I have a ton of these, and I'm always adding more. I also have a bad habit of rating other people's character names in my head when I read them.
Enjoy part three of this series, and let me know how you feel about these.
Also, I'm noticing that I really have a thing for A and C names. It's interesting to see the patterns when it comes to names I like.
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1. Cova.
Pronounced COVE-uh.
I saw a form of this as a name for some influencer's kid. I remember the full name was Nakova, with Kova as the nickname.
I am not sure about the full name, though it is all right. I also am really not into names that start with K, so that nickname spelling wasn't resonating with me.
So, I tried spelling it Cova and I really like that.
I wouldn't be able to get away with this one, firstly because I have so many C names for characters already. Also, with COVID going on, and them both sharing an opening sound, I'm thinking this would be the first association readers would make.
2. Markham.
I like this one a lot. I feel like it would work well for a guy in Victorian England, or a slightly futuristic Science Fiction plotline.
It's a pretty versatile name, and even with the silent H, I feel like it's easy to pronounce.
I already have a Marco, though, so this one can't quite slide through.
3. Apricity.
This one means a sunny day, or the color of warm sunbeams. I love this meaning. I also love the sounds in this one, and the spelling used to make those sounds.
It's a little out there, though. This one is an in-betweener; I could maybe use it, but there would have to be a definite intent and/or a specific genre for it to belong.
4. Levi.
I love this name. It's been around for ages. Guys in America have been given this name since at least the 1800's, and I see it being popular in the future. It fits any genre.
I also like the spelling and the simple but strong sound.
I had a really close friend with this name who died tragically, and because of this I don't think that I could ever personally use it for my characters.
5. Salem.
I actually like this name for a kid.
This is my primary reason for not using it on here. I'm not planning to have children for years, but I'm being mindful of which uncommon names I save for the future.
I also like the name Sailor, but the ending sound in Salem feels more uncommon and more pleasing to hear.
6. Franklin.
I don't see anything wrong with this one. Frank or Frankie makes a cool nickname, and it could fit characters across a lot of genres.
The sounds fit well together, and it makes sense as a name.
I grew up with a cartoon with the same name during the early to mid 2000's, though, so for me that's my immediate association. That cartoon annoyed me, so I have a little of that association sticking to the name.
7. Arizona.
People are going to look at this and think of the state, naturally. I'm sure that's where I originally heard it, but I actually realized it was a name because of Grey's Anatomy. I never saw it used as a character name before that, and now I really like it.
I like the phonetics of this one, too. I also appreciate the fact that, because it's a place name, most people can look at it and know how to say it.
It's another in-betweener for me; it's not widely used, but it's got several nickname options and could probably fit a character from most modern or futuristic genres.
8. Ewing.
This one is a bit unusual, but I feel like it could work under the right conditions. I feel like the spelling will confuse some people, though.
I also had a really terrible professor with a similarly spelled, but different, name. I'm on the fence about this one, but as of now I don't think it's something I can pull off in a story.
9. Ceyla.
Pronounced SEE-lah or like Kayla, depending on your dialect.
I like it said both ways. SEE-lah is more unique and whimsical, but I like the thought of also saying this spelling like Kayla.
I do think this is one that could confuse readers, though, because this is the least common spelling any way that you pronounce it.
10. Amethyst.
I also love Ames as a nickname.
I've liked Amethyst for years. I know what that color looks like, and it's one of my favorites. I also like the way the name is spelled. I know that's a common thread here, but I'm a sucker for sounds and spellings and it's the first thing I consider.
I also have an Amber, so this one is just too similar to work out.