settings gear on the right corner of the pop-up UNCHECK the box that says "Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy" As usual, please do not remove the credits. stealing my work is not cool and if you do use this template, don't forget to reblog and like!

MORE

its best to use the "replace image" feature as it will make it easier for you to edit. You can also edit drawings by clicking the “edit” button under.

AFTERWORD

as usual if there are any problems, you can text me on discord at crisnake736#3022. toxic comments will not be appreciated or answered. also the quotes i added are random, feel free to change them as you wish! i would love to hear all your opinions on this template, so don't hesitate to leave a comment or ask any questions. if you have any troubles, etc.

GET THE DOC HERE !!

[sephiramy]

so, I originally made this quiz just for my friends in my TTRPG circles, but I have decided to put it out there for anyone else who would like to fill it out!

it wound up surprisingly insightful and really fun to read each other's answers, so I hope some of you try it out and have a good time with it~

(it is also numbered in case you want to use it as a "send a number" ask type of thing)

special thanks to @docvalentine and @kayzig for brainstorming some of the questions o7

[obi-troll-kenobi]

Hey! I really liked your post with OC design help and picrews for games, etc. Do you know of any resources for building rooms and such for OCs?

Hi, sorry for the late reply, but here you go:

A few room-maker picrews:

Rage's Room Maker

Room Makeover Game

RoomMaker ver.1

ルームメイカー

Dorm room maker

Cosmind's Bedroom Builder

They're pretty simple and only cover a small square room.

The resource I used to make quick room reference:

3D room planner

A very simple tool to create rooms of various shapes. You can put furniture, decorations and even some people & animals if you're creating a drawing reference for yourself.

It's pretty cool

A more advanced tool that's pretty much a free, simplified 3D program:

SketchUp

It's designed to make visualisations for rooms and buildings. It requires more time and skill, but it's free and you can use it on the web (no download/installation needed).

[exhausted-archivist]

World of Thedas Character Art Colour Pallets: Part 1 Companions and Others

This is a long post, but thought it would be handy to have basic colour pallets from the World of Thedas Volume 2. These are split into 2 posts because picture limit. I also specifically chose the images with grey backgrounds and not the tarot cards, just for easier grouping.

Some notes for each game and the companions and in general:

Most of these are concept art, except for the Origins characters. So they might no longer represent the finalized - or level of detail variation in colour - compared to their final game models. I do want to do their character model flat colours, but that is a later thing.

Origins:

Aside from Nathaniel and Anders, none of the Awakening companions have character art.

Anders is put in the DA2 section, as that is the first game he would be universally encountered.

Leliana does not have any character art in the two styles with this background. She only is shown in tarot art in the Inquisition section.

Shale is also not featured in this style and doesn't have any character art.

Duncan was included here because I had space, and he was the only remaining character for Origins not included.

Dragon Age 2:

Varric is put here because it is his first game appearance where anyone would meet him.

Varrics eyes are blue in this art, but in game from what I can tell they are brown from what I can tell.

Bethany and Carver seem to be different variations of potential preset variations.

The Arishok, Meredith, and Orisino were included to round out the image count. They were included over Tallis and Duke Prosper because they were main game.

Inquisition:

Cullen and Josephine were added because I had space, and they fit neatly where others didn't.

Sera and The Iron Bull do not have art nor tarot card art in the book.

Sera doesn't really have a section like the rest of the companions, her background is displayed in a report to Leliana with Sera interjecting with her own notes on it. Which, I think, is why she is lacking art in the way compared to the others.

The Iron Bull doesn't have art in this style but is given a full piece many are familiar with; him standing in front of rows of red flags and the sun with his weapon over his shoulder.

Dagna was included here instead of Origins because this is the first game where she is a major player... Also, she would have been the odd one out in the Part 2 post.

Most importantly, if you want to download this for your own use, got a handy google drive folder with all the images for your needs.

Find Part 2: Historical Figures and Other NPCs

Dragon Age Origins + Nathaniel and Duncan

Dragon Age 2 Companions + Arishok, Meredith, and Orisino

Dragon Age Inquisition + Advisors

Wanna support this blog? You can check out my ko-fi.

[catedwrites]

The massive Historical Fiction Character Questionnaire that I've been working on for....way too long. I made it for me, but maybe other writers might like it. Especially with NaNo coming up in....2 months. 😬

The link should force you to make a copy of the doc for your Drive. If you need it in a different format, I can do that too.

Disclaimer: I assume that I adapted this from a general character questionnaire from somewhere and I don't mean to plagiarize, if I did. I know I took a character question template from somewhere years and years ago and have been fussing with it ever since, and this is an adaptation specifically for historical fiction. If you see similarities to other questionnaires running around out there, that's why.

[zinacommissions]

[cityandking]

oc asks: not-so-nice edition

alone: How does your OC deal with loneliness? Have they ever been completely alone before? How do they act when there's no one around to see them?

betrayal: Has your OC ever been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust? Has your OC ever betrayed someone who trusted them?

bound: Has your OC ever been imprisoned or captured? What happened? How did they get out? Did the experience leave any scars?

break: What would cause your OC to break down completely? What do they look like when that happens? Has anyone ever seen them at their lowest?

desire: What's one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire? Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?

failure: What's your OC's greatest failure? Have they been able to move past it? Does anyone else know about it?

fear: What is your OC's greatest fear? What do they do when confronted with it? Are they open with their fear, or do they hide it away?

future: What's the worst possible future for your OC? Are they taking steps to avoid that outcome? Are they even aware it's a possibility?

ghost: Who or what haunts your OC? What happened? How do they live with their ghosts?

guilt: What is your OC guilty about? How do they handle their guilt? Do they try to avoid guilt, or do they accept it?

hate: What does your OC hate? Why? How do they act towards the object of their hatred?

heartbreak: Have they ever had a relationship that ended badly? Experienced some other kind of heartbreak? What happened?

hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it?

hunt: Who or what is your OC hunted by? A person, a feeling, a past mistake? Is your OC able to let their guard down, or are they constantly alert?

mask: Does your OC wear a mask, literally or figuratively? What goes on beneath it? Is there anyone in their life who gets to see who they are under the mask?

midnight: What keeps your OC up at night? Do they have nightmares? Fears? Anxieties? What do they do in the small hours of the morning when they should be sleeping?

mistake: What's the worst mistake your OC ever made? What led to them making it? Have they been able to fix it? How have they moved on?

monster: Is your OC monstrous in any way? Is there something that makes them monstrous? Are they aware of their own monstrosity? Do they accept it or reject it?

nightmare: What does your OC have nightmares about? How do they deal with their nightmares? Do they tell people, or keep it to themself?

pain: What's the worst pain your OC has ever felt? Do they have a high pain tolerance?

secret: What's one secret your OC never wants anyone to know about them?

skin: How comfortable is your OC in their skin? Do they grapple with anything that lives inside them—a beast, a curse, a failure, a monster? How do they face the smallest, weakest, most horrible version of themself? Are they able to acknowledge it at all?

torture: Has your OC ever been tortured? Would your OC ever torture someone else?

wound: How does your OC handle being wounded? Are their wounds mostly physical? Mental? Emotional? What's the worst wound your OC has ever experienced?

[vhstown]

please stop scrolling and take the time to read this.

i don't think people understand the extent of the horror happening in palestine right now. "death" means nothing to people because of desensitisation so let me just tell you what white phosphorus is. it's being used in israeli munitions and has been and will continue to be fired across gaza and the palestinian borders.

white phosphorus burns when it comes into contact with oxygen (at nearly 800°C or 1500°F. the human body can withstand ~50°C for reference.) the air you breathe in ignites and it is near impossible extinguish. it sticks to clothing and skin and is very difficult to remove because it will continue to ignite in air. it burns flesh up to the bone and even past the bone because it penetrates tissue and is absorbed VERY easily. if you inhale it it'll destroy your respiratory tract and lungs. it can cause failure in multiple organs including the liver, kidneys and heart. it is being released in one of the most densely populated places on earth.

the only way to treat someone exposed to white phosphorus is to submerge them in saline or water and to pick out the substance with forceps, and when you undress a wound the substance can re-ignite. this is just ONE weapon that is being used to kill palestinian people right now. palestine does not have access to medical care, humanitarian aid, power, or internet. their hospitals are being bombed. gaza is one of the most densely populated places in the world with over 50% of the population being children. many children are the sole survivors of their families. there are videos of children experiencing panic attacks and symptoms of ptsd. the fact that israel has committed war crimes in plain sight means that we can only imagine what will happen to the palestinians in complete darkness.

israel has and will continue to deny this. your interests and fandom will still be here, you will wake up tomorrow morning and see your friends and family, but an entire nation of people are being wiped off the map. being silent is being complacent. reblog, spread information, tell people in real life, attend protests, sign petitions, call your government offices, at the very least be angry and upset and horrified because once you become numb and indifferent and hopeless the oppressors will have already won.

what's happening right now is more than a genocide and once it becomes a part of history we'll wonder how the world let this happen. genocides have been part of all nations. just because it is far away does not mean you don't have to be concerned. the fact that YOUR governments and YOUR idols and the people around YOU are supporting the mass eradication of an entire group of people should scare you. it shouldn't make you feel anything less than sick and angry and disgusted. DO something about it, no matter how small you feel your voice is, because palestinians no longer have one.

[edit] links to some helpful reblogs: one & two

post on how you can help palestine

learn about palestine with this masterlist of info

+ a further reblog of mine

[edit 2] about palestinians "not having a voice" at the time i wrote this post internet connection was cut off entirely and even journalists weren't able to report for a period of time — that is all i meant by that. they of course have a voice and i never meant to undermine how people are risking their lives in gaza to get information out there and i apologise if thats what people took from it, it was not my intention but it is entirely my bad. please continue to spread information and updates from gaza as they come.

[stavroguine]

𝟏𝟏 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ 𝐀𝐒 𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈 𝐒𝐀𝐖 𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 (18 APR. 2024)

ㅤㅤ┍⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ · · · ·

ㅤㅤㅤㅤPERSONNALISATION : ★★★★★

ㅤㅤㅤㅤDIFFICULTÉ : ★☆☆☆☆

ㅤㅤ · · · · ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯┛

𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 extrêmement simple et personnalisable, le format 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄 a de nombreux avantages comme la possibilité d'écrire autant que possible dans les catégories dédiées sur le modèle ⎯⎯⎯ une véritable révolution pour les grands bavards que vous pouvez être. seul inconvénient : les plus esthétiques d'entre nous pourrons trouver une certaine frustration dans les limites de personnalisation du format 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄 puisqu'il est très difficile de manier le déplacement des images en dehors des tableaux. il est néanmoins très utile pour les débutants en matière de gdocs puisqu'il se focalise d'avantage sur le côté pratique de l'application plutôt que sur son côté créatif. quoiqu'il est toujours possible de faire preuve de personnalité avec 𝐀𝐒 𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈 𝐒𝐀𝐖 𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 si l'on est suffisamment imaginatif...

note de stavroguine : j'ai rajouté sur ce 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 de nombreuses catégories pour ceux et celles qui souhaiteraient enrichir leur fiche. cela passe évidemment par la présence d'un registre de liens, d'une trivia et d'un moodboard, mais également d'une icône musicale personnalisable qui amène à un lien spotify, youtube, etc.

ㅤㅤ 𝑨𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑼𝑺𝑬 ;

ㅤㅤ┍⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ · · · ·

ㅤㅤㅤㅤGO TO FILE

ㅤㅤㅤㅤAND THEN, SELECT “MAKE A COPY”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤDON’T REMOVE THE CREDITS.

ㅤㅤ · · · · ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯┛

ㅤㅤ 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘&𝗥𝗘𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗦 are appreciated.

[enteryid]

MULTITAB (DOCS)

multitab is an old docs i finally finished recently, made when i got really inspired by tinytowns' creations. this one is more complex than the others (and i hope i don't do something similar in the future), so to make things easier, you can find a rar file at the end with all the image sizes and shapes in psd format.

esse é um docs antigo que eu finalmente finalizei esses dias e fiz quando fiquei inspirado pelas criações du tinytowns. ele é mais complexo (e eu não tenho planos de fazer outros assim no futuro), então pra facilitar as coisas você pode encontrar no fim do post um arquivo rar com vários psds com todos os tamanhos e formatos das imagens.

sizes: wiki pic (200x200), google pic (350x150), telegram contacts (55x55), spotify profile (20x20), instagram profile (65x65), instagram posts (112x112), wishlist items (80x80).

dimensões: foto da wiki (200x200), foto do google (350x150), contatos do telegram (55x55), perfil do spotify (20x20), perfil do instagram (65x65), posts do instagram (112x112), produtos da lista de desejos (80x80).

how to use: file > make a copy > save in your drive.

como usar: arquivo > fazer uma cópia > salve na pasta que preferir do seu drive.

credits (pngs used in the preview):

chicken (pngkatios), button (snailspng), console (bleedingthroughteeth), bunny (pngtopia), polar bear (bleedingthroughteeth), plushie (kissue), eletronics (bleedingthroughteeth), cellphone (bleedingthroughteeth), camera (bleedingthroughteeth).

disclaimer: do not reupload, do not claim as yours, don't remove the credits.

disclaimer: não faça reupload, não diga que é seu, não remova os créditos.

DOWNLOAD V1 (light, english) / DOWNLOAD V1 (claro, português)

DOWNLOAD V2 (dark, english) / DOWNLOAD V2 (escuro, português)

RAR FILE (image templates)

[lyralit]

show, don't tell:

anticipation - bouncing legs - darting eyes - breathing deeply - useless / mindless tasks - eyes on the clock - checking and re-checking

frustration - grumbling - heavy footsteps - hot flush - narrowed eyes - pointing fingers - pacing / stomping

sadness - eyes filling up with tears - blinking quickly - hiccuped breaths - face turned away - red / burning cheeks - short sentences with gulps

happiness - smiling / cheeks hurting - animated - chest hurts from laughing - rapid movements - eye contact - quick speaking

boredom - complaining - sighing - grumbling - pacing - leg bouncing - picking at nails

fear - quick heartbeat - shaking / clammy hands - pinching self - tuck away - closing eyes - clenched hands

disappointment - no eye contact - hard swallow - clenched hands - tears, occasionally - mhm-hmm

tiredness - spacing out - eyes closing - nodding head absently - long sighs - no eye contact - grim smile

confidence - prolonged eye contact - appreciates instead of apologizing - active listening - shoulders back - micro reactions

[deception-united]

Get to Know Your Character

Here are some questions to consider for character development:

What parts of their childhood trigger them?

How do they treat themselves when they're feeling sad?

What parts of themselves do they tend to hide?

How do they punish themselves when they make mistakes?

Who are they loyal to? Why?

Who do they avoid? Why?

What emotions or situations do they try to avoid? Why?

What angers them?

What are their insecurities?

What are their emotional triggers?

How do they feel about love?

What are their fears?

What is their relationship with their family like?

What kind of people do they tend to gravitate towards?

What do they like/dislike about themselves?

Happy writing ❤

[writingwithcolor]

Naming International POC Characters: Do Your Research.

This post is part of a double feature for the same ask. First check out Mod Colette's answer to OP's original question at: A Careful Balance: Portraying a Black Character's Relationship with their Hair. Below are notes on character naming from Mod Rina.

~ ~ ~

@writingraccoon said:

My character is black in a dungeons and dragons-like fantasy world. His name is Kazuki Haile (pronounced hay-lee), and his mother is this world's equivalent of Japanese, which is where his first name is from, while his father is this world's equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. He looks much more like his father, and has hair type 4a. [...]

Hold on a sec.

Haile (pronounced hay-lee), [...] [H]is father is this world’s equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. 

OP, where did you get this name? Behindthename.com, perhaps?

Note how it says, “Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Check marks indicate the level to which a name has been verified.” Do you see any check marks, OP? 

What language is this, by the way? If we only count official languages, Ethiopia has 5: Afar, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, & Tigrinya. If we count everything native to that region? Over 90 languages. And I haven't even mentioned the dormant/extinct ones. Do you know which language this name comes from? Have you determined Kazuki’s father’s ethnic group, religion, and language(s)? Do you know just how ethnically diverse Ethiopia is? 

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To All Looking for Character Names on the Internet:

Skip the name aggregators and baby name lists. They often do not cite their sources, even if they’re pulling from credible ones, and often copy each other. 

If you still wish to use a name website, find a second source that isn’t a name website. 

Find at least one real life individual, living or dead, who has this given name or surname. Try Wikipedia’s lists of notable individuals under "List of [ethnicity] people." You can even try searching Facebook! Pay attention to when these people were born for chronological accuracy/believability. 

Make sure you know the language the name comes from, and the ethnicity/culture/religion it’s associated with. 

Make sure you understand the naming practices of that culture—how many names, where they come from, name order, and other conventions. 

Make sure you have the correct pronunciation of the name. Don’t always trust Wikipedia or American pronunciation guides on Youtube. Try to find a native speaker or language lesson source, or review the phonology & orthography and parse out the string one phoneme at a time. 

Suggestions for web sources:

Wikipedia! Look for: “List of [language] [masculine/feminine] given names,” “List of most common [language] family names,” “List of most common surnames in [continent],” and "List of [ethnicity] people."  

Census data! Harder to find due to language barriers & what governments make public, but these can really nail period accuracy. This may sound obvious, but look at the year of the character's birth, not the year your story takes place. 

Forums and Reddit. No really. Multicultural couples and expats will often ask around for what to name their children. There’s also r/namenerds, where so many folks have shared names in their language that they now have “International Name Threads.” These are all great first-hand sources for name connotations—what’s trendy vs. old-fashioned, preppy vs. nerdy, or classic vs. overused vs. obscure. 

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Luckily for OP, I got very curious and did some research. More on Ethiopian & Eritrean naming, plus mixed/intercultural naming and my recommendations for this character, under the cut. It's really interesting, I promise!

Ethiopian and Eritrean Naming Practices

Haile (IPA: /həjlə/ roughly “hy-luh.” Both a & e are /ə/, a central “uh” sound) is a phrase meaning “power of” in Ge’ez, sometimes known as Classical Ethiopic, which is an extinct/dormant Semitic language that is now used as a liturgical language in Ethiopian churches (think of how Latin & Sanskrit are used today). So it's a religious name, and was likely popularized by the regnal name of the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (“Power of the Trinity”). Ironically, for these reasons it is about as nationalistically “Ethiopian” as a name can get.

Haile is one of the most common “surnames” ever in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Why was that in quotes? Because Ethiopians and Eritreans don’t have surnames. Historically, when they needed to distinguish themselves from others with the same given name, they affixed their father’s given name, and then sometimes their grandfather’s. In modern Ethiopia and Eritrea, their given name is followed by a parent’s (usually father’s) name. First-generation diaspora abroad may solidify this name into a legal “surname” which is then consistently passed down to subsequent generations.

Intercultural Marriages and Naming

This means that Kazuki’s parents will have to figure out if there will be a “surname” going forward, and who it applies to. Your easiest and most likely option is that Kazuki’s dad would have chosen to make his second name (Kazuki’s grandpa’s name) the legal “surname.” The mom would have taken this name upon marriage, and Kazuki would inherit it also. Either moving abroad or the circumstances of the intercultural marriage would have motivated this. Thus “Haile” would be grandpa’s name, and Kazuki wouldn’t be taking his “surname” from his dad. This prevents the mom & Kazuki from having different “surnames.” But you will have to understand and explain where the names came from and the decisions dad made to get there. Otherwise, this will ring culturally hollow and indicate a lack of research.

Typically intercultural parents try to

come up with a first name that is pronounceable in both languages,

go with a name that is the dominant language of where they live, or

compromise and pick one parent’s language, depending on the circumstances.

Option 1 and possibly 3 requires figuring out which language is the father’s first language. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned national ubiquity of Haile, you will have to start from scratch here and figure out his ethnic group, religion (most are Ethiopian Orthodox and some Sunni Muslim), and language(s). 

But then again, writing these characters knowledgeably and respectfully also requires figuring out that information anyway.

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Names and naming practices are so, so diverse. Do research into the culture and language before picking a name, and never go with only one source.

~ Mod Rina

[catedwrites]

Developing a Historical Fiction Character Questionnaire

I love character questionnaires, but finding one that was specifically aimed toward historical fiction characters proved a bit more challenging. So a few years ago, I made one myself.

I cannot claim this is 100% an original work; I'm sure I stole questions from various sources and cobbled them together. I don't intend any plagiarism (and hence not selling this; just giving away :) )

If you use/download, please leave a like so I can see if this post is reaching....well.....anyone.