Character naming is one of those topics. Some writers take it very seriously, they can’t proceed on a book until they have every name perfect. Others don’t stress too much, preferring to pick the first name that feels right and then diving into the story. I think I’m somewhere in between. I don’t stress about choosing names, but if I start writing with the wrong name I won’t get far. (I’m sure there are others like me.) Whatever the case, it’s a pretty interesting subject.
Now that I’ve philosophized a little, let’s look at characters names from OH. MY. GODS. (I was lucky. Everyone got the right name the first time out, and I didn’t have to clean up after any identity crises halfway through.) Because OMG takes place on a Greek island, I snagged a lot of my names from baby name websites by searching for names of Greek origin and Dimitri’s Surname Database. [Note: Not all of the names and surnames are Greek because, well, the Greek gods did not restrict their extra-Olympian affairs to the country of Greece.]
Listed, without spoilers, in the order their names show up in the book.
PHOEBE CASTRO Clearly the most important name in the book. Because her dad was Greek, I knew I wanted her to have a Greek name. But she was also born and bred in the USA (Southern Cali, to be precise) so it also had to be a somewhat common American name. The name Phoebe dates back to Ancient myth. Phoebe was one of the original Titans and it’s also another name for Artemis (goddess of the hunt). Today, it means bright and shining, both of which fit her perfectly.
VALERIE CASTRO Phoebe’s mom needed an elegant, sophisticated name that suited a successful therapist who was also romantic enough to get caught up in a whirlwind courtship and move herself and her daughter halfway around the world. Valerie is a beautiful name that embodies all of those characteristics. Note: She does not go by Val. She’s not that hip.
CESCA REYNOLDS and NOLA JAMES are Phoebe’s two best friends from California. They’ve been bffs since Kindergarten. I wanted them to be a well-mixed trio, with the down-to-earth athletic girl (Phoebe), the fashion-obsessed princess girl (Cesca) and the day-dreamy hippy girl (Nola). Francesca sounds like the name of some high-class fashion model, but a little too formal for Phoebe’s best friend, so she goes by Cesca. Granola is not only a hippy, but she’s the child of hippies, so they gave her a very organic name. Everyone calls her Nola because, well, that sound more like a name than a breakfast cereal.
DAMIAN PETROLAS For Phoebe’s new stepdad, I wanted a strong Greek name that suited the headmaster of an elite, exclusive, supernatural private school.
STELLA PETROLAS The evil stepsister. She thinks she’s a superstar, so what better name than one that means “star”? It’s also a little old-school (Damian is an old-school kind of dad) and a little unusual.
NICOLE MATIOS Phoebe’s first friend at The Academy. I knew she was going to be a bit of a rebel girl (she doesn’t care that Phoebe is the new girl and a nothos–not descended from a god) so I wanted a name with edge. I chose Nicole so she could go by Nic. Her email alias at school is NaughtyNic.
TROY TRAVATAS Confession time: Troy was supposed to be the hero. When I started writing OMG, Phoebe was supposed to wind up with the nice, good guy type. It wasn’t until she started sparring with the next guy on the list that I knew Troy was destined for the “just friends” speech. So when I chose his name, I wanted big impact–I named him after the movie, TROY. And, of course, after the ancient city of Troy.
GRIFFIN BLAKE The maybe-hero. He’s a bad boy who just might have a heart of gold. I wanted a very cool name that a popular boy at any high school could have. Griffin was just cool enough, gave him a nickname option (Griff), and with just enough of a nod to myth. [A griffin is an ancient mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.]
ADARA SPENCER Next to the evil stepsister, the head cheerleader is Phoebe’s fiercest nemesis. She also happens to be Griffins on-again-off-again girlfriend. She does not welcome the presence of a nothos in her school. She needed a unique, popular girl kind of name that was one part celebrity baby name, one part snooty rich bi’atch.
COACH LENNY Since Phoebe is a hardcore cross-country runner, it follows that she has a pretty close relationship with her coach. I needed a very Greek name that could also convey the kind of buddy-buddy relationship he has with his runners. His full surname is Leonidas, but everyone calls him Lenny.
There you have it, the names of all the important characters in OH. MY. GODS. If you’ve read the book, let me know what you think. Did they suit the characters?
Hugs,
TLC
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