Say My Name, Say My Name

Names haunt me. Sometimes more than the story itself. Names of characters, places, the book! All of it is important because these names are what readers cling to. They need a name to put the description to. They need a name to mention when talking about the book. A name ties it all together. Sure you could throw any old Tom, Dick and Harry name in there, but how boring would it be if every book had those same names over and over? Especially if Tom is a vampire, Dick is a shapeshifter and Harry is short for Harriet who is in love with both. I would definitely say that Harry should be the shapeshifter just for the comedy effect, but that's me. These god forsaken names ruin my days sometimes. Why? Because if the name doesnt fit then every time someone says it, or even when I think of it, it stifles something in me. A bad name choice can utterly ruin any interest I have in this person, place or all around book itself. Yes, a writer shouldnt dwell on a name so much because ultimately you can change it. But, sometimes, and only sometimes, the name helps you find out something you never knew before when it was just (city) or (pretty girl). I named a character Kaige. Silly, I know, took the word cage added an 'i' and swapped the 'c' for a 'k' and suddenly this inanimate object is now a sex kitten. What I didnt know when choosing this name, was how perfect it really is for her. She is a succubus who lives a life stifled by her urges, by her need to find the perfect mate. She is literally caged by her desires to the point where she has almost no free will. She may walk around and feel as though she is free to make her choices but at the end of the day she has to feed her demon or else die. Aren't we all caged in some way though? Some are just harder to see than others.