Are connotations with a certain names inevitable?
In my book (fantasy novel), there's a character named <PERSON>. Unfortunately, <PERSON> has become synonymous with "douchebag".
Now, when I first introduced him I just came up with a name. It needed to be on "B", because he was a butcher. "<PERSON>", rings nicely right? But then after a while, a thought popped into my head. Isn't the name <PERSON> a bit douchey? Now, I know this is kind of opinion-based, but then again, there are many people who say that they correlate the name <PERSON> with douchery. The thing is, <PERSON> is not a douche. He is likeable, at least from my perspective. I am worried that his name will give my readers a preconceived notion that he's a douchebag. 663
<PERSON>, he's 16 years old.
To give some context, here's his character traits.
-Nonchalant
-Apathetic
-Witty
-Cool-headed
-Kinda psychopathic
-Usually calm but very passionate about one subject (He loathes the upper-class)
-Has a soft spot
-Best friend to the main character
-A bit greedy, can easily turn on someone
So, he's no douchebag. Perhaps he's a bit of a bad guy sometimes, but not a textbook "wazzup" douchebag. So, will people regard him as such anyways? Don't get me wrong, someone named <PERSON> is not necessarily a douchebag, but unfortunately the name has that connotation. But is this connotation so strong that it will overshadow his prominent traits and make people expect things about him that I never intended to be a part of him? Or will experiencing the character prevail over its connotation?
Also, as a note. I changed his name to <PERSON>, but it felt wrong. I had written him as <PERSON> for a while, and the name grew on me. But the fact that I like <PERSON> better is probably primarily based on the fact that it was my initial choice and the one I've written with. Do you think <PERSON> would be a better name for my character?
EDIT: I just want to clarify exactly what I'm asking. Will the development of a character thwart the false connotation a certain name brings? 663