Dr. Frankenstein

     I had a funny thought cross my mind while searching for just the right name for a character.  Suddenly images flashed before my eyes, I saw myself standing in a dim room in front of a surgical table.  There was a bright light right overhead; I could hear beeping noises coming from a nearby machine.  At the head of the table there was a lightning generator buzzing.  I could see an arm hanging off the table and a foot poking out from under a white sheet.  Then my mind’s eye panned across a youthful face.  I noticed her eyes then her nose, followed by lips and a chin.  And then I saw a lock of her silky brown hair.  I stepped back from the surgical table and the beeping and buzzing machines as I looked at my creation.  I tossed my head back and laughed maniacally.  As I raised my fists in triumph I shouted, “Yes! I’ve done it! I’ve created a…Character!”  More hysterical laughter…OK, more like a soft chuckle as I pulled my mind from the silly image in my head. 

     As fun as my little daydream was I still can’t come up with just the right name, more specifically my character’s last name.  I don’t know what bothers me more, not being able to come up with the name or that I feel the need to find the PERFECT name.  What’s in a name anyway?  A name, at times, can be a reader’s first introduction to a character.  Sometimes I feel like my character just isn’t complete until (s)he has the right name (maybe this complex comes from my lack of ability to remember names well).

Do any of you struggle finding names for your characters?