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

[trishalynn.livejournal.com]

"Somehow"? You'll get Mary Sue accusations up the wazoo, you know. Even if they're baseless.

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

*snort* I know. And I'm resisting. But the name is just so RIGHT for her, despite her being nothing like me on any axis. I've never had this happen to me before.

I could write it under a pseudonym ... *grin*

[neosquirrel.livejournal.com]

Hell, I created a character that IS me. Different name, only 16, but it's still me. And I don't mind one bit, because he's different from me in his abilities. I just gave him all my faults. ^^

[allanh.livejournal.com]

There's always "Nyota", which was Lt. Uhura's first name on ST:TOS.

Layla is a great name, but...

[j-luc-pitard.livejournal.com]

A variation on your name might do. Yeah, it sounds like a bad idea to give a lead character your name, no matter that you're doing it only because it fits. Aside from the Mary Sue connection, you might find yourself getting too close to her as the story progresses. I've nothing against fiction where the author loves certain characters, so long as the author lets the story flow and doesn't force it to make the characters look good (or bad if the reverse is true).

Letha was a cleaning lady my grandmother used and I've always liked her name.

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

Much too obvious, I think. Too many Star Trek fans floating around sci-fi-dom.

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!