QuothTheRaven

Hello everyone,

I am always very careful about choosing names for characters, I don't want to unknowingly pick a name of any well-known fictitious characters or historical figures, and I like to avoid names that may have meanings that I don't know about (for example, Kakashi, a character form Naruto, sounds kind of similar to Kakashka, a russian word for--um--excrement).

Getting to the point, what do you guys think of the name "Kara" for a female character. Does it sound like any words that you know of? Any characters in other works or historical figures? I know that there is an anime called "Karas," but I don't see any problems with that (if anyone else sees a reason to be worried about it, please let me know).

Anyway, thanks in advance.

Much Obliged,
Sam

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dwellerofthedeep

Well there was a girl named Kara in my highschool year, so I think it probably works as a name.

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lin

In Spanish "cara" means both "face" and "expensive".

In Italian it's used as an endearment (Cara mia)

No problem, I would think.

Unfortunately is Ubekistan it means to have sex with you neighbors' farm animals.

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Counterside

The only thing i can think that is simular is a raid instance in World of Warcraft, called Karazanh. So maybe they will think you are a WoW addict

Kaykobina

Kara - I used that name before as a handle in a different forum. It's a nice name, it doesn't call to mind a specific image of anything for me. As it does with other names like Jessica, Abigail(Abby), Kim, where I pretty much already have a set image in my mind. If the character then doesn't fit that image, it takes a while for me to adjust (a little quirk of mine, but I'm surely not the only one?)

But Kara is a name that could fit anything - anyone.

lin

Even a man. But then it would be the masculaine form... Karo. Woops, wait a minute...

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RomanticRose

Kira was the main character in We the Living, by Ayn Rand

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QuothTheRaven

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Lin, are you serious about that?

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You are on a writing forum, please have the good sense to spell correctly and make use of proper grammar. Everyone makes mistakes, but smart people don't make a habit of it.

lin

About naming your character after corn syrup? No.

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cmking

Kara is a well known character in THE SWORD OF TRUTH series... by Terry Goodkind.
A very strong, body guard type woman of exotic beauty...
However, I see no problems with using the name. I guess if you were writing a work of fantasy, and the characters shared similar traits, it might not be a smart idea, but it is a beautiful name, and I am sure your character will be original enough not to cause any conflict with readers...

Randomthought31

I know a girl named Kara...Not one of my best friends, but we're friends, I'd like to believe ^_^

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Godfather

I have the same problem all the time. I have a lot of character names in my head, and many of them are famous and I didnt know!

The Great Wizzard

I tend to avoid really unique names that turn up only once or twice in famous fiction. Elric, for example, I avoid like the plague. And I never, ever use the name 'Artemis', as that's only been used twice in fantasy novels; once in the Artemis Fowl series, a second time in the Forgotten Realms novels.

What I generally do is look at a list of names, not baby-names which can be overbearingly cutesy (imagine the poor child as an adult!), but simple names. An onomastikon, for example.

Really? The more you worry about the name, the less you're writing; don't be afraid to go back and replace your character's name a few chapters in if you don't like it so far. Writing is a fluid practice in my opinion, so don't bother making every decision before you go in; leave yourself room to be surprised.

QuothTheRaven

Oh, I already began writing the story (though I'm not sure where I'll go with it--I've just kind of written a beginning to it, have no idea what the plot will be), I just wanted to ask if anyone had any thoughts on the name Kara, which is the main character's name.

Thank you for your suggestions, I appreciate that you took time to post a fleshed out response.

By the way, I think you're forgetting another use of the name Artemis--it's the name of a Greek goddess (I really hope you knew that, if not--no offense--you shouldn't be writing), which is where the characters that you mentioned got it. I'm also absolutely sure that it has been used for a lot more characters than just the 2 that you mentioned. Any educated reader would most likely think of the Greek Goddess when hearing the name, not the name of characters in other fantasy works; for that reason, as long as you WANT readers to think of the goddess, I would say that it's pretty safe to use the name.

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Krim

In Aramaic Kara means "syphillis-dog". That's the truth, maybe.

The name's fine. I'm actually thinking of naming one of my characters "Moonland Superman." He was not a big fan of his parents.

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