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HelpRe: Character Name in a Cross World Story
in reply to a message by AileKahleil
If you really want to pick a name that people won't associate with a gender - I would go with something foreign. Think Asian, Hebrew, or something ancient. Plus... if he/she will be in a medieval world - a totally modern name will stand out like a sore thumb.
Logan and Mackenzie are both trendy - which means that they are associated with a particular generation (which doesn't help stories about parallel worlds and times, etc).
I do like the suggestion of Alex... but I personally would go with something like:
Adi
Li
Lux
Michi
Shea
Tal
Wen
etc...
Logan and Mackenzie are both trendy - which means that they are associated with a particular generation (which doesn't help stories about parallel worlds and times, etc).
I do like the suggestion of Alex... but I personally would go with something like:
Adi
Li
Lux
Michi
Shea
Tal
Wen
etc...
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
Thanks for all the ideas you wonderful people! Although now I've got too many names to pick from...Drat.
After much comparing of replies and scrolling through pages of unisex names on here I've rounded it down somewhat from my original list of two which swelled to over thirty five and now is about twenty eight.
English – Aaren, Addison, Arlie, Caelan, Coby, Dale, Emery, Hadley, Kenzie, Kit, Riley
Irish – Kelan, Quinn Welsh – Aeron, Morgan
Japanese – Kaede Dutch – Elian
Hebrew – Keshet, Liron, Tal, Tovia, Indian – Kiran
Invented – Dalen (from Dale), Tovian (from Tovia), McKinley, Keth
From the above, I really like Caelan, Emery, Riley, Kit, Kaede, Elian, Tal, Kiran and Dalen (I find names ending in -n to be particularly ambiguous).
I forgot to add that the “other world” in my story was a fantasy world involving magic, so the names could be a little odd/modern and no one would notice. I just have to find a name that will blend in among other names of the same origin (which needs to be just that little bit different so it's clear that you're not in the real world any more), without it sounding too strange in a 21st century Australian high school.
After much comparing of replies and scrolling through pages of unisex names on here I've rounded it down somewhat from my original list of two which swelled to over thirty five and now is about twenty eight.
English – Aaren, Addison, Arlie, Caelan, Coby, Dale, Emery, Hadley, Kenzie, Kit, Riley
Irish – Kelan, Quinn Welsh – Aeron, Morgan
Japanese – Kaede Dutch – Elian
Hebrew – Keshet, Liron, Tal, Tovia, Indian – Kiran
Invented – Dalen (from Dale), Tovian (from Tovia), McKinley, Keth
From the above, I really like Caelan, Emery, Riley, Kit, Kaede, Elian, Tal, Kiran and Dalen (I find names ending in -n to be particularly ambiguous).
I forgot to add that the “other world” in my story was a fantasy world involving magic, so the names could be a little odd/modern and no one would notice. I just have to find a name that will blend in among other names of the same origin (which needs to be just that little bit different so it's clear that you're not in the real world any more), without it sounding too strange in a 21st century Australian high school.
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Of the names you like I the the ones the keep people guessing her gender would Kit and Tal the others have had one gender or the other assigned to them in recent years. So if you target audience is teenagers, they will more likely then not assumed that someone named Emery, Kaede, Caelan or Riley is a girl. On the other hand they would more likely the not assume someone named Elian, Kiran and Dalen is more likely a boy.
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