Well this is awkward...

[bjornwilde]

The story I've been writing has a black, lesbian woman who is a necromancer named Nico.

I didn't clue in until today that the Asian magic user in Runaways is also named Nico.

Not sure if this is a close enough thing that I should rename, but I really like my Nico, who was named after the musician. It's also kind of fun as it's a bit of alliteration, Nico the Necromancer. /grump

Comments

[misslucyjane]

These things happen. It's totally okay. Nobody's going to think you're plagirising unless your Nico were also an Asian magic user in the same situation as Runaways (I haven't read Runaways.)

[bjornwilde]

They have very different story and backgrounds, though I also realize Nico is a lesbian in TV series, and maybe Bi in the comics? (Not sure).

But that is good to know.

I'm currently debating Naomi the Necromancer vs Nico but will table the decision until i write the damn story. Right now the name Nico is more a trivial detail, so a find and replace afterwards will be easy.

[genarti]

Yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense to go with it for now instead of getting tangled up in second-guessing names! You can always do a find-and-replace later if you think of a name you like better and/or decide that Nico comes across as confusing rather than coincidence or an homage. (But Nico is certainly a name I've seen in other fiction too, so I'd say you're fine, and also that this is definitely a problem for later revisions unless you're the kind of author who has real difficulty in renaming a character you've already come to think of as XYZ.)

[bjornwilde]

Hmm that is a good point. I don’t think I am that type or writer but this is pretty much my first rodeo with all original content and characters, so who knows.

I think I’ll keep writing as Nico and she is she prefers Naomi or something else see if she prefers Naomi or something else. (Dang phone with it's tiny keyboard and auto correct).

And if it matters, she is a rare necromancer in that I mean to write her as good and not your typical necromancer; i.e. she's more interested in helping the dead than harming the living.