What's in a name?????

In Swiss Romand the names Léa and Samuel have replaced Emma and Noah or Nathan as the most popular names for new borns. In Swiss Alémanique it is Luca and Anna. And Swiss Italienne it is Luca and Alessandro for boys while Sofia replaced Sara for girls.

One of the great things about being a writer is you get to name so many people. You are not limited to one or two offspring and an occasional dog or cat.

Of course in naming characters you have to be careful to be time and place appropriate. An eighty-year old French woman would never be named Tiffany. Romance writers tend to give unreal names. I have always loved Sandra Brown's Cash Boudreau. The only thing I remember about the book is his name and he was from New Orleans, so she was at least geographically correct. I have been known to wander the graveyard in Argelès for names to add to a scene set there.

Many of the internationals I know who name their children need to find something that works in many cultures, his home, her home, and their next posting and the one after that.

Part of me is still sorry my ex rejected the name Cloud (okay it was the 60s) for our daughter. However, I am sure she isn’t, but Britt, which was never designated to any of our children for we produced no more daughters between us or with others, might not have been too bad.

And although my daughter rejected David for one of chins in favour of Amadeus (see photo of a Chin below) Ama fit his character better. And I did get to name two characters in two different novels David. Both were not nice people, but the real Davids I have known have been lovely.

Meanwhile I must start another novel soon to be able to name more people.