Characters’ names

Comment:
My 4th grade class in Ohio just finished reading Shiloh and even watched the movie in class. I really liked Dara Lynn and Becky. I liked Sam from the movie, too. I just love the part of the movie where Judd Travers lets Shiloh out of the truck, and just runs to Marty.. I have a question for you to.How did you come up with all of the character’s names in the movie and book?

Phyllis replied:

It takes me a long while to think up names, even though I have a big book called What to Name the Baby,  which tells the meanings of names.  I have to consider what part of the country the people live in, how old they are, whether male or female. Whether the name is too unusual or too common…. lots of things. And I make sure that no two names sound alike, that might confuse a reader–such as Marty and Marvin or Lily and Lilah.  I try not to have too many names ending in “y” or “ie” or “a”, just so the reader can easily keep them apart if it is a book with a lot of characters.