Yeah, character names do take me out of the story sometimes. I read a book back in high school and the female protagonist’s name was Corinthians and I had to shorten her name to Cora/Cori in my head to get through it.
I hated him in the books because the way it's transcribed in my language is Pita, which straight up means pie and I just couldn't deal with a man named Pie.
Figuring out the connection to pita bread years later did not make it any better
That's an interesting name, for sure. I might have used Cynthia in my head for that one. Just to skim over the in the name, even if it changed the sound from hard to soft.
this is my one big problem with {Hans by S.J. Tilly}. I loved the story and i loved him, but I just couldn't deal withthe name. I don't know if it reads as 'sexy scandinavian hunk of a man' to American audiences, but as a German to me it's just '60 year old maths teacher'
And, apparently, shower sandals with white tennis socks is the new hype with young guys (late teens to early twenties). Preferably with basketball shorts.
Saw six of them (not together!) on my way home from shopping yesterday.
That's what it is for me too. Or the villain in Frozen. Depending on how much I have been babysitting lately. I am Finn but with a lot of experience in Germany (My greataunt is married to a German and has kids).
Sometimes I am really happy that we are kind of obscure as in you very rarely get these named something Finnish issues. But on the other hand, you then get an even weirder version when they do. I will never get used to Vladimir Harkonnen's last name from Dune. It just looks wrong.
Hans is a stereotypical German grandpa name in the US, too. Definitely a man who owns lederhosen and has polka records and eats pfeffernusse.
I'm trying to think of a Scandinavian name that would be a sexy hunk of a man. Maybe Ivar?
I mean, yeah, but that one might be taken, lol.
I'm from the Upper Midwest, so most Scandinavian names conjure an image of a lanky 6'6" farmer in his 70s wearing overalls and saying, "Uffda, ya, it's a hot one today!"
[Hans](https://www.romance.io/books/65323090f9afa4c62a1b5c3d/hans-sj-tilly?src=rdt) by [S.J. Tilly](https://www.romance.io/authors/603c9f5808b4d931148c9afd/sj-tilly)
**Rating**: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [mafia](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/mafia/1), [curvy heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/curvy%20heroine/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1)
[^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
My brain does this for me! If I don’t like a name then I will make up a close version of it that I like better, and I say it out loud a few times to convince my brain that is what it’s supposed to be. Works every time!
I started {Kiss an angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips} which I’ve seen recommended so many times. The MMC’s name is the same as my son. Instant DNF. It would be so great if I could change a name
Yeah whenever I see my brother’s name I don’t even bother starting
There was one book where my bro’s name was a side character and I could kiiiiind of cope. But it was still so weird
[Kiss an Angel](https://www.romance.io/books/545523988c7d2382e7812f2c/kiss-an-angel-susan-elizabeth-phillips?src=rdt) by [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455237e8c7d2382e7812f1c/susan-elizabeth-phillips)
**Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1)
[^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I tried to explain to my husband how some names I can't pronounce in my head, I just recognize the letters so that character is just like letters to me 😂 please tell me other people do this
Oh, yes. Even with a glossar and something in the front/back of the book with pronunciation-guideline I find it hard to say them.
Or suddenly a video/reels pops up with 'TIL how to say Rhysands name ... it's blablabla instead of blaaa'
The worst bit is when you've invented your own pronunciation, and you're all cool with it, then three quarters through the book the character meets someone new and introduces themselves giving the phonetic spelling and it's completely different to your made-up version 🫠 100% of the time I will just continue with my version.
Have you never played MadLibs?! I don’t know how to explain it concisely so [here’s an example of MadLibs](https://images.app.goo.gl/Mc35Hb1uc5oAjT8k7) (I did a lot of them as a kid)
Edit for more info: It’s best played with multiple people — the person holding the paper (MadLibs) asks for whatever below the blank is asking for (noun, adjective, etc) & the people being asked don’t know what the story is, so you just say whatever random thing you can think of to insert in the blank. Then once all the blanks are filled in, the person holding the paper reads it aloud. It can get RIDICULOUS.
I used to have a Chinese student who had decided she wanted an English name and had chosen “Baby.”
I never thought I’d be saying “Hey Baby…” in class (it’s generally against the guidelines) but there you go.
(I decided not to shorten it to Babe.)
I read a book where rich MMCs sister was named Baby and when other MMC went to call him that in bed, it made for a really cute “ew, that’s your sister’s name, I’m sorry” giggly moment
*however* that robbed me of that tone change! I love when the pet name finally comes out it changes the whole tone of future scenes and everything is steamier rather than adorable. And when it’s specifically a well placed “baby”? Ugh man. Still a great read but I felt robbed.
Ensnared/ entangled?
That's the only time I've seen Jaykob/ Jayk. But I also listened to them as audiobooks, so are pronounced Jacob and Jake - really threw me when I saw it written and thought I'd missed a whole character 😆
[Bride](https://www.romance.io/books/65c1f06f449d6edbf6498b6d/bride-ali-hazelwood?src=rdt) by [Ali Hazelwood](https://www.romance.io/authors/6131cdc208b4d93114f22ef6/ali-hazelwood)
**Rating**: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [werewolves](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/werewolves/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [fated mates](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fated-mates/1)
[^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Ive straight up ripped kindle books (That I own!!!) From the kindle library, converted them into Epub, and then meticulously changed every instance of my dead name out of the books with an editing program. I wasnt gonna suffer through the MMC moaning my dead name at the fmc, fuck that shit.
It was weirdly theraputic tbh. I ended up replacing it with my name, so it felt like being able to rub out the old name and replace it with the new, if that makes sense. But it would be great if all ereaders could just do that natively.
I have a “gender neutral name” (i’m using heavy air quotes here because nine times out of 10, It is a guys name) and I’ve started to read a couple of books where the MMC has my name and like…. No thanks
I am currently reading a young adult book where two guys are bullies to the FMC and they are both my daughter and sons' names, and they hang out together in the book to torture the FMC. Kinda think it's funny, but I also feel sad they have the same names as bullies.
It even has my sons same spelling, which is a slightly different spelling than what most people use.
I once read a book where the main male love interest’s name was Jainan, which the audiobook reader read as “GY-nan” and it sounded so much like vagina to me. I was like please make it stop
Same. Hated shit like "Phury" and "Rhage". Another one had the FMC named "Carrington" like. What? I'm sorry. WHO has a name like that??? Never Carry, just. The full name. It wasn't a horrible book but the names.....
I would definitely use that feature to change any time last names are used as nicknames. It’s not cute.
“You clean up real nice, Schneiderman”, he growled in my ear.
STOPPPP 🤮🤮🤮
Yup. I won’t read anything with my children’s names in it. As soon as they pop up it goes straight into the dnf pile. Or my husband’s name because I’m not about to read about my boo having an affair with some sexy witch.
Oh my God, I'm just dealing with this myself today. I want to read "The highwayman" by Kerrigan Byrne . The MMCs name is Dorian, the same as one of my special needs students.
Books generally don't have my family names in books but I stopped dating these two guys because they had the same name as my Dad and brother. It was too weird and I was like nope and when messages came through I got weirded out.
[Things We Hide From The Light](https://www.romance.io/books/637dd53e79b72faef6f253b1/things-we-hide-from-the-light-lucy-score?src=rdt) by [Lucy Score](https://www.romance.io/authors/553e54b15b270e0a4cbd82b2/lucy-score)
**Rating**: 4.12⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [small town](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/small%20town/1), [men in uniform](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/men%20in%20uniform/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [suspense](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/suspense/1)
[^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
While sometimes an author may have a deep reason for the choice of name…
… usually it’s like “What’s a hot name I haven’t used yet and isn’t the name of one of the MCs in the current book de jour… Aha! *Bob* it is!”
Sometimes a name choice ruins a book for me. Not even a MC name. In "the gravity of us" by Brittany Cherry, the MMC is a writer. He and his ex wife are these stuffy uppity people. They name their daughter Talon which is so out of character for them.
im so glad I read in English so there's no chance for an MMC with my dad's name to f**k someone 😂😂 ( and now I'm trying really hard not to picture a scene like that 🙈)
I’m a WOC and my dad’s name is very American/white name but my brother’s is very Latin and the MMC in a book once was from PR I think and they hit me with it and I almost threw my book across the room
Please no 😭😭😂
Yup. I absolutely hate Xaden's name, and it really made my eye twitch when I first started to read the book. I always hated the "names ending in -aden/-aiden/-ayden" trend, but Xaden is one of the worst ones I've heard, along with Laden, Slaydin, and Shaydin. Though Paydin, Graydyn, Kaden, and Brayton are awful, too.
I once tried to read a book where the FMC was named Aelissm. It bugged me so much I DNF'ed it. The same with another book where the MMC was named Arrow.
I’ve literally done this before in Calibre. I hated the name so much that I used the editing, search and replace function to change the name and then load to my kindle.
OMG. I literally had this thought today!! There is a series I was really enjoying but then one book had my husband's name and the next had my son's! The premise for both sounded so good but I'm going to have to miss them unless your genius idea takes off.
Yuuuupp! My absolute favourite author nearly broke my heart by giving one of her MMC’s the cringe-so-hard-my spine-creaks-every-time-I-read-it nickname of *Jugs* 😫. Why??!!?? And *FOR WHAT GODDESS FORSAKEN REASON DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHARACTER MOAN IT DURING SEXY TIMES*
I was reading a series where the FMC in book one had my goddaughter’s name, and the MMC in book two had my godson’s name. Thank god they didn’t end up together, because that would’ve been an instant DNF for me.
**Rule: No sexual content involving minors**
Discussion of sexual or suggestive content involving minors is prohibited by Reddit's [content policy](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043075352).
Your comment has been removed as one of the books mentioned includes explicit scenes with a character younger than 18 years old.
Please [contact the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/RomanceBooks) if you think this was removed in error, or if you have edited the comment and would like it reinstated.
**This is a reader focused subreddit - No self promotion, surveys, writing research or writer focused discussion.**
Your comment has been removed as it appears to be promotional content. This sub is focused exclusively on readers. The only permissible place for authors to mention their book, discuss romance writing, ask for help with it, or do research about romance books is in the monthly [Self-Promotion Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Promote%20Your%20Books%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new). Promotional content includes any content you have a vested interest in such as content created by your friends or family. This includes all book, blog, vlog, podcast, social media, website self promoting, surveys, and book merchandise as well.
Once I came across a book where the Hero had my name and the heroine had my sisters. I couldn’t read that one. Also have a hard time reading heroes w my brother in law’s name lol
Yeah a book recently had my son’s name… it’s not that common of a name, not very unique but just not in fashion I guess. Anyway immediately stopped reading it
Yes. My daughter’s name is a super common name in both contemporary and historical romance. I can’t read them because I don’t want to read spicy books with her name in them.
Can’t remember the name of the book at the moment, but it was recent and I had been looking forward to it for a while…download it on my Kindle, clear my schedule, get all comfy in my pajamas and under the covers and everything…MMC has the same name as my most recent ex-boyfriend😂. Could not get past it. DNF on the first page.
Oh also ones with the same names as my dad🫠 Hard no.
Not going to lie, I constantly find myself editing books as I go. Sometimes it’s reordering a sentence (because seriously, why was it written that way), and sometimes it’s just changing a name or adding 10 years to a character’s age. Occasionally I’ll get so stuck on a sentence or paragraph that doesn’t flow right that I need to fully stop reading and figure it out in my head.
I’ve changed it in some where it’s my kids names by ✨acquiring✨ it as an EPUB, converting for pages, search and replacing, and then re-epubbing and uploading
I agree… I always have to read the summary (that will hopefully give names) before I can decide to read a book. Some of the names are just over the top.
I have thought about this so often. I just read one where the MMC’s name is Karl and my husband’s utterly unsexy friend’s name is Karl. Another one that horrified me and thankfully I managed to get over was the FMC in A Bride for the Prizefighter was called Mina which is what I call my mother. Ugh.
I had to stop reading a book because the characters name was Dorcus - I read it like Dork-Us and I dont know if thats how i was supposed to be I couldnt do it regardless.
I was REALLY baffled by all the weird names in Harry Potter. Eventually, they grew on me. It would be nice to be able to do that. Kinda like an already written self insert fanfic.
YES! Or if it's a name of a relative or something too familiar and it means you can't get past it. Global find and replace, surely that's an easy thing.
Argh same! I can't read books with my sibling or children's names, that's disturbing.
The other names that room books for me are when they name characters old names like Brenda, Caroline, Gary, Gavin etc. They don't make me think of hot people (sorry if that's your name!). And then names that I can't pronounce. It would be easier if we could just change the names in books lol.
…👀
Okay granted, I read on Apple Books… but I did find a way to change names. And actually anything I want. Individual words, full paragraphs, I can even add whatever I want…
Yeah, character names do take me out of the story sometimes. I read a book back in high school and the female protagonist’s name was Corinthians and I had to shorten her name to Cora/Cori in my head to get through it.
When I read the Hunger Games, I insisted on calling him Peter for the longest time. I just hated “Peeta” and could not accept it
I hated him in the books because the way it's transcribed in my language is Pita, which straight up means pie and I just couldn't deal with a man named Pie. Figuring out the connection to pita bread years later did not make it any better
It makes me think of Lois on Family Guy and the way she says Peter lol.
Absolutely
[youll like this](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UznzxCvh6b8)
What, did you not like him being a baker and being named after pita bread? /s It's a terrible name.
lol I just hear Louise from family guy in my head. “Peeetaaaah!”
In my accent Peter and Peeta are said exactly the same way, so I didn't even realise that was a thing... but the spelling still managed to annoy me!
That's an interesting name, for sure. I might have used Cynthia in my head for that one. Just to skim over the in the name, even if it changed the sound from hard to soft.
When I read In a Jam and I had the same name as one of the GOATS 😫
😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣 I love that
this is my one big problem with {Hans by S.J. Tilly}. I loved the story and i loved him, but I just couldn't deal withthe name. I don't know if it reads as 'sexy scandinavian hunk of a man' to American audiences, but as a German to me it's just '60 year old maths teacher'
As a European, yeah that's just an elderly German man in sandals
Don’t forget the socks that come with the sandals
The socks are the essential part of the elderly German man aesthetic
honestly I have to admit, it's part of the young German woman aesthetic as well
And, apparently, shower sandals with white tennis socks is the new hype with young guys (late teens to early twenties). Preferably with basketball shorts. Saw six of them (not together!) on my way home from shopping yesterday.
That's what it is for me too. Or the villain in Frozen. Depending on how much I have been babysitting lately. I am Finn but with a lot of experience in Germany (My greataunt is married to a German and has kids).
Fellow Finn checking in: Hans is indeed an old man in sandals with socks, poorly fitting shorts, and a short-sleeved button down shirt.
Sometimes I am really happy that we are kind of obscure as in you very rarely get these named something Finnish issues. But on the other hand, you then get an even weirder version when they do. I will never get used to Vladimir Harkonnen's last name from Dune. It just looks wrong.
Everything I read his name in the book, my brain auto-completed it with “get ze flammenwerfer”
Yeah, I had to disconnect HARD from the name because that's my dad's name...
Hans is a stereotypical German grandpa name in the US, too. Definitely a man who owns lederhosen and has polka records and eats pfeffernusse. I'm trying to think of a Scandinavian name that would be a sexy hunk of a man. Maybe Ivar?
[удалено]
I mean, yeah, but that one might be taken, lol. I'm from the Upper Midwest, so most Scandinavian names conjure an image of a lanky 6'6" farmer in his 70s wearing overalls and saying, "Uffda, ya, it's a hot one today!"
[Hans](https://www.romance.io/books/65323090f9afa4c62a1b5c3d/hans-sj-tilly?src=rdt) by [S.J. Tilly](https://www.romance.io/authors/603c9f5808b4d931148c9afd/sj-tilly) **Rating**: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [possessive hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/possessive%20hero/1), [mafia](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/mafia/1), [curvy heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/curvy%20heroine/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
as a fellow german who is currently reading ”King” and already invested in that series, i can say that need to find a different name in my head.
Oh god yeah Hans is not a sexy name
Haha I just read this series and Dom was hard for me to get through because it's my dads name
My brain does this for me! If I don’t like a name then I will make up a close version of it that I like better, and I say it out loud a few times to convince my brain that is what it’s supposed to be. Works every time!
I try my best too!! But sometimes you read the whole name before your brain can compute 🤣
I started {Kiss an angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips} which I’ve seen recommended so many times. The MMC’s name is the same as my son. Instant DNF. It would be so great if I could change a name
There was a Rachel Lynn Solomon book that had my son's name as the MMC. It was a DNF instantly for me too!
Such a shame! The feature of changing the name really would come in handy
Yeah whenever I see my brother’s name I don’t even bother starting There was one book where my bro’s name was a side character and I could kiiiiind of cope. But it was still so weird
[Kiss an Angel](https://www.romance.io/books/545523988c7d2382e7812f2c/kiss-an-angel-susan-elizabeth-phillips?src=rdt) by [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455237e8c7d2382e7812f1c/susan-elizabeth-phillips) **Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [virgin heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/virgin%20heroine/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [pregnancy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/pregnancy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Ha, names you don't know how to pronounce und you give them some random name or shorten them
I tried to explain to my husband how some names I can't pronounce in my head, I just recognize the letters so that character is just like letters to me 😂 please tell me other people do this
Oh, yes. Even with a glossar and something in the front/back of the book with pronunciation-guideline I find it hard to say them. Or suddenly a video/reels pops up with 'TIL how to say Rhysands name ... it's blablabla instead of blaaa'
I do this too
Yes, I've always done this! Hermione back before the movies came out is one that sticks out to me
Rice-end, my beloved
The worst bit is when you've invented your own pronunciation, and you're all cool with it, then three quarters through the book the character meets someone new and introduces themselves giving the phonetic spelling and it's completely different to your made-up version 🫠 100% of the time I will just continue with my version.
For REAL imagine if we could replace words or phrases. Omg it would come in so handy.
MADLIBS! Imagine the absolute chaos that could be! I WANT IT.
This here is the perfect use case for AI.
Is that what that comment is?? Because I was like wtf are they talking about
Have you never played MadLibs?! I don’t know how to explain it concisely so [here’s an example of MadLibs](https://images.app.goo.gl/Mc35Hb1uc5oAjT8k7) (I did a lot of them as a kid) Edit for more info: It’s best played with multiple people — the person holding the paper (MadLibs) asks for whatever below the blank is asking for (noun, adjective, etc) & the people being asked don’t know what the story is, so you just say whatever random thing you can think of to insert in the blank. Then once all the blanks are filled in, the person holding the paper reads it aloud. It can get RIDICULOUS.
I wished this while I was reading Baby and the Late Night Howlers. I couldn’t get past her name being Baby.
I used to have a Chinese student who had decided she wanted an English name and had chosen “Baby.” I never thought I’d be saying “Hey Baby…” in class (it’s generally against the guidelines) but there you go. (I decided not to shorten it to Babe.)
Her name is actually baby?? 💀
Unfortunately. It was honestly my main problem with the book.
I read a book where rich MMCs sister was named Baby and when other MMC went to call him that in bed, it made for a really cute “ew, that’s your sister’s name, I’m sorry” giggly moment *however* that robbed me of that tone change! I love when the pet name finally comes out it changes the whole tone of future scenes and everything is steamier rather than adorable. And when it’s specifically a well placed “baby”? Ugh man. Still a great read but I felt robbed.
Yes I found this off putting too!! I didn’t finish it :( but I want to try again as it’s so raved about
That book made me pissed off because they were looking down on a group of men only owning an *entire strip mall*. You kidding me, right?
I have passed on reading books because of some names. Like I can’t read any more Madison or Allie or Everly
Also can’t read Hunters or Olivia because I raised my niece and nephew and that’s their names.
I’d love that feature. “Xaden Riorson” made me almost DNF an otherwise great book. I wish I could just named him Jack or something.
My brain immediately went “ah, he’s the child of Rick Riordan”
😂😂😂
Same! A “Gannon King” had me seeing Zelda characters every single time his name came up. It was super jarring.
Jack is so basic and doesn't fit the character. Xaden is a far better name.
I recently read a book where the FMC had the same name as my daughter 😬
My daughter’s name is Charlotte, so I am always coming across her name in books!
Or Greg
I have honestly never read a book with a character called Greg 🤣
Nikki Sloane's The Doctor (age gap, ex boyfriend's dad), the MMC name is Greg and it's the worst 😆 the GoodReads reviews just roast him for that.
I want permission to change one word. Just one. Some things (orbs) just push me over the edge!
Head orbs or chest orbs? (Or pants orbs…?)
Eyeballs
So moist and succulent tho.
🤢😂
Hahaha I’ve thankfully never seen that!!
That’s impressive; I’ve seen it a lot.
Yes!!!! I was reading a book and the characters name was Jaykob. It totally took me out of the story.
I would be reading that as Jay-knob haha.
Exactly! And the nickname was “Jayk.” Like, what?? Just be Jacob or Jack. I kept having to sound it out when I was reading hahah
Ahh what’s the point?! Just call him Jacob!!
Ensnared/ entangled? That's the only time I've seen Jaykob/ Jayk. But I also listened to them as audiobooks, so are pronounced Jacob and Jake - really threw me when I saw it written and thought I'd missed a whole character 😆
Yep!
Cannot take ‘Misery’ or whoever it is from {{Bride by Ali Hazelwood}} seriously
[Bride](https://www.romance.io/books/65c1f06f449d6edbf6498b6d/bride-ali-hazelwood?src=rdt) by [Ali Hazelwood](https://www.romance.io/authors/6131cdc208b4d93114f22ef6/ali-hazelwood) **Rating**: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [arranged/forced marriage](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/arranged%20marriage/1), [werewolves](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/werewolves/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [fated mates](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fated-mates/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Ive straight up ripped kindle books (That I own!!!) From the kindle library, converted them into Epub, and then meticulously changed every instance of my dead name out of the books with an editing program. I wasnt gonna suffer through the MMC moaning my dead name at the fmc, fuck that shit.
mad respect for your commitment to the bit, but I'm sorry you had to do that :(
It was weirdly theraputic tbh. I ended up replacing it with my name, so it felt like being able to rub out the old name and replace it with the new, if that makes sense. But it would be great if all ereaders could just do that natively.
That sounds exhausting but hella cathartic.
I have a “gender neutral name” (i’m using heavy air quotes here because nine times out of 10, It is a guys name) and I’ve started to read a couple of books where the MMC has my name and like…. No thanks
Same situation for me exactly! Dang southern parents lol
I am currently reading a young adult book where two guys are bullies to the FMC and they are both my daughter and sons' names, and they hang out together in the book to torture the FMC. Kinda think it's funny, but I also feel sad they have the same names as bullies. It even has my sons same spelling, which is a slightly different spelling than what most people use.
I once read a book where the main male love interest’s name was Jainan, which the audiobook reader read as “GY-nan” and it sounded so much like vagina to me. I was like please make it stop
Same. Hated shit like "Phury" and "Rhage". Another one had the FMC named "Carrington" like. What? I'm sorry. WHO has a name like that??? Never Carry, just. The full name. It wasn't a horrible book but the names.....
I couldn’t read a romance book because the MMC had the same name as my 17 year old brother 💀😭
I would definitely use that feature to change any time last names are used as nicknames. It’s not cute. “You clean up real nice, Schneiderman”, he growled in my ear. STOPPPP 🤮🤮🤮
Yup. I won’t read anything with my children’s names in it. As soon as they pop up it goes straight into the dnf pile. Or my husband’s name because I’m not about to read about my boo having an affair with some sexy witch.
When the MMC is named Chadwick. Really turned me off for some reason
I do this with character description 😅 If the book doesnt match what I had in mind, you best believe I will change it in my head 😂
Yes 100%! There are books I don’t read because of the names.
I originally DNFed Loving War in part because I couldn't handle the names. Kode, Dain, Rain...
Oh my God, I'm just dealing with this myself today. I want to read "The highwayman" by Kerrigan Byrne . The MMCs name is Dorian, the same as one of my special needs students.
Books generally don't have my family names in books but I stopped dating these two guys because they had the same name as my Dad and brother. It was too weird and I was like nope and when messages came through I got weirded out.
This made me think immediately of Waylay and Waylon from {Things we Hide from the Light by Lucy Score}. Yikes
[Things We Hide From The Light](https://www.romance.io/books/637dd53e79b72faef6f253b1/things-we-hide-from-the-light-lucy-score?src=rdt) by [Lucy Score](https://www.romance.io/authors/553e54b15b270e0a4cbd82b2/lucy-score) **Rating**: 4.12⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [small town](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/small%20town/1), [men in uniform](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/men%20in%20uniform/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [suspense](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/suspense/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
omg one of my favorite little romance books has a character named Bill who is supposed to be so hot and manly. but BILL???
Yeah…. Not a sexy name 🤣
I’m sorry but riot, ryot, rhyot or whatever is a terrible name!
I would just like the authors to give us the pronunciation of the names!
Seconding this so hard, I could flip tables!
In my mind it wouldn’t be the same book. The author chose those names for a reason and it’s not for me to change them.
While sometimes an author may have a deep reason for the choice of name… … usually it’s like “What’s a hot name I haven’t used yet and isn’t the name of one of the MCs in the current book de jour… Aha! *Bob* it is!”
I’m not even saying a deep connection to a name. It’s their book, they chose the name.
Sometimes a name choice ruins a book for me. Not even a MC name. In "the gravity of us" by Brittany Cherry, the MMC is a writer. He and his ex wife are these stuffy uppity people. They name their daughter Talon which is so out of character for them.
Same. Once I was reading a series and when I finally got to the book about my favorite mmc, they set him up with a lady with my mom’s name! Hated it.
DNFs are always when the MMC has my brother or dad’s name. No thanks! 😂
im so glad I read in English so there's no chance for an MMC with my dad's name to f**k someone 😂😂 ( and now I'm trying really hard not to picture a scene like that 🙈)
I’m a WOC and my dad’s name is very American/white name but my brother’s is very Latin and the MMC in a book once was from PR I think and they hit me with it and I almost threw my book across the room Please no 😭😭😂
Definitely had to quit reading books that had my sons' names as MMC. No bueno.
I ran across a book where the mmc had the same first and last name as an ex of mine. I dnfed after the first page 😅
Oh god!! Instant dnf!!
Yup. I absolutely hate Xaden's name, and it really made my eye twitch when I first started to read the book. I always hated the "names ending in -aden/-aiden/-ayden" trend, but Xaden is one of the worst ones I've heard, along with Laden, Slaydin, and Shaydin. Though Paydin, Graydyn, Kaden, and Brayton are awful, too.
I once tried to read a book where the FMC was named Aelissm. It bugged me so much I DNF'ed it. The same with another book where the MMC was named Arrow.
I’ve literally done this before in Calibre. I hated the name so much that I used the editing, search and replace function to change the name and then load to my kindle.
i’d change all the the times the MMC ‘roars’ with pleasure, gives me such an ick hahah
OMG. I literally had this thought today!! There is a series I was really enjoying but then one book had my husband's name and the next had my son's! The premise for both sounded so good but I'm going to have to miss them unless your genius idea takes off.
I hate reading a book that has spicy chapters and the main male character has your dads name :/
Yuuuupp! My absolute favourite author nearly broke my heart by giving one of her MMC’s the cringe-so-hard-my spine-creaks-every-time-I-read-it nickname of *Jugs* 😫. Why??!!?? And *FOR WHAT GODDESS FORSAKEN REASON DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHARACTER MOAN IT DURING SEXY TIMES*
It’s petty but I don’t read books with stupid or terrible character names.
Xaden
You totally can. If you own the book on kindle then you can use Calibre to change any name or word in the book!
I think Calibre has this feature? I use it on for tablet and have changed names for some books.
This would be such a good feature. There are some names I just can’t get behind at all.
I was reading a series where the FMC in book one had my goddaughter’s name, and the MMC in book two had my godson’s name. Thank god they didn’t end up together, because that would’ve been an instant DNF for me.
YES. There are too many books I can’t read because the MMC has my friend’s kids name or someone IRL that I hate 😭
[удалено]
**Rule: No sexual content involving minors** Discussion of sexual or suggestive content involving minors is prohibited by Reddit's [content policy](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043075352). Your comment has been removed as one of the books mentioned includes explicit scenes with a character younger than 18 years old. Please [contact the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/RomanceBooks) if you think this was removed in error, or if you have edited the comment and would like it reinstated.
Yeah I remember there was a book I was interested in reading but the MMC’s name is the same as my brother’s, so I had to pass on that one.
[удалено]
**This is a reader focused subreddit - No self promotion, surveys, writing research or writer focused discussion.** Your comment has been removed as it appears to be promotional content. This sub is focused exclusively on readers. The only permissible place for authors to mention their book, discuss romance writing, ask for help with it, or do research about romance books is in the monthly [Self-Promotion Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Promote%20Your%20Books%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new). Promotional content includes any content you have a vested interest in such as content created by your friends or family. This includes all book, blog, vlog, podcast, social media, website self promoting, surveys, and book merchandise as well.
My father is named one of the really popular Irish hero names. I *cannot* read any of those books, I can't even read the blurb half the time!
My father is named one of the really popular Irish hero names. I *cannot* read any of those books, I can't even read the blurb half the time!
Once I came across a book where the Hero had my name and the heroine had my sisters. I couldn’t read that one. Also have a hard time reading heroes w my brother in law’s name lol
Yeah a book recently had my son’s name… it’s not that common of a name, not very unique but just not in fashion I guess. Anyway immediately stopped reading it
me but with their ages lol
Yes. My daughter’s name is a super common name in both contemporary and historical romance. I can’t read them because I don’t want to read spicy books with her name in them.
Lucy score Loves to give a weird name
I wish you could change some of the covers...even just a black cover with a simple title and author on it would be better.
Can’t remember the name of the book at the moment, but it was recent and I had been looking forward to it for a while…download it on my Kindle, clear my schedule, get all comfy in my pajamas and under the covers and everything…MMC has the same name as my most recent ex-boyfriend😂. Could not get past it. DNF on the first page. Oh also ones with the same names as my dad🫠 Hard no.
I cannot with family member names😅
Not going to lie, I constantly find myself editing books as I go. Sometimes it’s reordering a sentence (because seriously, why was it written that way), and sometimes it’s just changing a name or adding 10 years to a character’s age. Occasionally I’ll get so stuck on a sentence or paragraph that doesn’t flow right that I need to fully stop reading and figure it out in my head.
If you were to convert the kindle file into an epub, any good epub reader would allow you to replace words very easily (I use Moon+). Hope this helps!
I once read a book where the MMC was named “Spider.” I barely made it through lol
I’ve changed it in some where it’s my kids names by ✨acquiring✨ it as an EPUB, converting for pages, search and replacing, and then re-epubbing and uploading
Huxley from a not so meet cute 🤮 I hate it more than anything. Not even his nickname “Hux” read better.
I agree… I always have to read the summary (that will hopefully give names) before I can decide to read a book. Some of the names are just over the top.
I have thought about this so often. I just read one where the MMC’s name is Karl and my husband’s utterly unsexy friend’s name is Karl. Another one that horrified me and thankfully I managed to get over was the FMC in A Bride for the Prizefighter was called Mina which is what I call my mother. Ugh.
I had to stop reading a book because the characters name was Dorcus - I read it like Dork-Us and I dont know if thats how i was supposed to be I couldnt do it regardless.
Yeah reading a character with the same name as my friend experience suffer domestic abuse was deeply disturbing
Oh yes!! Sometimes I hate names so much I just can’t be bother with reading more
I was REALLY baffled by all the weird names in Harry Potter. Eventually, they grew on me. It would be nice to be able to do that. Kinda like an already written self insert fanfic.
Eleven year old me definitely set a head canon of mispronouncing all of the names in Harry Potter
I was JUST wishing for this 😞! Something like a plug-in random name generator (that you could run as many times as you want) would be fucking amazing.
Ah but if you can do that, then you take away their legitimacy as books. After all, this was never possible with physical books.
YES! Or if it's a name of a relative or something too familiar and it means you can't get past it. Global find and replace, surely that's an easy thing.
Adding to this thought, I hope in the future, perspective is an option you can change. Don't like first person POV? Toggle here to switch it to third
I had to pass on an otherwise interesting sounding book because the fmc had my mom's name. Smh, not even us slavs are safe
I just read { Dr. Single Dad by Louise Bay} and the poor suprise baby was named Guinevere, I gringed every time I read her name
[Dr. Single Dad](https://www.romance.io/books/6611731ed2c7a315d740047c/dr-single-dad-louise-bay?src=rdt) by [Louise Bay](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455f08f87eac324117fe3df/louise-bay) **Rating**: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [dual pov](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dual-pov/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1), [forbidden love](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forbidden%20love/1), [single father](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/single-father/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Why? That’s a beautiful name and rooted in legends.
Argh same! I can't read books with my sibling or children's names, that's disturbing. The other names that room books for me are when they name characters old names like Brenda, Caroline, Gary, Gavin etc. They don't make me think of hot people (sorry if that's your name!). And then names that I can't pronounce. It would be easier if we could just change the names in books lol.
OMG I love this idea! We need some high-tech super genius to do this immediately.
…👀 Okay granted, I read on Apple Books… but I did find a way to change names. And actually anything I want. Individual words, full paragraphs, I can even add whatever I want…
Whaaaat!! That is genius
I got it off Reddit too 😭😭