Surname Maps

[ysabetwordsmith]

janetmiles and my partner Doug tipped me to this cool resource showing surname maps.  So, if you're a writer and you want to name an ordinary character from one of these places, you can pick a surname from the relevant place and it will fit.  This is a very discreet and effective trick with local color.

Comments

Re: Neat!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, very useful trick. I also have a "backwards" name dictionary for writers, which is indispensable. *chuckle* Actually I have half a shelf of baby name books, which I've been collecting since junior high. People used to give me very disapproving looks for standing in that aisle, until I got out of college or thereabouts. I learned to say, "I'm not pregnant. I'm a writer shopping for character names." It was my version of "I'm not planning to murder anyone, I'm looking up poisons/guns/etc. for a mystery novel."

Re: Neat!

[aldersprig.livejournal.com]

That's very neat!

I used to collect names when I was in high school, didn't really get into name-meanings until later.

Re: Neat!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Name etymology has been a hobby of mine as far back as I can remember. My quick-and-dirty knowledge of Greek and Latin began with hacking dinosaur names to get the meanings.

Re: Neat!

[aldersprig.livejournal.com]

Etymology in general has always interested me, but name etymology came later.

I have a couple name nerds who started reading Addergoole just for the names :-D