I wrote The Names because I’ve always been fascinated by the things that shape us as people. Our upbringing, our circumstances, the interests we’re steered toward, the people we cross paths with, the hand fate deals us, all play a part in dictating who we might become. And in many cases, the name we’re given, too.
In The Names, we follow three versions of a family’s life, depending on the name a mother registers for her newborn son. In one version of their lives, she calls him Bear, the name suggested by his elder sister. In another, he’s Julian, the name his mum has set her heart on, believing it will give him the space to become his own person. And in a third, she complies with tradition and calls him after his domineering father, Gordon.
To make the three narratives more distinct for the reader, early on in the novel Julian’s strand of the story is relocated to Ireland. It was a natural choice for me, as I’ve always read a lot of Irish fiction – from Claire Keegan and Paul Murray to Audrey Magee, Colm Tóibín, and Sally Rooney. The richness of their prose means those landscapes, families, and voices live quite vividly in my mind, especially if I’ve listened on audiobook, where the narrator adds an additional layer. I think it’s this grounding that meant when I went to write my own characters, they came to life quite quickly for me, and I could see and hear them with relative ease – I’m really grateful for that.
I was interested to look at the infinite possibilities a single decision like the choice of a baby’s name could spark. But it also feels hopeful to me that, whatever the external forces that might have characterised his childhood, as he enters adulthood, each gains a sense of his own autonomy. Ultimately, it’s up to him to determine the person he wants to be in the world and how he might touch the lives of others.
You can order your copy of The Names by Florence Knapp at this link
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