Need help choosing between these names or maybe you have better ideas?I'm looking to create an elegant name for the character. Thank you Anastasia Darlon Anastasia Dorsey Anastasia Bellis Anastasia Baynes Anastasia Berrie Anastasia Noble Anastasia Greven
Hmm, what's the setting? A fantasy world with flying whales, a class 7K Ark ship in deep space, 17th century Vienna? What nationality is she? Russian, French, Mongolian? Out of those I would say "Berrie" I feel it should end with a vowel. Preferably one that ends with an "ah" sound.
I second all of the above...those details play a huge role for me with names. Of your listed choices I prefer Baynes. I lean more towards single syllable last names when first names with 4+ are chosen.
It is a short story that is taking place right now. The protagonist is an artist, who is very philosophical, intellectual and has very peculiar point of view on life. She is an immigrant and is changing her name to leave her mysterious past behind.
Alright well... What's this "peculiar view"? Where is she immigrating from? Where is she immigrating to? Is she the kind of person who would pick a name from her old country, or would she pick a name from the new country to fit in? If she is an artist why not have her choose her favorite artists last name?
She doesn't want to be associated with the her past, her country, her family and newly chosen name is representative of the new beginning. She wouldn't choose the name after her favorite artist because she wants to be her own person. The story covers her past life and all the difficulties, absurdities she had to go through, now is the time for the new person who is mysterious and has a unique perspective that was gained through her experiences Thank you
She immigrated to US, but since she isn't American and will always remain an immigrant for the people here, I want to give her new last name sophistication, mystery and ambiguity .
So she's making a kind of rebirth for herself. Look up some name meanings for 'new' or words similar and maybe something will strike you. Etymology is useful here. Anastasia Neville - new town or something more literal like Anastasia Chance.
name Anastasia means "resurrection" in Greek I wanted her last name to be strong and powerful like Greven which means "in charge" or "in power"
Then go with Greven...never heard of that and it's not on my usual go-to site for etymology, BTN. Most readers won't know the meaning anyway unless you go more literal or well-known, so the difference is only made to you, the author, unless you specify why she chooses whichever name. Just stay far, far away from Steele!
Well the problem I see with that is most readers aren't onomatologists (pretty sure that's the right word) they, like I, have no idea what Greven means. Some other names with a strong meaning could include: Stark, Valens, Valentine, Valerius, Arsen, Averey, Balera, Battair. Stark is the most common, but it's up to you, It seems you like Greven so use Greven. Unless you are using her full name all the time it doesn't matter all that much.
With a long first name (four or five syllables, depending on how you scan it), I would keep the surname simple. Go for sound, not meaning. Anastasia Blake Anastasia Crane Anastasia Cole Anastasia Hale Anastasia Lane Anastasia Lake Anastasia Sims Anastasia Vale
I like @David K. Thomasson's suggestions. The most striking to me is Anastasia Vale. It is interesting and alluring, yet mysterious and imposing. It's sexy, classy, simple, and and can work as a play on the word Veil (to cover) since she's covering up her past. It stands out to me the most, and if none of you use it, I might just tuck it away for future use. I'll pay David $0.50 for it.
You could go a little sideways. There's a columnist at the Wall Street Journal named Mary Anastasia O'Grady.
I just thought of Anastasia Greer. I don't know, I just think it fits nicely: long, romantic, exotic and slightly frilly first name with a sharp, quite harsh last name. From your list, I like Anastasia Baynes the most. Good luck!
I could ask why she doesn't use Roberts or Jones. Maybe flip through a phonebook? I'm gravitating towards the B-names without knowing what they mean.
