five book characters who share the same name

I feel like, more and more, my top 5 themes are getting extra specific. But this is something I think about a lot – as someone who enjoys obsessing over names. There are a lot of names who appear repeatedly in YA fiction and it was about time we compared them. So I’ve taken one for the team, and we’re doing that today.

Most of these characters are from contemporaries that I have read, but feel free to add other examples in the comments!

FIVE. JACK

*inserts gif of Rose screaming Jack in Titanic*.

Jack from Opposite of Always is, pretty much, a sweetheart. He’s very awkward at small talk, has a really close and amazing relationship with his parents, and cares for his friends a ton. I loved the way he opened up to his family about everything, but they still respected his space when he needed it. He was also a really attentive and awesome boyfriend.

Jack from The Wicker King was a *very* different character. First, he could be very self-centered. He was essentially a jock – very good at sports, popular and dating the homecoming queen. But, throughout the book, we also see him experiencing hallucinations that definitely show a more vulnerable side of him, as he’s trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not. His journey is a lot darker than the previous Jack too.

FOUR. ALEX

Name a more basic name. You can’t.

Alex from Don’t Date Rosa Santos was definitely not a favorite of mine. He was basically this dude, with a beard and a boat. His personality was sort of “cold and detached“, but then we start to learn that he does care, he just doesn’t show it often. Regardless, I found him to be quite a boring love interest, as he didn’t have as many layers as the other characters in the book.

Zan, on the other hand, was SO AWESOME, even though he was supposed to be nothing but the rich guy. He still had this really warm and friendly feel to him. He’s the kind of character that makes a room light up. He had everything to be an asshole, but really wasn’t, which I appreciate so much. Plus, his game was sleek AF.

THREE. PENNY

In Carry On/Wayward Son, Penny is the brain of the group. She’s obviously very smart and a hell of a magician too. But she’s also incredibly stubborn. I don’t even know if stubborn would be the right word, because she’s more than a regular determined girl who fights for what she wants. She simply can’t take no for an answer and will insist until she gets it her way, lol. But I think that’s what makes such a captivating character to begin with!

I’m pretty sure Emergency Contact Penny and Carry On Penny would not be friends. Probably, because Emergency Contact Penny would find the other girl rather pushy. But I do think they’re similar, as they can both be particularly judgemental about other people before even getting to know them.

TWO. ADAM

Oh, finally: the most awaited name ever because every single YA book has to contain at least one Adam.

Adam from The Raven Cycle is one of my favorite characters of all times and I’ll protect him forever. No, being poor is not his personality trait. His personality trait is being proud AF. To the point where he gets kinda blinded by it, because he believes every favor is charity and every person who cares is pitying him. But the way he develops into his powers and realizes that he can still be strong while accepting help is probably the most magical thing about this series.

I definitely think Adam from Love from A to Z shares a little bit of said pride. Or at least this habit of keeping everything in, until it bursts. Obviosuly, they’re both in really different positions, but much like the other Adam, this one will try to keep things for himself for as long as he can in order to not hurt or worry anyone. He’s also really sweet (the way he cares for his younger sister is SO adorable i can’t) and friendly, while still being an introvert at its core.

ONE. KAVINSKY

Peter Kavinsky is a jock, yes, but also a baby. I think we can all agree that Peter is a character that you grow to love throughout the books. He’s obviously charming, but he’s also surprisingly carrying. Both Kavinsky’s share daddy issues, but unlike the other one, who’s comfortable just living up to his reputation, Peter works hard to be better and different from his dad as much as he can.

And then we have Kavinsky. I think these characters are pretty polar opposites, because even though they’re both popular in high school, it’s for very different reasons. Kavinsky is known for being a troublemaker, while Peter is adored by all the teachers. Kavinsky sells drugs and corrupts boys, and Peter takes packed lunch because he’s in a special diet. They couldn’t be further apart.

Now, let’s chat in the comments! Can you think of another character who shares the name to the ones I mentioned? Do you know any other two characters from other books that share the same name? How are they different or alike? Let me know!