Names for Your Characters

So how do you choose names for your characters? It was a discussion this weekend in the Melange Books Discussion Board, and I volunteered my two main characters' names from my debut novel, KILLER OF KILLERS. Trent Smith and Samantha Jones. I know that you couldn't have two more common names than those two names, but that was the point in the story. Although Samantha's last name really is Jones, Trent's name is an assumed one. The reason is obvious. He takes up a career as a vigilante, and of course he doesn't want to use his real name. Since he's a fighter, not an artist, he didn't really put a lot of thought into what his name would be, and so he just used Smith. I never do reveal just what his real name is. Not even in the sequel.

Even when he trained in Japan, he never went by his real name. But over there it was a different reason. His Japanese mentor, Shoji Wada, came up with a nickname for him. Tora. It's Japanese for Tiger, and Shoji called him that because his fighting style reminded him of a Tiger. And Trent has green eyes, which is not common in Japan, as mostly, in Japan, their eyes are brown. So they called him Tora. Or Midori no Me no Tora: The Green-eyed Tiger.

But you know what? The name Shoji Wada is a name I borrowed from one of my own real life mentors. When I was just starting my teaching career, I was mentored to a small degree by this older teacher, and his name really was Shoji Wada. So when I had to come up with a Japanese name for Trent's mentor, he came to mind. I know the name Wada is not as common as some names, but it is a name that is not so uncommon either, as I understand it. But in the story, Shoji Wada is a highly honorable character, and one of the good guys. I think the real Shoji Wada would like him.