AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED... by Joy Margetts

As a fiction writer I am well used to insomnia. When I am working on a new book I find all kinds of things can keep my brain awake into the wee hours, even when my exhausted body is crying out for sleep. Plotlines, story twists, new characters and their roles, and most annoyingly, names. I laid awake for hours (at least 2) a few weeks back trying to think of a name for a minor (yes he has a very small part) character. Why was it so difficult? Because he lives in the Welsh Marches in the 13th century, and is not a nobleman, but also not a peasant. He is more likely to be Norman born than native English or Welsh. And he isn’t a particularly bad man, but has a bit of a reputation for being harsh at times. A man who is respected, fearfully, but can also be fair and even handed when he wants to be.

 I find names for my characters from many different places. Some of my characters are (loosely) based on people I know, so I might use their names, or a medieval name similar to theirs. I have used favourite family names – ‘Efa’ in The Bride is named after my maternal grandmother. I also ‘collect’ names that I like, especially old Welsh ones, and use them when they fit the character. Sometimes I give a character a name and then find I have to change their characteristics to better reflect their name. Sometimes I have to change their name part way through the book (and hopefully remember when I am editing!). And sometimes I just get stumped. I just can’t find the right name to fit.

 That particular night I had a ‘eureka moment’. I have a friend with the surname ‘Gyfford’. It sounded old, and maybe of Norman origin? I liked the way it rolled off the tongue. I thought a forename starting with a ‘W’ would fit, and ‘William’ is of course  a good Norman name. So I had it, ‘William Gyfford’ was his name, and I let sleep take me. It was only in the morning that I realised that I already have a character called ‘Walter Clifford’ in the book. And he was a real life person so his name could not be changed… nope, 'William Gyfford' would not do.

 AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED…

 I wonder if when you read the title of my blog you could finish the sentence? Probably many of you could. Isaiah 9: 6 is a very familiar passage often read aloud at Christmas. Or sung if you know Handel’s Messiah! ( I've probably given some of you an earworm now!)

 For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 Those words form the framework around which I built my Advent Devotional, ‘Christ Illuminated’. I can’t remember how I first came up with the idea of doing a series of Advent devotional thoughts based on the names of Jesus. It was some years ago, and in response to a request from my Pastor to post something on our church Facebook page to help people prepare their hearts for Christmas. Those short thoughts have been revisited and rewritten several times, resulting in the book recently published that now contains 24 separate studies on different names and descriptors of Jesus as found in the Bible.

 I was asked recently why I thought it was important to look at all the different names of Jesus. It is simple really. If God wrote about His son in all those different ways in His Word, then those descriptions are there for a purpose. Each one is important. The more I studied them, and meditated on them, the more the person and character of Jesus became real to me. Some were more familiar – the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, the Word of God – others more obscure – Branch of Jesse, Sun of Righteousness. But every one of those names painted, or ‘illuminated’ Jesus in a different light. Every one of His names fitted.

 Names are important. It is good to feel you have got them right when you are writing a story, that they fit the time period, the place, the social class, and the characteristics of your character. Perhaps that is why I lose sleep over getting it right. I love that the Word of God gives Jesus so many names, and that each one has something different to reveal to us about His nature and His purpose. I hope that my thoughts on those names in Christ Illuminated helps people to see Jesus in new ways and draw closer to Him personally this Christmas.

 And in the meantime, as I am fully intending on getting back to fiction writing soon, if you can think of a suitable name for the steward of Hay Castle in 1235, could you kindly let me know?

 Joy Margetts writes Christian Historical Fiction. Her debut novel 'The Healing' was published in March 2021, and her second ‘The Pilgrim’ in July 2022. Her third novel 'The Bride' was  published 20th October 2023. She has also recently published her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional entitled 'Christ Illuminated'.

 Joy makes her home in beautiful North Wales and takes her inspiration from its rich spiritual history and stunning landscapes. She is also wife, mother and grandmother and a lover of the Word of God. Her personal blog and more information about her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com