I've been Googling for a website that will guide me when choosing character names. There are plenty that give examples of names that are popular now but I can't find one that will suggest appropriate names for a working class woman born in 1911, say, or a middle class man born in 1940.

Of course, I can figure this out for myself to an extent, but if anyone knows of such a website, I'd be grateful to be given the link.

Thanks.

Try www.babynamewizard.com It'll load with a graph, and if you drag your mouse up it'll give you names, plus their popularity ranking.

www.nationalstatistics.gov.uk might throw something up too. It's been some time since I looked, but they did rank name popularity from birth data.



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I don't know any site that specifically links name to social class. You might have to look at the popularityu percentage of a name, and stick a pin in it. ie make an educated guess :)

Thanks for that. I couldn't get the nationalstatistics.gov.uk to come up but the Baby Name Wizard is extremely useful, not to mention fun to use and very absorbing! Thanks again.

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This is so interesting. I've just been looking up various names on the Baby Name Wizard and have discovered that my grandparents chose top ten names for my mother and her sister but a relatively unpopular name for their son. Knowing what I do of my family, I can imagine my grandmother taking pains over the choice of her son's name but just saying 'that'll do' for the girls.

I've also noticed that the names of some people I know were chosen when they were going out of fashion and some when they were on the rise. That also speaks volumes about the families they come from.

I recommend this website - you can get so much more out of it than just a name. Thanks so much, 20thcenturyjuliet. :)

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21stcentury, I do beg your pardon!

Absorbing stuff, and you're welcome

Juliet

I use this one: http://www.behindthename.com/

N

If you overlook the fact that this site is ostensibly for naming pedigree dogs (!), it's absolutely bloomin' marvellous:

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names.htm

Has thousands and thousands of names from all kinds of cultures and time periods.

Rachel

What's wrong with just inventing names that appeal to you?
John

Because it can lack authenticity, John. I wouldn't believe in a kitchen maid from the 19th century UK who was called Britney.

Deb

You're right, Deb, you can't just invent names. It's incredibly obvious when people get it wrong. One possibility is to look at fiction of the period, or biographies and letters, though you still have to make sure they're right for class.

Emma

I wouldn't believe in a kitchen maid from the 19th century UK who was called Britney.

It's subtle stuff, too: I remember a rather posh old lady saying with interest, 'All my great-grandchildren have servant's names'. By her day Victorian names like Martha, Lily, Gertrude, Maud, Daisy, Joseph, had slid down the social scale, but now they're cool again...

Good old yellow pages can be useful re surnames... (modern ones, obviously)

I chose my surname out of the yellow pages when I got divorced and wanted a new name... :-)

Deb

It wasn't Dynorod, was it Deb?

No, that would be a better name for the ideal man IMV....

Deb