Names, as the symbols that represent our identity, are both arbitrary and incredibly meaningful at the same time. When writing my own characters, I love finding the perfect name that not only sounds good but also has an underlying meaning that reflects something central about the character’s identity. In the real world, we have less control over our names. We inherit them and accept them, but rarely do we choose our own. I recently got married to my best friend, which has given us the opportunity to take a look at our names and decide how best to join our arbitrary symbols of identity together. We’ve decided to take a more unconventional route and combine our last names into a single new name: Winters. Since my name is a core part of my business and marketing materials, that means I have a lot of updates to do.

The Business Name Update

So, let it now be known that she who was once Amelia Wiens is now Amelia Winters. Amelia Wiens Editing has likewise become Amelia Winters Editing. My new domain name is wintersediting.com, though ameliawiens.com will still redirect you to my website. Also, though amelia@ameliawiens.com will still reach me, my new primary email address is amelia@wintersediting.com.

(Also, the shark erotica person of the same name is very much not me. Neither am I a time‑traveling poisoner from 1889. Just in case you were wondering.)

The Resources

Alright, when coming up with character names with a historical and fantasy flair, here are the resources I like to use:

Behind the Name: This is a name directory with an emphasis on etymology and historical usage. You can search names by region, mythology, and time period. The site also has a separate directory of surnames you can find here.

Old English Translator: This is my go­‑to place to find ancient words that I could use in names. Just be warned that this is exactly how Tolkien came up with his names, so be careful that it doesn’t sound like you’re just copying him. For example, the name Théoden comes from the Old English word þéoden, which literally means “king.” (By the way, if you’re struggling to read Old English, know that you pronounce the thorn symbol “þ” and the eth symbol “ð” as the modern English “th” sound. Technically, the “þ” sound is unvoiced (like in thorn) and “ð” sound is voiced (like in then), but most English speakers aren’t consciously aware of the different ways we pronounce the “th” sound, so I won’t let myself go too deep down that rabbit hole right now.)