TaShaJaRo submitted a post on renaming. This brings me to ask for help with my dilemma. I have a villanous male character who is a nasty, rich, trafficer in illegal goods. He is sophisticated on the surface but underhanded and vengeful underneath. I want a nasty tough-guy FIRST name for him. His last name is Kaine. Does anyone have any ideas? Maybe I'm weird but I think some consonants sound more evil than others, like D and K and V. Anyway, if any of you have some suggestions, I could use help here. Judith
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
Victor Kaine sounds pretty evil to me.
Posted by theokaluza (Member # 2315) on :
How about Seth Kaine?
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
Davis Kaine?
(I'm a little weird, I suppose, but I like last names as first names, sometimes. As long as they're not overdone.)
Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :
This name sounds sissy but I think it has a sinister ring. Robin Kain
Posted by SteeleGregory (Member # 2049) on :
Slagg Kaine sounds tough. Hmmm... Rod Kaine, Spike Kaine, Graft Kaine, Thrash Kaine, Smoke Kaine, Nash Kaine, Fester Kaine, Axle Kaine
Posted by TaShaJaRo (Member # 2354) on :
I think Arthur Kaine has a sophisticated ring to it and if you want to highlight his "evilness" at any one point in the writing, you can use just the last name, if you establish a pattern of that. I also like Jeffrey Kaine or Russell Kaine. Both are semi-harsh sounding but not as harsh as the K in Kaine. I personally do not like to have a very harsh first name paired with a very harsh second name. I am reading an author now, Peter Robinson, who has a detective, Alan Banks, and he almost always refers to him simply as Banks. It is kind of neat. You could do the same thing. Have a sophisticated first name with a harsh, "evil" sounding second name but use the first name only once in awhile to remind the reader that he is a "first class" type of person.
Posted by Kickle (Member # 1934) on :
I agree about the evil consonants. But personally, I also like to put backstory into a name. I like to think about what name their parents would of chosen - where did he come from and what sort of heritage? Does he have an ethnic or wimpy first name that is embaressing and, as was suggested above,does he choses to change it or use only his last? How about a nice plant name? like Shade after nightshade? or a rock, Slate - maybe his father owned a quarry where he nows buries his victims.
[This message has been edited by Kickle (edited February 26, 2005).]
[This message has been edited by Kickle (edited February 26, 2005).]
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
I'll put my vote in for Robin. That's a good one.
I don't like to begin or end my character names with the same sound, but I think this one works.
[This message has been edited by Jeraliey (edited February 26, 2005).]
Posted by rickfisher (Member # 1214) on :
I think you should call him "Sugar."
Posted by Isaiah13 (Member # 2283) on :
Vaulgo Kaine? Vesper Kaine? Damon Kaine? Dylan Kaine? I agree with you about the d's and v's sounding more villianous.
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
*cough*
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Posted by Isaiah13 (Member # 2283) on :
LOL Okay, I take back Vesper. That one is definitely worth a boo or two. I'm standing by the others, though.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
Ivan Kaine. Or is that too Russophobic? The guy I hate named Ivan wasn't Russian at all.
Sugar- now I'm remembering what someone called booger sugar = Co Kaine.
Do you know this guy is bad from the get go or is it revealed in the story?
I think you need to go more than one syllable.
What about Richard?
I never got the evil/good consonant thing. Consonants are either boys or girls, you weirdo.
[This message has been edited by franc li (edited February 26, 2005).]
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
Isaiah, the boos were aimed at Rick. Sorry for the misunderstanding!
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
fanc li, all consonants are male. vowels are female. we learned this in kindergarten. Miss O is Ornery, I remember that, too.
Actually I like rick's idea. I don't like villains with names that sound too evil.
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
How about Caine Kaine?
What kind of parents would do that to there child? No wonder he's evil!
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
Beth, say Rick's proposed name out loud.
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
yeah, I know! If that were my name, I'd go out of my way to be evil.
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
Hee hee. I can't say I wouldn't.
Posted by MrClean (Member # 1958) on :
I'd have to agree with franc li. Ivan always has a sort of evil sound and not just because I have the same issue as franc li. The person I hate most in the entire universe is named Ivan so it's easy for me to think of the name as evil.
Vincent Kaine Vladimere Kaine David Kaine Damion Kaine
Anyway. There's some suggestions.
MC
Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :
Beatumwith A. Kaine.
Viktor Kaine Tyr Kaine Ashley Kaine(All guy's I've met named Ashley were evil.) Fluffy Kaine Frodo Kaine
"Victor", "Vladimir", and "Vincent" all sound both sophisticated and evil. They reverberate with associations of princely wealth as well as villainy. "Richard" is too outdated, it's only for minor characters anymore. "Ivan" is fine as long as you use the Russian pronunciation (which is hard to indicate without being obvious), otherwise it's passe as well. And it never had a lot of depth as a name for evil characters.
Some additions suggested by your prefs, Vaughan Wagner (German pronunciation) Wilhelm (German pronunciation) Derek (or perhaps Didrik, an obsolete and rare one) Diocletian (Diocletianus) Dominic (Dominick) Duncan Karl
Some other names that struck me as good, Uriah, Elijah, Ezekiel, Gideon, etc.(strong sounding Biblical names associated with warriors and "war-prophets") Nikolas, Nikolai Maximillian Rex Leo
Posted by Isaiah13 (Member # 2283) on :
Intentional or not, I still think Vesper deserved a boo.
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
You're too hard on yourself, friend.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Perhaps he is, but not in this particular case.
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
Heh, you guys can be my backup. My husband thinks it would be a great idea to name our next daughter Vesper. My answer was an emphatic "no". Not even as a middle name.
--Mel
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
At the very least it should be "Vespera", for heaven's sake
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
except, well, that's still pretty awful.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
What about Gerald? Personally I think the last name of "Kaine" is too caricaturistically evil. Should I have warned the adverb sensitive to have some antibiotic cream handy lest they claw out their eyes reading this post?
On the baby name idea. I think Vesper is kind of cute. I don't know why it isn't as popular as Martin. Or am I thinking of Matin? Nevermind.
Babies should be named by computer algorithm based on their date, time, and GPS coordinate of birth. It would save so much prenatal worry and angst.
P.S. I knew someone who was quite convinced that people liked her less because her name was "nancy" which you can't say without sneering, apparently.
[This message has been edited by franc li (edited February 27, 2005).]
Posted by Nick Vend (Member # 1816) on :
I like Survivor's suggestion of Karl. K's are definitely evil. How about Karl Kenneth Kaine?
[This message has been edited by Nick Vend (edited February 28, 2005).]
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
Ick! Karl Kenneth Kaine? You're joking, right? What an overtly obvious allusion to one of recenty histories evils--the KKK.
Cough! Hack! Gag!
And I don't like Victor Kaine either. It sounds WAY too soap opera to me. I do, of all I've read above, like Axle Kaine the best.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
Victor Kaine is too Soap Opera but Axle Kaine ain't? Pshaw. And I don't use that word lightly
I'm increasingly of the opinion that "Kaine" is too evil sounding by itself. Did we try Alexander yet?
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
JoeBob. JoeBob Kaine.
Posted by Robyn_Hood (Member # 2083) on :
My first thought was Damien (I think this has already been suggested).
I looked through my employee database and came up with a few others:
Dettmar Dylan Geoffrey Graham Kamel Kingsley Kristian Virgil Travis
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
Now, franc li, I DID say 'of all I've read above.' Which means that of all the less than stellar suggestions I thought Axle was the best.
Not that I have a good suggestion of my own...
Although, you know, come to think of it, Orson has a nice sinister ring to it...
[This message has been edited by djvdakota (edited February 28, 2005).]
Posted by Rocklover (Member # 2339) on :
Yeah, you get he's evil right from the go get. The Kaine is deliberately intended to be double-barreled evil since this guy is actually Satan's firstborn of flesh. And i also agree that the first name needs to be sophisticated rather than evil because this is how he wants to be perceived in the mortal world and cause I don't wanna overdo it. I'm leaning toward Victor or Karl but I also really like Axle. Dunno yet. I'm flabbergasted at all the great suggestions and choices. This is goning to be fun deciding--sorta like going to Village Inn and trying to select a pie. Thanks everyone! Judith
[This message has been edited by Rocklover (edited March 02, 2005).]
Posted by Jaina (Member # 2387) on :
Personally, I'm leaning towards Victor. Dunno why--maybe being a Star Wars fan has my mind going V=EVIL. Posted by DavidGill (Member # 1688) on :
