Book Characters I Would Name My Hypothetical Children After

Books would be nothing without their characters. The protagonists whose stories we follow and the villains that incite a plot are central to any novel. I don't love every fictional person (ahem, Aelin), but some I adore so much that I would name my *extremely* hypothetical children after. Or maybe just my cat.


Inej Ghafa from Six of Crows

I think everyone adores Inej, who is a Suli acrobat turned spy in the Grisha world. The Six of Crows duology contains an entire cast of characters, all of whom I love, but Inej is my favorite. She has a strong yet kind personality and possesses an extraordinary amount of skill. Inej is one of the best written characters I have read in a long time. In fact, the rest of the Dregs are outstanding and realistic characters that stand out in a world of books filled with bland, repetitive personalities and tropes. Inej is not a standard "strong female character" that everyone tries, and often fails, to write nowadays. She is strong, yes, but she is also reserved and maintains her heart and her morals throughout a tough situation. I am hoping that the upcoming Shadow and Bone/Six of Crows show casts her well and portrays her character appropriately. 


Magnus Bane from the Shadowhunters' series

Magus Bane is another beloved character. He is featured in all of the Shadowhunter books by Cassandra Clare and every scene with him cracks me up. He's sassy and sarcastic but also cunning and loyal. In case you don't know, Magnus is an immortal warlock in a world featuring a host of supernatural creatures: vampires, angels, werewolves, and the infamous half-angel demon hunters called Shadowhunters. He is so much fun to read about and brings a lot of life to the series. I'm also going to take this time to complain about the two (not one, but two) Shadowhunter adaptations that have been such huge let downs. Between the world, the plot, and the characters, you would think that Hollywood had enough source material to craft a fantastic show or movie, but no. However, I did enjoy Harry Shum Jr. as Magnus in the Shadowhunters TV show even if I disliked the show itself.

Taran and Eilonwy from The Book of Three

Welcome to the most underrated book series of all time starring two of the most underrated main characters. I wrote an entire post dedicated to the Prydain Chronicles a while back singing its praises, and one of the best things about it are the characters. Taran is heroic but humble and Eilonwy is fierce and daring. The two of them are just the tip of an iceberg of heartfelt series filled with brave and wondrous people and places. I tell nearly everyone who listens (and some who don't) to read these books. Read them to your kids, read them at fifteen, or fifty, or one hundred. This story and these characters never get old, even if you do. The only thing that would stop me naming any hypothetical children after them is the fact that half the names are solidly Welsh and difficult to pronounce.

Percy Jackson from, well, Percy Jackson

Percy and Annabeth are just such amazing characters. Fun fact, I once dressed up as Annabeth Chase in elementary school. If you haven't read this series yet, I don't know where you've been for the past decade. I particularly love the name Percy/Perseus. Honestly, any and all names deriving from Greek mythology are beautiful: Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Odysseus, etc. But this version of Percy beats even the original. Percy is funny, loyal, and brave. It would be hard not to love him and I desperately want to reread the original series to revisit his story. Although I would probably die quickly if I were an actual half-blood, I would kill to dive in and experience a quest at Camp Half-Blood and meet Percy and the gang.  



Vasilisa Petrovna from The Bear and the Nightingale

If you haven't yet read the Winternight trilogy by Katherine Arden, I cannot recommend it more. The Bear and the Nightingale is a fantasy tale following Vasya as she grows up in the wilds of old Russia. It is a fantastical, atmospheric, and haunting story that traces Vasya's life from her birth. Vasya is a bit of an odd-ball; she can see spirits from Russian folklore when no one else can and many end up proclaiming her a witch. Vasya is a witty, stubborn, and bold girl that I really relate to. She has a determination to live and explore, as well as an limitless desire to protect those she loves and to experience everything life has to offer. 

Who are your favorite fictional characters?