Is it ok to use someone's name when writing a book as long as you don't use their last name?

Answer 1

You cannot write about a real life person regardless of if you use their first, last or any name. IF the person can recognize themselves in your book and prove that in a court of law, they can win a lawsuit against you.

You MUST have permission.

Answer 2

No. Not if you do it in such a way that they are still identifiable. For example (and this is a very broad example) if you were writing about a president of the United States named Bill, and you wrote that, unknown to the public, he was the head of a drug cartel, then you-know-who would come down on you like a ton of bricks, with more legal paper than you can imagine and make the rest of your life miserable. The point here is that there are not that many US presidents named Bill. So even if you don't use his last name, everyone knows who you are talking about. Same with a golfer named Tiger. Or a biker named Lance.
If you were writing fiction, you could write about the president named Bill who relied for political guidance on psychic visits on his buddy Elvis, and it could be a cute story line.
Crime writer Ann Rule scupulously follows the rules for naming. When it comes to court cases (and all her stories are based on court cases) everything is public record. But in some instances, she has changed people's names, at their request, to conceal their identity. In some cases, they may have changed their names, taken a new identity, moved away, started new lives, or simply not wished to re-open a painful chapter in their lives, and she has honored this, but has marked the cover name with an asterisk, so you know this is a real person she is quoting, but this is not their real name.
You really have to be careful about using someone's name, especially if you don't have their permission, as for instance when you are writing an autobiography.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

It depends on what kind of book you are writing. For example, if you are writing a biography then you would have to use their last name. However, if you are writing a fantasy or whatever then, it would be best to not even use their first name. Just make up a name.

Answer 4

The law is kind of vague on this, but generally if a person is identifiable by any means and you've written something false and damaging about them, you're opening yourself up to get sued.

As in, you don't even have to use one name - as long as someone can recognize this person by what you've written - you might be in danger.

Most fiction writers do get inspired by the people around them for character ideas, but they generally pick and choose traits, in part, to avoid this very legal problem.

Answer 5

Whenever you write a book where the charactars are very similar to people in real life, or share a name, it's proper to ask them if they want their name used or not. If not, it's not that hard to give them another name. But if you do and they don't like it, you're going to have drama. It's worth the time to ask.

Answer 6

Yes

Answer 7

Yes, if you're sure you don't risk hurting someone's feelings or causing trouble.

However, one of my favorite parts of writing is making up clever names for people I really know.

Answer 8

Yes, if it is a true story and you are using their real name you should ask.

Answer 9

if its acknowledgement then u can mention only first name of a person but if it is writers name then u hav to mention full details abt him

Answer 10

you can use any name you want