I'm writing a story written in third-person limited, and the main character has no real name. They simply go by the nickname they're given by the people they hang around at the time, resulting in many different nicknames depending on where they are. Then, they're finally given a normal name that doesn't sound like a title of some sort.
So, what I was thinking of doing was: in the first handful of chapters, third person refers to them as one of their old nicknames, and continues doing so even after they are given a real name in their new environs. Then, at some point, as their character grows attached to the people who call them by that name (and by extension, the name itself), the third person refers to them as their new nickname.
This is meant to mark a point in the story where the character no longer sees themselves as a tool or symbol as they used to in the past, instead seeing themselves as a person as the people surrounding them now see them as. Also, it's meant to mark a point when they'd become comfortable with their new environs, whether they'd like to admit it or not.
Would this seem too jarring for the reader, though? All characters would still refer to them as their new name (outside of flashbacks), and rare changes in PoV before the character's change would still refer to them by their new name.
Answer
Interesting question. Changing a character's name is definitely jarring to the reader (at least it has been to me). The best suggestion I've found to deal with that is to create tension about the name. If the reader spends half the story wondering what the true name is and building up to that, they'll want the name to be revealed, and it won't be jarring at all. However, you are dealing with a slightly different problem.
You say:
Then, they're finally given a normal name [...]
This leads me to conclude that this isn't so much a birth name, as a name selected by people who care about this character. That makes how you refer to the character very important and symbolic, as you seem to have figured out.
I think the same principle as above might apply here, if you change it a bit. Introduce tension surrounding the name. Will the character accept it? If the reader wants the character to adopt this new name, then they will cheer when he starts using it, rather than be surprised or confused. Be sure to keep increasing the tension for awhile; the more the reader anticipates the name change, the better.
I think no matter what you do, referring to this character by their new name in narration will be jarring. I think you can lessen that effect by building tension as I've suggested, and also include a scene or internal monologue where the character actually decides to use his name now. Have him basically say or think, 'never again will I be called [nicknmae]. From now on, I am [name].'
The last thing I would suggest is not to surprise the reader. Don't save using that name for the first time for the next chapter. Once the character says the above, call them that name in narration. Or better yet, acknowledge both names in narration and basically reiterate what the character just said. So for example:
[Nickname] was [nickname] no longer. He was [name]. And [name] would never return to who he used to be.
In those three lines I restate what the character just said, and then use the name in narration myself, just to drill it home. THEN you can end the chapter (because that seems like a good point for a chapter to end to me - totally optional though). The point here is that the first time you use the new name in narration, should not be the opening of a new chapter. I think that could be really jarring, especially if the reader paused between chapters for any good length of time.
Best of luck in your writing!
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