Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish, is a themed post that connects bloggers to bloggers, bloggers to readers, and readers to readers. Every Tuesday has a special topic, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Characters Names I Love or Top Ten Unusual Character Names.

Unusual Character Names

1. Hermione — I had no idea how to pronounce it till the Harry Potter movies came out (or was it the fourth book? One was before the other). Once I knew how it was pronounced, I fell in love. It’s still very unusual though.

2. Mercutio — It’s fun to say. And the first Romeo & Juliet I ever saw, Mercutio was hilarious. I have an affection for Mercutio.

3. Jem — From Infernal Devices. It just seems like such a feminine name, so when it’s used as a nickname for James, I’m thrown off. As unusual as it is, I like it.

4. River — From Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Really, any name that’s odd, like animal names or super modern or nature names…they don’t make sense to me. Sometimes there’s a disconnect as I’m reading. If the person has an odd name, especially if the person is the protagonist, I have a difficult time relating. “River” was the nickname for this character, at least.

5. Frodo/Bilbo — It must be a trend in fantasy to have odd names. These two are odd and I love them, too. Adds a bit more to their personality, to them as hobbits.

Character Names I Love

6. Charlotte — Literary for the author Charlotte Bronte, and for Charlotte Lucas in Pride & Prejudice. Charlotte is a beautiful name, and it’s what I’ll name my first daughter.

7. Wendy — I just love that JM Barrie came up with this name. It’s ethereal and wistful.

8. Neryn — Shadowfell‘s protagonist has this Celtic-esque name that, even though I’m not sure how it’s pronounced (NARE-in? Nern? NEAR-an?), I still think it’s strong and ancient.

9. Grayson — From an upcoming book The Promise of Amazing. I’m sure this name is used in other books, because it’s not necessarily unusual but it’s also not a classic name.

10. Henry — Henry Tilney to be exact.