Character name "poll"

[sarahrose.livejournal.com]

Hello!

So, I'm writing a work of fiction and I have a bunch of mid-20-somethings, set in the modern day. I did research the popularity lists.

I'm not especially concerned with opinions on the names themselves (I don't even personally like a couple of them, but they fit! lol) but I was wondering if folks here could tell me if this lot of names is convincing/sound right for their age, etc. Do they sound okay? Would you be thrown by them as a reader at all?


Candace
Renée
Leah
Kevin
Aaron
Noah
Jaime (male)


Thanks!

Comments

[schexyschteve.livejournal.com]

I don't think they're too far off, but when I first read them, I pictured them as being born in the 70s. Not that people in their mid-20s aren't named all of these things, but I think they're a little more uncommon for kids born in the mid-to-late 80s. Although I guess it depends on where they story is set. I think Kevin and Aaron are definitely more spot on for 80s babies. Noah and Jaime are throwing me a little more than any of the others.

I'm in my mid-20s, and I grew up with a LOT of kids named Michael, Christopher, Anthony, Matthew, Justin, Jessica, Nicole, Brittany/Britney, Ashley, Amanda, Christine/Christina/Christie/Kristin/Kristen, and Sara/Sarah, just to give you an idea of more common names.

[sarahrose.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was surprised to find Noah on the common names lists for the late 80s! I was born in 1987, and I'm Sarah. My best friends are Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Sarah, Rebecca, Christina, Tiffany - typical! LOL


Thank you!

[devonrexlvr.livejournal.com]

I'm 30 - just a tad bit older than your characters would be, and I went to school with people with almost all those names or have met others around my same age via work with those names. So, I think they'd fit the period assuming you provide some sort of date for the readers to reference. Also, a good point of reference you could use for names from certain years is the Social Security website.

[sarahrose.livejournal.com]

Yes, I did check the lists! It was painstaking coming up with good names!


Thanks!

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

Noah seems a little off. I'm 23 and I definitely can see the others. I was in school with all the other names, at least.

[so-there.livejournal.com]

Candace, Renee,and Kevin seem like they would be older. well maybe Renee could pass, but the other two scream "I was born in the early 80's/70's"

[roseofjuly.livejournal.com]

I'm in my mid-20s myself. I think Jaime/Jamie, Aaron, and Kevin are pretty spot on. Candace and Renee are more 70s names, but I could picture a few old-fashioned moms bestowing these names and I know enough Candaces in my age group (not so many Renees - they tend to be older, although my middle name is Rene).

But Noah and Leah are decidedly more modern, and sound more like they would belong on a kid under 10. These names have been around for centuries of course, but they just sound younger. Reading a book about people my age, I think I could swallow Candace and Renee but Noah and Leah would throw me, as they sound like they belong on these characters' kids and not them themselves, lol.

When I think if names for women around my age, I think of Brittany, Ashley, Nicole, Jessica, Michelle, Jennifer, Megan, Heather, Stephanie...that kind of stuff. (I know at least one person with each of those names, and went to school with tons of them).

For Leah, I might replace with Lauren, Laura, Lindsay, or Lisa. For Noah, maybe Nicholas?

If first letter doesn't matter but it's more about feel, you could replace Leah with Nicole, Sarah, Amber, Rachel or Erin. For Noah, perhaps Andrew, Ryan, David, Daniel, Matthew, or Joseph?

*If you're interested in replacing Candace, Courtney and Crystal are options. For Renee, there's maybe Rachel.

[roseofjuly.livejournal.com]

I'm in my mid-20s and all of those names are also on my most heard list. I know a million Brittanys and Ashleys, quite a lot of Sarahs and Christines/Christinas, and many Michaels and Anthonys and Christophers and Justins and Nicoles and Amandas.

In the late 1980s parents weren't so concerned with trying to be creative/different and conformity was actually a good thing, so kids then were much more likely to share a name with someone in their class (maybe even two or three other kids) than kids are nowadays. My brother (Matthew) was one of several Matthews quite a few years in elementary school.

[forloveofbaby.livejournal.com]

I babysat both a Candace (Candice) and Jamie and they are in their lower to mid 20s now. My brother is a Kevin and he is 24.

[behindgrey-eyes.livejournal.com]

I know lots of Jamies and Kevins and I'm 26. I'm in Scotland though, not sure where you are so the popular names are probably different here :)

[being-lola-star.livejournal.com]

I'm 23 and can name at least one person with these names that I went to school with or currently know.

Candace (3)
Renée (2)
Leah (2 - one spelled Leigha)
Kevin (1)
Aaron (3)
Noah (1)
Jaime (2 - 1 Jamie and 1 James who is called Jamie)

For reference, I'm from a smaller town in Ontario, Canada, primarily white. Most households are two parent with one or both parents working. Siblings include Tiffany, Jennifer, Jessica, Kerry, Rory, Xander, Christa and Chelsey.

[ringsandcoffee.livejournal.com]

I'm 35, and all but Noah and Candace sound like my generation. Candace Cameron, the actress, does pop into mind though.

There was a Jamie (male) and Jaime (female) in my class. I generally think of Jaime as the girl spelling.