I don't normally have this problem...

[layla]

... but I really, really want to give a character my name! I'm currently working on one of my SF settings in which most of the characters are of African/Arabic extraction, and the viewpoint character is one of those whose name has been giving me fits -- I had a name I liked, but it was so similar to the name of another character in the same story that I decided, reluctantly, I needed to change it when even *I* had some trouble identifying the speaker at first glance. Now I keep going through different names without settling on anything. Lately I've found that "L" names sound good on her (even if I can't settle on one) and the thought occurred to me that my own name, Layla, or one of its variant spellings, would be absolutely perfect, both as far as being ethnically accurate, and appropriate to her personality.

Somehow it strikes me as a bad idea, though.

Comments

Re: Layla is a great name, but...

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I sometimes get an uncomfortable little twitch when I run into other people's fiction featuring characters with my name, so I know better than to do it myself. It's so seductive, though.

Letha is a nice name, but I don't think it's right for this character. I guess I'll keep looking!