Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Character Names

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten Names I Love. As someone who spends far too much time on Nameberry, I found it very difficult to choose ten names. Usually, if an author has chosen one great name, the majority of their characters will posses great names. Therefore, I’ve chosen ten books with multiple character names that I loved. However, I will warn you, I’m not one for made-up names so there will be no Katniss, Peeta, or Gale - sorry!

• Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - Full of posh names that wouldn’t seem out of place on Downton Abbey or Made in Chelsea. Astrid, Felicity, Cecilia, Alistair, Lorena, Peik Lin, and Araminta (my favourite).

• Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - I like to read the blog Waltzing Matilda* and it seems as though our mates down under are bold in their name choices. This is often reflected in the Aussie YA I’ve come across. Here we have Raffaela and Chaz Santangelo. 

• The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets and The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp by Eva Rice  - Classy but different seems to be Eva Rice’s method for naming her characters. Inigo (winner!), Talitha, Penelope, Tara, Lucy (I’ve always had a soft spot for Lucy thanks to Ms Pevensie), Matilda. 

• Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins / The Story of Us by Deb Caletti - Cricket vs. Cricket. Who wore it best? Hmm, I think Cricket Bell’s eccentric personality matches the name a little more. Side note, Busy Philipps named her daughters Cricket and Birdie – how cute?! Great supporting character names too: Etienne St.Clair, Lola, Heavens to Betsey, Janssen. 

• Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead - Although I wasn’t particularly overwhelmed by the story, I did take note of the names. They were relatively ‘normal’ yet seemed distinct. Livia (which I love), Winn, Teddy, Daphne, Dominique, Agatha. 

• The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - I was reminded of the names in this book after finding out the young actresses who play Rayna’s daughters on Nashville are called Lennon and Maisy. In this book we have Lennon ‘Lennie’ and Bailey. I like Toby too (even though the name now reminds me of the poor HR guy on The Office). 

• Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork - This was a beautiful story with equally lovely names. Most of all, I loved the surname of the main characters – Sandoval. The main characters were Marcelo, Arturo and Jasmine. 

• Gossip Girl and The It Girl by Cecily von Ziegsar  - These books were groundbreaking for me because beforehand, I don’t think I’d read anything with non-traditional names. Fond of surnames for first names and boy’s names for girl’s names, these names definitely helped fuel my name-nerdiness. Blair, Serena, Chuck, Kati, Easy, Tinsley, Brett, Sage, Heath, and Benny (for a girl, which I love!) 

• Nick & Norah, Naomi & Ely, Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan - Well, all of those obviously. Also, supporting characters: Caroline, Gabriel, and Sofia (yes, I like my own name despite its rising popularity). 

• Harry Potter by J.K Rowling - Saving the best for last obviously. Dozens of brilliant and wonderful names. Also, J.K Rowling really knew how to put together first names and surnames. Luna Lovegood (my absolute favourite), Justin Finch-Fletchly, Albus, Hermione, Seamus, Rowena, Minerva, Lavender.