10 Responses

  1. Wendy Jones
    Wendy Jones September 21, 2012 at 9:32 am |

    I noticed that issue with the Young Women manuals for church when I taught. I would read the stories to the girls, but think, “No one names their kids Karen and Susan anymore . . .”

  2. Lisa Bingham
    Lisa Bingham September 21, 2012 at 10:32 am |

    Call me crazy, but I think “Lisa” just rolls off the tongue in any era. 😉 So with you both on the YW manuals. I always changed the names so the girls didn’t conjure up their great aunt when I was telling them the stories.

  3. Tamara
    Tamara September 21, 2012 at 11:37 am |

    Can I put a plug in for using names we can pronounce? At least mostly? I don’t mind unusual names, but if my brain has to stop and reread the word a few times while I try to sound it out loud, I am definitely not in the story!! Thanks for the post, sorry for the rant. Good luck naming your characters…

  4. Teri Harman
    Teri Harman September 21, 2012 at 1:59 pm |

    I think names are huge! Some just come to me, but others I spend a lot of time on – looking for meanings, time periods, and just the sound.

    Great post!

  5. Marcy
    Marcy September 21, 2012 at 11:03 pm |

    I have to laugh at all of the above! My pet peeve in the naming category are what I call “Utah names.” These are names that combine parts of two parents’ names–like Roydeen, or Davinda. Or, worse yet, the childhood “play” names. Like Laraya, or Marakinsia. Oh, and don’t even get me started on those poor people who get last names for all their names. My nephew just had a baby girl and named her Campbell Dooley Anderson. No kidding. Poor child.

    Personally, I like “real” names. Names that come from ancestors, or history, or even the girl I went to high school with. I’ve noticed that old-fashioned names seem to be making a come-back. Names like Hazel and Margaret. Not my favorite names, but at least, they’re real names.

    So, if Lassie is still rescuing Timmy from the well, and Susan is still roaming the YW manuals, so be it. Somehow, I still like that better than the angst Lasheena and Tashawnda may be experiencing.

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