Willa vs. Nessa

[heimarmene]

I found yet another name that I'm considering for this character Oops?

Nessa/Willa Marchand is 19 years old, born in New York but currently living in London, England with older brother (Crispin) & attending university as an art major; brown hair & green eyes; tall (5'8, 5'9) and fit but not skinny/thin; slightly awkward socially/clumsy physically; not a huge people person. She mostly keeps to herself/doesn't pry into others' lives, except for her brother's; is very nosey about Crispin's personal affairs/love life. Normally a pretty nice girl (sweet), but will resort to anything within reason to make sure her brother's happy (spunky/determined). She can't cook to save her life. (She can bake, though the kitchen may catch on fire)

Pros & Cons of Nessa: Pros: It's weird like Crispin, but makes her seem a little bit untouchable due to the Loch Ness Monster connection, which is good. Short for Nerissa. Cons: Too weird?

Pros & Cons of Willa: Pros: Sounds nice when said aloud. Cons: It seems incomplete, & not as weird as I'd like it. Also, may be getting a little too popular.

What do you guys think?

[poezekate]

I love the name Nessa, I think it's very cute!

[ashthedreamer]

I like Willa a lot! While Nessa does have some of the qualities you like, I think Willa just seems to completely suit the character you described, and Willa in itself feels a bit untouchable. I think Willa and Crispin are perfect together--I don't really think of Crispin as weird... more of a quirky, timeless classic. It's never been used enough to be dated to any time period, but I don't see it as weird at all. Nessa and Crispin seem much more mismatched than Willa and Crispin to me.

That, and I'm biased here, but I wrote a story with a Nessa in it--she was from Scotland, a bit of a rebel and a wild-child, a troublemaker. Not a very appealing character and everyone would have instantly sided with her brother, who was trying to help her, instead of her. So I just don't see the appeal behind a character named Nessa as opposed to Willa, haha. I don't think Willa would have been that popular when your character was born, either, so I don't think its popularity is a problem.

Good luck!

[heimarmene]

Hey, what do you guys think of Nilla? It's part Willa, part Nessa, an actual name () even though it kinda looks like it's a kr8ive spelling, and is quirky like Crispin. It's probably pronounced Nil-AH, but I said it in my head the first time as NEEL-ah. WDYT?

[ashthedreamer]

Nilla sounds too much like Vanilla to me. Like Nilla Wafers? I loved those cookies growing up, haha, but maybe not the best name for a character. What about Milla (mil-ah) or Mila (mee-lah)? If you like Mila, you could even do Camila, Emilia, or Milena with the nn Mila...

[east93]

I prefer Willa for her, and I think it goes better with Crispin than Nessa.
Mila is a good one too.

[dearest]

I don't like Nerissa as a sister to Crispin, Nessa for Agnes would be better.
And Nessa is more fun than Willa, although Willa could be for Willamina.
Both Crispin and Willamina, and Agnes and Crispin sound like plausible sibsets. Nerissa is a different style from Crispin and they both have -ris- in them which makes them a little too matchy for me.

I would do Crispin and Agnes nn Nessa if I were you. Agnes is a better fit with her personality as well, a little awkward but still very straight-forward and knows what she wants.

[queenkasskaa]

I never actually like the name Willa, I don't know why. Maybe, like you said, because it seems incomplete. I don't really like Nessa either, but it is weird and does in fact go with the name Crispin. I think Nessa's the way to go.

[mollykat78]

I like Mila..I would not start the book if Nessa or Willa were the main character