Writing.Com General Discussion

I don't have particularly rigorous process for this. I do try to stay reasonably close to accurate to names in common usage when the characters were born (because I will be called out for having an 80s baby donning a 30s first name). That said, I do think there is a difference between popular and common usage. For example, a name like Lisa wasn't rare in the 80s, but it wasn't that common of a name (especially in comparison to something like Stephanie). So I suppose timeframe is priority one.

That said, I will sometimes play with gender in the names for more subversive stories. In a short story cycle project that will probably take me 20 years to write, the three leads all have unisex names. Given that the story involves a romantic triad, I admit I went the unisex route partly to be cheeky.