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About to publish - please help me on a name (you will all be thanked)

61 replies

MiamiMaddie · 08/12/2025 23:25

Dear MN’s,

I will delete if not allowed here plus Ill have to delete soon anyway

About to publish something thats been in pipeline for sometime and now to fruition..

Editor - has to change a character name as has been used in well known past work

Really quick one (asking because this site was amazing in helping me decide on my own DS’s names 17 and 15 years ago ….

Quick description of character

Feisty, petite,shy, unassuming,beautiful,blonde, horrific past of abuse, striking, self deprecating, too soft, forgiving, very quick witted and funny, vulnerable,ex model, now a freelance writer

Elle Fox
Dannii Brooke
Chloe Brook Fox
Loren Fox
Brooke Woods
Elle Woods
Rachel Elle
Elle Mcguire

Sorry if random and MN HR please delete if not allowed on this particular forum

Thank you all

OP posts:
ArcticBear · 08/12/2025 23:57

I liked Loren Fox, but the PP’s comment about Laurence Fox has totally put me off. So I’m changing to Elle Fox.

FairlyOddmother · 08/12/2025 23:56

Lorelei Brooke?

MarxistMags · 08/12/2025 23:56

Danni Brooke.

PrincessOfPreschool · 08/12/2025 23:54

I think Lauren is better than Loren. Lauren Brook Woods is a great name for a late 20s/ early 30s character.

Dontlletmedownbruce · 08/12/2025 23:54

They are all really sexy names. The character is petite and beautiful, I think it would be more believable to have an ordinary name, something common and relatable. If you are going with the list I like Brooke or any of the McGuire names.

AiryFairyLights · 08/12/2025 23:51

I like Elle McGuire but I think Ellen McGuire is better 👍
wishing you the absolute best with it whatever you decide xx

OuijaBoard · 08/12/2025 23:51

Yep, would be helpful to know (roughly) the age and nationality/nationalities of the character. If she's supposed to be British, a lot of these don't really work, but could be tweaked a little as:

Ella/Ellie Fox
Danielle/Daniela (Dani) Brooke
Chloe Brook(e) Fox - fine as is
Lauren Fox
Brooke Woods (fine as is)
Rachel Ellis - or maybe something like Rachel Ellsworth, Rachel Ellesmere?
Ella/Ellie McGuire

Secretsantaofficefairy · 08/12/2025 23:50

Loren fox is nice but makes me think of Laurence fox
i would go with danni brook

Sleepeazie · 08/12/2025 23:45

I’d use Lauren and not loren?

GarlicRound · 08/12/2025 23:45

DallazMajor · 08/12/2025 23:27

Elle Mcguire. The others sound try hard.

And me.

1000umbrellas · 08/12/2025 23:44

I like the last name Brook but for some reason the character description makes me think of names ending in -a, like Cara or Laura. Best of luck with publication and well done!

RescueMeFromThisSilliness · 08/12/2025 23:44

Loren Fox. Short and to the point, and not the usual 'Lauren' spelling.

I've been thinking up a whole variety of names for characters in the book I'm writing, and it is jolly tricky and time-consuming to get it right.

stayok · 08/12/2025 23:44

Loren Fox is too much like Laurence Fox.

Not keen on any of them. Brooke Woods is like two things on a country walk, as is Chloe Brooke Fox. Elle Woods is in Legally Blonde.

Elle McGuire is ok, or Chloe McGuire.

OhDonuts · 08/12/2025 23:42

Elle Mcguire

I like this one the most because it’s more normal sounding and I associate it with blond women. The others sound too made up if that makes sense! 🤣

Lovetosurf · 08/12/2025 23:41

None of those really work for me, with the character traits/appearance you've described.
Age of character?
Set in UK or elsewhere?

LiamNeesonIsADerryGirl · 08/12/2025 23:38

Loren Fox

Runrunrudolph · 08/12/2025 23:37

Danii only if she was a page 3 girl kind of model.

Oh dear! I was going to say I preferred the Dannii Brooke option on the list.
But I must admit mainly because I'm not very enthusiastic about any of the other options.

Upholstery · 08/12/2025 23:34

ZenNudist · 08/12/2025 23:30

Maguire sounds like Jerry's relative!

How about Elle McClure. Not sure about Elle with Scottish or Irish name.

Elise Woods.

Ellie McClure I reckon.

FireandBrimstone · 08/12/2025 23:33

Oops, reading other responses niw
maybe I misread the brief.
Though I couldn’t choose any from your own list I’m afraid as they all seem too
close to other fictional character names (eg Elle from legally Blonde as someone else has said)

Upholstery · 08/12/2025 23:32

Chloe Brook Fox

There aren't enough main characters called Chloe. I think it's a beautiful name and it was also popular in the generation of young women who are now in their twenties, if that's the demographic you're going for. Or, it was a popular name choice for their mothers, who are now in their forties/fifties, if that's the demographic you're going for.

I like the ambiguity of the other two names as well - is Brook a surname or a middle name or a name of an unmarried parent? Keep em guessing.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 08/12/2025 23:30

Ella McGuire, Chloe Brooks or Rachel Woods

Elle doesn't sound terribly convincing as a real adult name, and anything involving Fox is a bit Jackie Collins. Danii only if she was a page 3 girl kind of model.

FireandBrimstone · 08/12/2025 23:30

Lila Bruce
Sienna McAllister
Ellen Thompson
Mo Montague
Tamsin Phillips
Tansy Livingston
Izzy Dickinson

dreamiesformolly · 08/12/2025 23:30

I’m gravitating to Dannii Brooke for some reason… (I write too and spend a lot of time mulling over character names)

WorkingMum90 · 08/12/2025 23:30

Don't like any of those for the description. How about Lauren Jacobs?

ZenNudist · 08/12/2025 23:30

Maguire sounds like Jerry's relative!

How about Elle McClure. Not sure about Elle with Scottish or Irish name.

Elise Woods.