Help me choose a name.

[midnightrae]

I need to come up with a name for guy best friend in my story. These are the names I am thinking of..
Hector
Xavier
Anthony
Caden

Which one do you like? Any suggestions? I am horrible with coming up with names. I haven't even named my main character yet. 

[verycontrary247]

Xavier totally sounds like an eternally friend-zoned guy.

[Deleted]

Hard to say without knowing your main character's name.

[Captain Serious]

May 21, 2013 23:13:00 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Hard to say without knowing your main character's name.

And without any context

[Gato]

Hector is memorable and mensch-y, IMO.

Xavier sounds like a dramatic, brooding character.

Anthony is a fairly common name that could fit lots of situations.

The only one I don't like is Caden, unless your character is under 5.

[midnightrae]

May 21, 2013 23:13:00 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Hard to say without knowing your main character's name.

I'm leaning towards Annabelle or Mabel, but I'm just not sure. 

[sonrisa]

Hector is pretty loaded. Is he honorable but always doomed to lose?

[midnightrae]

May 21, 2013 23:15:45 GMT -5 Captain Serious said:

May 21, 2013 23:13:00 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Hard to say without knowing your main character's name.

And without any context

Main character is depressed and has had a hard life. Best guy friend is totally friendzoned (at least for  now). He is sweet and kind to everyone. He would do anything for main character. Best friend plays music, but not in a band. Does that help any?

[midnightrae]

May 21, 2013 23:17:40 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

I like Xavier. Xander (Alexander) always seems like a guy best friend name to me too.

Ooh, I like the name Xander. 

[pantsparty]

My vote is for Theo.

Helpful, I know.

[midnightrae]

May 22, 2013 0:23:52 GMT -5 mooselovah said:

What's the era? Now or 15 years ago and what are the characters ages?

I just don't buy 35 year old women named Isabella or Sophia when they are the top picks for 2010.

So really the best friend would probably be named Chris, Marc, Bryan or Steve if they are 30-35

Chris not so much, but Kyle, Dan or Ryan in the 25-30 range...

Now. College/just after college age. So around 23-26. 

[winston]

May 22, 2013 0:23:52 GMT -5 mooselovah said:

What's the era? Now or 15 years ago and what are the characters ages?

I just don't buy 35 year old women named Isabella or Sophia when they are the top picks for 2010.

So really the best friend would probably be named Chris, Marc, Bryan or Steve if they are 30-35

Chris not so much, but Kyle, Dan or Ryan in the 25-30 range...

This is what I'm thinking. I find it irritating when I'm reading a book and the names of the characters are all really unique or from the wrong time*. Caden should definitely be off your list. One or two unusual names are alright in the cast of characters but they should be unusual for when they would have been born (so not what you'd see all the time but still believable). Can you pull from the SS lists for 1987-1990?

*The exception to this for me is if it's some sort of alternate reality. Katniss, Peeta, Tris (Beatrice) - believable because their worlds are so different from ours. If you're writing in our world, in a period of time that is happening or has happened, you want your characters to feel like they belong there, enough so that we can believe the story. If there's someone who's out of place, who maybe has parents who are out of place, then use that person's name to show that.

The girl I used to babysit is 25 now (WHAT?). I just scrolled through her FB friend list. It's full of Jessica, Andrea, Amy, Josh, Kyle, Mike, Ben/Benjamin, Amanda, David, Brandon.. the usual suspects. People at that time weren't really into unique names the way people are now.

(Just my humble opinion, of course. And I think it's very cool that you're writing a story. )

[Captain Serious]

See, I was gonna go with Matt for the best friend, but that's if they were my age (approaching 40). If they are in the 25-30 range, I would go with Dan, Dylan, or Ryan. I also like the names winston suggested, much for the same reason.

[lilybug]

I vote Xavier.

Anthony would fit in with his age, but I've never liked the name. Caden is way too modern. Hector is just nms.

I'm 24. My best guy friends are Nate, Steven, Ben, Casey, and Will. Those all seem like good friend-zone bff names.

[ering1115]

I think Xander would work for that age group. I went to college w one (I'm 32) and I also babysat one.

Is there room to keep it as a boring name like John or Jim and only she calls him Johnny or Jimmy? Like when Donna called David "Dave" because the scary CU rapist was in the bedroom with her and she needed to let him know without telling him? God I miss 90210.

[Deleted]

Xander is to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Simon?

[julez]

Hector is my boy name, but everyone I know, including H, hates it. If we have a boy someday, I'm going to have to fill out the birth certificate while H is getting coffee. I love the name. I mentored a 4-year-old little boy named Hector years and years ago and he was the sweetest, most adorable little thing ever. So. That's what I associate with the name Hector.

My H's cousin is Xavier, and he is a preppy, self-centered, over-coiffed douche who wears to much cologne. So there's that.

[booknerd]

I'm in that age range. If it helps, H is named Matthew (Matt or Mattie when I want to annoy him). My best guy friends are Andrew, Jacob (Jake), Justin, John, Adam, Zack (maybe originally Zachary, but I've never heard him go by that so I'm not sure. Best friend award goes to me.)

[pedanticwench]

Sebastien.

[pursemeatballs]

Annabelle and Todd
Mabel and Steven

[midnightrae]

May 22, 2013 9:49:11 GMT -5 @mrsmarlowe said:

Xander is to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Simon?

I like the name Simon. Good idea. I currently put Xavier as a temp since it was winning in the poll. 

[TemperanceBrennan]

What about Oscar?

Your description of the character reminded me of someone I know named Oscar. He's also in the age range you described.

I also liked someone's suggestion of Simon.

[Deleted]

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