How I named my alien character in Lost Cactus: The Trifecta Method Behind “Cato.”
What’s in a name? Plenty.
When writing fiction—from TV to movies to novels to comic strips—character names must strike the right tone and resonate with personality, traits, and even physical quirks. Some writers choose ironic names; others lean literal. But whatever the approach, the naming rights rest with the creator.
For my Lost Cactus comic strip, naming characters felt a lot like naming a newborn—hours of research, brainstorming, and rejecting anything derivative. And nothing challenges originality quite like naming a mysterious alien.
The challenge of naming an alien without sounding derivative.
To explore the process, let’s use my strip’s main alien character, Cato, as the case study.
Yes, Spielberg simply went with E.T., and it worked. But my alien came with a deeper backstory, demanding something unique—something with polish, humor, and thematic resonance. My searches across constellations, stars, and mythology returned clichés and formulaic options. I needed a name that felt inevitable: “Of course that’s what you’d call the little Gray alien in Lost Cactus.”*
The trifecta naming solution.
To eliminate arbitrary choices, I created a naming method based on three points of reference:
1. The historical reference.
Names like Cleon, Orson, Percy, Quintus, Zebulon, and Zook all failed the test. But then I discovered Cato the Younger, a Roman senator known for his love of freedom and fierce opposition to Julius Caesar. My alien’s rebellious, independent spirit aligned perfectly.
2. The comedic reference
Next came Cato Fong, the hilariously unpredictable manservant in the Pink Panther films. His surprise attacks on Inspector Clouseau mirrored the mischievous streak in my alien character.
3. The wildcard reference.
The final missing piece clicked during a deeper dive on “Cato”:
C.A.T.O. = Catastrophe at Takeoff.
Given my alien’s often-calamitous red-saucer piloting skills, the acronym was too perfect to ignore.
And that’s how Cato was born.
Meanwhile, Cleon, Orson, Percy, Quintus, Zebulon, and Zook continue to languish on the discarded-name pile—awaiting their own trifecta moments.
From Lost Cactus to The Powers That Be trilogy
Fast-forward to The Powers That Be—my sci-fi trilogy expanding the universe introduced in Lost Cactus. The novels feature numerous Gray aliens, but applying the trifecta method to each one proved impossible. So I created a new rule: every alien name must be four letters, just like Cato.
This choice reinforces the multiverse connection. The Gray aliens—called The Advisers—form a clandestine alliance with independent-minded humans, shaping geopolitics, science, and the fate of humanity across centuries. They also make dramatic appearances across both the comic strip and the trilogy, binding the worlds together.
Like a favorite podcaster of mine (and fellow drinker) is apt to say, “That’s all I’ve got for now. Go away then.” 😀
