The Naming of Characters

How do you name some one? Something?

 

It puts me in mind of T.S Eliot's The Naming of Cats.

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

        I am writing a novel and having the worst time naming my main character, the best name I can think of is my own. I love my name always have. I am not one of those people who talk in the third person or have my name all over the place with face plates, pens and the like, but still I love my name. I feel for those who despise their moniker, since I have known many. No I am quite content to be Jessica although I wouldn't mind adding Star somewhere amongst my current names. But never the less I am quick content indeed. I guess because it's so very me, I mean I look like a Jessica after all, and since my character is so like me, write what you know right?, it is hard to call her by any other name. I have been throwing around names with my best friend. I am looking for a substantial name, one that can stand the test of time, be strong yet vulnerable and sympathetic. One you can relate to. And sound right. Like Peter Parker, Elizabeth Bennett, Izzy Stevens, Jack Ryan, Sherlock 

Holmes. 

Here is another picture of Mr. PiBs Amadeus Cattington!