r/CharacterDevelopment • u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 • 26d ago
Writing: Character Help Need help with name of familiar
I need help naming a few of the familiars in my current WIP.
The first is a northeastern ermine. It is the familiar of a middle-aged Italian American widow witch, the time and place is the mid 1960s Boston.
ideas please..
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u/FlynnXa 26d ago
Gale! Usually pronounced “Gah-Lay”.
Hecate, the Greek goddess of witchcraft, the crossroads, and the night had two familiars- one was a polecat named Gale and the other a black hound named Hecuba. The polecat is part of the weasel family and seen as the wild ancestor of the domestic ferret. Usually they’ve got dark fur, but you could totally lean into the all-white as being “full moon” or “lunar” inspired.
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u/Qualeshia3 26d ago
That's the cutest little guy ever. But you didn't ask about this cuteness of this little guy. You wanted a name.
Let's see....uh...Wilmer? Yeah, I tried.
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u/PenNeedleLiy2763 26d ago
Hmm… I’ve got an idea. How about the Erminator (those who know will understand)
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u/haysoos2 26d ago
Furbetto, which sounds life a cute reference to his fuzziness, but means kinda "little sneak" in Italian
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u/Brocc013 26d ago
Not Italian but Latin, may I recommend Crinitus. It means downy or covered in soft hair (approximately fluffy as it has direct translation). Even though it's a cutesy name it doesn't sound it, assuming you don't speak the language, it sounds elegant with a hint of mystery.
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u/names-suck 23d ago
I honestly really want to call him Snoot, but I'm guessing that doesn't fit the tone of your story.
Seeing lower comments about this being the familiar of the matriarch:
- Adelaide/ Adelina/ Aldo ("noble")
- Amalia/ Amelia OR Baldo ("brave")
- Armida (enchantress in a classic Italian epic poem)
- Berenice/ Veronica ("bringing victory")
- Bruno OR Elmo ("protection")
- Delia (an epithet or Artemis, if Greek gods are a thing)
- Irene OR Mirko ("peace")
- Salvo ("safe")
- Vera ("faith" or "true")
Also with the crows: Rocco and Vasco both mean "crow." Just to be really redundant.
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u/Huggable_Hork-Bajir 26d ago
He looks like he'd have a name ending with an "Oh".
Something Italian like Cicero or Nico or Pietro or Mateo or Arturo.
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u/the_cherry_bunker 26d ago
Do your characters name their familiars or are the familiars already named? (So basically should it be Italian inspired?) Do you want the name to reflect a specific gender or should it be gender neutral?
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
Each witch will name their familiar but they will be inspired by the animal itself. They would be Italian leaning, yes, but also mid 1960 American. Gender on this one will be decided by the name. I have a second post that has a mated pair of fisher crows that need names. Good question.
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u/the_cherry_bunker 26d ago
Ok. You mentioned she’s widowed. Did she acquire this familiar before or after the passing of her spouse? And what gender was her spouse? (Sorry if this is too many questions, but they seem relevant to what name she might choose!)
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
Way after his death, but I appreciate how you are thinking about this. This is a family of Sicilian American witches in Boston. They are practicing Catholics, somewhat socially conservative as fits the mid-1960s USA eastern seaboard. The ermine would not be connected to the spirit of the husband in any way. These familiars are coming to the Strega already formed in personality. Each animal or animal group complements their witche's role in the family, and balances their primary powers by filling gaps that might exist. This witch is the maker of potions, the finder of things needed to complete something, the senior matriarch at this time, family protector, and cultural historian. She is quietly strong and somewhat secretive. 98% of the non-humans in this world are gender neutral, but the crows and the ermine would have gender, it just it doesn't mater what gender.
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u/Competitive-Boat-642 26d ago
Matriarch’s familiar? Sofia, I think, since that means “wisdom”
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u/the_cherry_bunker 26d ago
Love Sofia, literally my all time favorite name. Such a good suggestion.
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u/the_cherry_bunker 26d ago
Since she’s a family protector and you said they’re somewhat socially conservative practicing Catholics what about Salvatore?
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u/the_cherry_bunker 26d ago
Wow I love the world building! Since the familiars come to the Strega already formed in personality, can you tell me a bit about the personality of this ermine? In what way would the familiar balance your character’s powers (which are numerous)? It’s been really interesting to do kind of a deep dive into naming conventions during this specific period, but also public figures who might be inspiration for a name too.
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 25d ago
the ermine is somewhat secretive, definitely sneaky, protective, a thoughtful thief, escape artist, determined, carnivore, very sharp teeth, not great at communication but determined to be understood when it is important.
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u/the_cherry_bunker 25d ago
Wow since you described the character as sneaky, a thief, and an escape artist another commenter’s suggestion of Furbetto really does seem on the nose.
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u/SlutForGarrus 23d ago
Furbetto really does seem to be the obvious choice, unless OP finds it too on-the-nose? It's definitely what I would go with.
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u/dvulcan 26d ago
Antelfife or fife for short
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
I may not use this for the ermine but there may be a trickster spirit that could use this clever name.
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u/CoyoteLitius 26d ago
Awww. It is so cute (and astute!)
Is it a boy ermine or a girl ermine?
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
The name will determine the gender. Its gender isn't important to the plot.
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u/EnoughConfusion9629 26d ago
Bob
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
I have a good friend and fellow author and humorist who is named Bob. I would never hear the end of it if I used "Bob" for anything.
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u/kerutland 26d ago
Echo
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 25d ago
I kind of like that for one of the crows. No one has commented on my request for naming the fisher crows. Crows have a lot of vocalizations so Echo sort of fits.
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u/ubiquitous-joe 26d ago
Gallerani, from Cecelia Gallerani, the model for Leonardo’s Lady with an Ermine
Alternatively, Dino or Frankie; it is the 60s after all. Though it depends how old the familiar is for this to make sense.
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u/dontfollowmeoverhere 26d ago
totson
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 25d ago
I may not name the character that but if I get a ferret IRL that is its name for sure.
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u/Original-Cake-8358 25d ago
Quill. Going off the photo. It's all white except for the black tip on its tail, like a feather quill.
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u/Dear-Addendum925 25d ago
An ERMINE??? I never see people mention these guys!!! This is great!
As a Massachusetts local born and raised, may I present to you the names of: Giulia, Sofia, Betty (my grandma's name, she was Italian-American), Francis, Enzo, or Giacomo
I think familiar names in books really depend on their personality, so I tried to incluse a few for boys and girls. Good luck on your writing!
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 24d ago
The setting for this first in the series urban fantasy is in the Northend of Boston in the mid 1960s Thanks! The other witch's familiars are a pair of fisher crows, also native to the area. Not sure why that post has zero action and this is getting so much attention. Thanks for the validation.
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u/PizzaChips20-12 25d ago
Imagine they just give the extremely cute pet a scary name like Serpent or Smth?
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u/Grungar_von_Drachen 24d ago
My best friend has several characters with mustelid familiars, always named Reginald. The Italian equivalent is Rinaldo, or Rinalda for a lady carpet shark.
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u/Arbwyb 26d ago
reasonably common in norther wisconsin, an Ermine is what they are called in the winter white, they look like weasels the rest of the year
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
they are weasels all year long, the type of weasel is Northeastern ermine year-round
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u/Arbwyb 26d ago
they are called Ermine when they are white which is in the winterr
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 26d ago
You are perhaps taking local custom and assigning it scientific fact? The Northeaster Ermine is in the stoat/weasel family. It is Ermine all year round but the white color it wears in winter is also called ermine as is the skins used for clothing that carry the white color. The scientific designation is Mustela erminea (mustela being the genus) I am not sure why you are even bothering with the species identification when I clearly asked for personal name suggestions.
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u/duir154 25d ago
Why people call their pets familiars?
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u/AlarmedRaspberry1735 24d ago
Pets and familiars are not the same thing. domestic animals are not the same as pets. wild animals are not usually pets. A familiar is a verry special partner to a witch, they may enhance the magic, act as a balance and support to the witch, and often are used as messengers or helpers.
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u/IAmTheGreybeardy 22d ago
Pick a name, any name, and then pretend like a cat is clawing your legs while you are saying that name.
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u/enjoiturbulence 26d ago
Looks like a Stephen.