Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)
Stories
Behind Names – By Barbara Baker
Naming characters is like
naming children and there are so many ways to select the right one: Google, TV
shows, Apps which rank names by popularity - the list is endless.
But in
1958, when I popped out, those options didn’t exist. I was Mom and Dad’s second
child, and they were sure I would be Johanne Wilhelm. They didn’t even have a
girl name selected. In fact, when the nurse told Dad I was an 8 lb 12 oz healthy
girl his response was, “Are you sure? She’s supposed to be a boy.”
The
nurse assured him I was a girl.
What
a dilemma. Back then, babies couldn’t leave the hospital till they were named
so Mom asked the nurse if she had any suggestions.
After
thinking about it for a while the nurse said, “How about Barbara, Barbara Ann. Like
Barbara Ann Scott, the Olympic figure skater who won the gold medal for
Canada.”
“Barbara,” Mom nodded. “Barbara Ann. Ja, das ist schön.”
Growing
up, I never expected to have an actual connection with the Barbara Ann
Scott.
Fast forward to 2010 when I contacted her. I knew she was running a segment of the Winter Olympic Torch Relay in Ottawa and I would be running the flame from that same torch in Drumheller, Alberta. Coincidence? Stars aligned? Luck? Whatever, I felt it was time to tell her how I got to share her name and, of course, share the excitement of our torch relays.
Being
who she was, I knew I couldn’t send an email or a typed letter. This had to be
handwritten. With my favourite pen, I used my best cursive writing skills; o’s round
as bubbles, everything slanted the same direction and equal spaces between each
word. It had to be perfect. When I finished, I thanked her for listening,
folded it into three equal parts and sealed it away with a stamp stuck square
in the corner.
Neat.
Proper. Appropriate.
Weeks
later the red light was blinking on my answering machine. I tapped the button,
and a lively, clear voice filled the room. I recognized her right away. It was Barbara
Ann Scott. She said she hoped she had the correct number to leave a message for
Barbara Baker.
“Yes,
you do!” I danced a jig right in front of the phone while I listened to her
message.
She
thanked me for the letter and told me she too was thrilled to run the Olympic Torch.
She closed off with well wishes and said good-bye.
I
played the message a hundred times. I phoned and emailed all my friends to
share the news. How gracious of her to take
the time out of her day and call me. And how lucky am I that Mom’s nurse picked
a great name.
How
I named Jillian, my main character in SUMMER OF LIES, is a mystery to me. I didn’t
know a Jillian. I didn’t use Google. None of my kid’s friends were named
Jillian. So how did I pick it? I have no idea. The name jumped on the page and
stuck and now I can’t imagine calling her anything else.
How
did you get your name? How do you name your characters?
Summer
of Lies: Baker, Barbara:9780228615774: Books - Amazon.ca
Smashwords – About
Barbara Baker, author of 'Summer of Lies'
Barbara Wackerle
Baker | Facebook
Barbara Wackerle Baker
(@bbaker.write)
Naming characters is an interesting adventure. One of my character's names came because I mispelled Laura and Lara came on the page. Keep writing
ReplyDeleteAn unusual way to get a character's name but cool!
DeleteNames have meaning, and some have special powers. I got mine when I spent some time in India studying and meditating in an ashram. For my birthday, my teacher gave me a name. VIJAYA. It comes from Vidya (knowledge) and Jaya (forever victory). The others in the ashram were surprised. I was 5 feet tall and short of a hundred pounds. The only other with that name in the monastery was VIJAY, a huge elephant bull, mean and quick to anger. When I came to the United States with the husband I had met in India, I made VIJAYA my legal name. It may be difficult for some to remember, but to me, it has a profound meaning. My stay in India inspired my novel "ASHES FOR THE ELEPHANT GOD."
ReplyDeleteNow there's a conversation starter! Thanks for sharing.
DeleteThe names of my characters have to resonate with how I see them, so it's not unusual for them to change names many times throughout the story. Sometimes I will google names, but most of the time, the right name will just pop into my head as the story unfolds.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, my parents love the song Lili Marleen, by Marlene Dietrich, so they named me Marlene.
And isn't it odd when the character name just pops into your head and sticks. It's like someone is working the story with you :)
DeleteA movie star had a baby just before I was born, and chose the same name Mom had picked out. She was ticked off, and so I am named, by default--after all, her pride wouldn't allow HER to be mistaken for someone who named her child after a movie star's--"Juliet," the same as her own little sister.
ReplyDeleteYup, I can see a mom reacting like that. lol
DeleteGreat story and pic! I was supposed to be 'George,' though I wish my Irish parents used my name's Gaelic version: Siobhan.
ReplyDeleteYay for a fellow "Barbara"! I was born in 1949, so a little close to you. I'm a Barbara Jean. It's fun naming characters but also sometimes frustrating as not just any name will do. But as agreed with other authors here, names are important to who the character is. Best wishes, Barb
ReplyDeleteWriting historical romances means checking Mr. Google for what names were popular in whichever year I have set my story but I was named after the doctor who delivered me. She was Dr. Victoria Tryon, and I met her in 1964 when she came to my grandmother's house where I was visiting with my mother and my new baby daughter. Dr. Tryon was quite taken with the idea of four generations of women under one roof.
ReplyDelete