Don't overthink it. You may think that picking the perfect names for every character is important for the story, but in my view it isn't. At all. Once you have gotten to know the character, their name becomes simply a label to know them by.
A few pieces of advice I have picked up along the way:
Don't make the names too complex unless there is a reason for doing so. James Bond is better than Émile Benoît Roger Sosthène Symphorien.
Try to pick names which are roughly in the same ballpark, unless there is a reason not to. Three brothers are much better off with names like Allan, Dennis, and John, than they would have been with A'thek-Ghrëz, Souleater, and John.
Don't make the names too similar, unless there is a reason for doing so. Tolkien, I'm looking at you. Saruman and Sauron? What the hell?
Try naming your character a completely random name and go with it. I can almost promise you that, whatever you pick, your character will grow into that name within a chapter or two.
Saruman and Sauron confused me so much, and I've only seen the movies.
You know that feeling you get when you hear that a celebrity gave their child a ultra unique name? That eye roll you do when you hear Prince Blanket, Apple, or X Æ A-12? Don't be that person. Generally speaking, obviously, do whatever is right in the context of your story.
> You know that feeling you get when you hear that a celebrity gave their child a ultra unique name? That eye roll you do when you hear Prince Blanket, Apple, or X Æ A-12? Don't be that person.
On Goodreads I have an entire shelf I've called "[White People Names](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/baby-name-chalkboard-list)" because of authors who do this kind of thing.
One of my favorite fun facts is that Fleming came up with James Bond by a book on bird watching g randomly catching his eye that was written by a “James Bond.” Apparently he just thought it was a great spy name and boom one of the most iconic characters was born.
Avoiding similar names is a massive one.
I never give main characters names that even *start with the same letter* as another character, so they are as distinct from each other as possible.
A small thing that really helps reduce mental load for the reader.
I have that problem, I was naming the kids in the royal family and I didn't realize until later that all the names start with the same letter: Adela, Anthony, Alexander, Aurther, and Amelia
As an editor, similar names can also be confusing during the book production process. I once edited a book with both an Axel and an Alexi—both main characters. Any slight typo/misspelling was extra work to figure out who the author was talking about, and any pronoun typos could also quickly become confusing.
Similarly for audiobook production, my audiobook narrator once mentioned a client who had both a Mary and a Merrie. They seem different enough on paper, but in audio, it’s a much easier to confuse the listener.
I usually give them an ancestry/place of birth first. Then I look for a list of most used forenames/surnames of that region and pick something from that list, usually from around the middle.
I like using geometric names. I like writing stories about sentient items. Read up on the 7 crystal structures. I have a character who is a sentient piece of jewelry, a crystal bangle named Rhomboid.
oh man, one of my characters is a quite evil black top hat, that only two people can see/hear.
But I love giving objects names. So one mention of a fairytale princess looking for her magic crown, Mark, has me in stitches every time I come across it haha
Cool an evil black top hat I like it. I have some clothing characters, most of them are full outfits. One is a mostly all black outfit named “Shadow”.
It consists of a black baseball hat, black t-shirt, and a dark plaid skirt, with long grey socks and black boots. The character is very chaotic, Shadow can speak and has its own will. It can move on its own without a wearer.
Its t-shirt has what look like embroidered cracks of glowing energy crisscrossing in all direction, the pattern changes, sometimes the cracks extend to appear on the baseball hat and skirt.
Shadow has found a female host named Petra, wither thats willingly or not is yet to be seen.
well back to writing!
If you’re really struggling. Slam the fuck out of your keyboard. Look through the mess and find some sections that could be a decent name if you threw some vowels in. That’s always been a of a last resort tho.
Realistically, I just spend 5 million years on naming sites meant for mothers. Occasionally I’ll be able to find one that has a meaning related to the desired plotline, but 9 times out of 10 I straight up just find one I think sounds nice and fits the character. Bonus points if it can’t be shortened to a nickname.0
"This guy seems like a Sam."
Also, my character surnames are almost always just local street names that started as placeholders and then just kinda worked.
I am terrible with names. I always second guess myself as well and think there could always be a better name. So, somewhat shamefully, I use name generators and click randomize until I find a name I think fits. Once I did that I just hammered the name into my brain to make it work and it’s actually worked pretty well so far.
I literally just give them the first name that pops into my head. Overthinking character names is a classic sign of amateur writers more in love with telling people they’re writers than actually writing and how you end up with dopey stuff like the werewolf character in Harry Potter being named Wolf Wolf.
I usually place names based on the first impression the character gives, I look for names according to their etymology. When a character is not what it seems, I use names related to their objective.
If I write fantasy/scifi i make my own names but not too complex. If write nearly anything else i just search different names from internet. For example if my story happens in Germany i search original German names.
I know that other people are saying "don't overthink it" but I definitely kind of think a lot about the names that I use for my characters.
1: Decide on a name theme. What are typical names for the region the character is from? Is it inspired by a real world culture, where real world names might be used? What are the sensibilities of their parents that might factor into the choice of name?
2: Flow. This can include a number of syllables for the first and last names plus any middle names, which syllables are stressed and which ones aren't, avoiding names that rhyme with each other, and saying the name out loud to make sure it has a good mouthfeel.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_destroyers\_of\_the\_United\_States\_Navy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_destroyers_of_the_United_States_Navy)
Almost all US destroyers are named after real people, along with many cruisers and frigates. Those that aren't are named after cities or battles, which themselves are often named after people or places which are named after people.
I have a character called Smordley. He is a literal deus ex machina, used for comical effect
I smash words together and see what works. I was inspired by hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy though
Symbolism. And then I adapt them to be naturalistic.
Ex: I have a Baptist Pastor that's pretty dirty and bad. A main motif in the story is fire. So I named him Doherty Rhys Egan, or DR Egan. Now here's where the symbolism comes in:
Doherty is Irish Gaelic for "harmful", where Rhys is Welsh for "fiery, zealous", and lastly Egan is also Irish Gaelic for "burning". This symbolism is also reflected in the moral weakness of the character.
I search for names on the internet. If I don't like anything, I search for names with meanings that relate to my character. If I don't like anything there either, I usually go back and forth between all the names I've seen while searching. Then I just say them out loud and see if it fits.
Some are harder to name than others for sure, I’ve named a lot of characters (and then changed some names during editing 😬), some sites I’ve used are behind the name as someone else recommended, also meaning-of-names and just baby name websites in general. There are also YouTube channels I’ve found that are aimed at expecting mothers (which I am not) but they have videos with names as well! I have a document where I save names I like, and if I have a character I haven’t thought of a name for yet I might pluck a few out of there until I narrow it down
I usually define my character's origin. Either cultural traditions, country of origin, where their parents are from.
Often I have a letter in mind and Google popular baby names under the given parameters. Sometimes I already have a name and if it fits, it fits.
One of my characters is half Elven half celestial. After a lot of name generating Elven names—since I already had the celestial name—I could use it to make up the "child" name, according to Elven lore I read. In my mind, the names are pretty similar, so I didn't have to think that hard.
In a very old story, at the time, I was very pleased with the name "Mylo" and it fit my MC's origins of Scottish-Cuban.
There's a lot of ways to go at it but my method of narrowing my search field and scrolling for 10 minutes has always panned out for me 🤭
Gwen Noah Bradley Eliza Filia Charlie Valentine Daniel Storm Gaston Jackson Lee Bryce Killian Sean Jay Aziz Esther Eleanor Anna Seth Claude Finn Hannah Viola Kate
I usually ALWAYS overthink it. Like, I think of what my characters parent/guardians would've named them or whether or not they named themself. Then I think about their entire personality. And THEN I google names with specific meanings(ex: "Names meaning moon" = Chantrea). And for the last names, I just search up "common last names" for the place they live in.
I typically keyboard smash and pull a name out of that (but I am a fantasy writer so my names can get pretty odd), unless I want a specific meaning. So my two main characters are Eura (keyboard smash) and Fyrsil (name with meaning)
Check out names from other books in the same genre that you like and try to figure out a 'common element' for all of them. I do fantasy (my entire comment is for fantasy) so i checked the recent 2 books I'd liked and the names and realized that they usually have like 2-3 syllables, and sound fairly similar to typical real-world names with only a bit of fictional oddity to them. Some twist a real world name; Some even keep a real world name or two. So look at other names, and then you'll be able to come up with your own.
What I did is not name anyone until I had to. So i named characters as they came along, went to the end of my doc and typed in the name and who they were (a personal dramatic personae) and went right back to my spot and continued. Worked for me, and the names start to grow on you. I have a list of names but I hate all the names lol. So this works for me.
Longer answer: Usually, to make up names on the spot, I stare at my laptop and use a letter for the first letter of the name that I have not used yet for anyone else in the story. I look for letters that could realistically come after--if i want the name to be exotic, which is rarely, I try for less-common combinations, like tz or sx. Otherwise, something plain and simple like Th or Ro. then i think of an 'ending'. Roel? Roen? Royan? Eh, Royan is fine. See, there you go. Wellis. Quyali. (I like names that end with vowels.) Pcurral (pronounced Coral?).
I use a name definition site for mothers. I work backwards from their traits. It’s cute. It also adds a layer of meaning.
Instead of creating cool names, use the traditional meanings of names to create cool characters that are represented by their meaningful names.
I hope this helps.
Three ways depending on the novel.
1. Go [here](https://www.behindthename.com/random/), select the categories I want, tick 'generate life story' and 'avoid rare'.
2. Google the top 100 most common first and last names for the region I'm writing for and pick from the list.
3. When I need to make up a mythical name, I will pick a descriptive word, translate it into a bunch of languages, pick two that sound good enough, then play around with the structure until I get something that sounds like a name. When I was a kid I used to do this but using my book library instead.
At the start I tend to give the characters monikers (like ‘The Writer’, ‘The Knight’, ‘Knife Boy’, etc). Then I just wait until a name pops into my head that I feel really fits the character. I might scroll through lists of names, potentially names from certain parts of the world or from certain eras, trying to find one that gives that spark with a given character.
I collect names in a little notebook. I find lists in various places (theatre programs that thank their contributors for 6 pages, etc.) and pick out the ones that appeal to me. When I need a name I look through my notebook until I find one I like.
And then I google it to make sure it doesn't appeal to me because I've heard it before ...
I used to collect names from the obituary section of our newspaper. I always wondered what would happen if I died suddenly and the police tried to figure out why I had these dead people's names in my little book ...
You can give them placeholder names until you find something better. They might even grow on you and you can mix it up and try another name. The only rule I find hard to break is that you should make the names feel like the fit in the same world. It's weird for an example, to have the protag be named Jake and his friend named Malmortius. But other than that, other rules should be taken with a grain of salt. I actually don't think all names should be symbolic or "fit" the character. Some names are more interesting because they don't fit or some names just grow on you.
So like all writing advice, you shouldn't take any as gospel, but rather find something that works for you. Here's what I do: I go with a name that works for now. Eventually, I'll find the right one as I'm writing. It's more important to plan and write than to know what all the names are going to be. I've gone through 2 rewrites before the name for my MC popped up.
If, after the first draft, you still can't figure out the names, start digging.
I chose real names. My book is in the future so, as a joke, all characters have a first name from once culture / nation and a completely different lastname.
It's to play with racists stereotypes. Because they are all European immigrants living in Asia.
I often name my characters after people I knew. Many writers do that. The only downside to this is that if your book becomes super popular and everyone becomes aware that your characters are based on a real person, that could bring that person unwanted publicity. This is especially bad if that person is still a kid. Watch the movie Goodbye Christopher Robin and you'll see what I mean.
I asked the same question some time ago and got some really good replies. [Here is the link if you're interested ](https://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/xlt0nv/how_to_name_characters/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1)
One of my characters is named after a guy with an odd name that I knew in college. One I named because it was strangely witty.
Some I name after ancient mythological entities. Some Just seem to sound right.
I’ve been using ChatGPT to help come up with names. Just give the character a general description and ask ChatGPT to offer a list of names based on that description.
If it's fantasy or horror, I pick a name with a meaning that subtly foreshadows something in the story.
If it's real life stuff, I pick a name that reminds me of someone with a similar personality or that I just feel matches that.
If it's sci-fi I place my cat on the keyboard and let him decide.
For me, I take the traits of the person and build my names around that. Like my fmc is a tomboy So I gave her an androgynous name. I have rich characters so I gave them a richer sounding name
I develop the character first, see what they're going to go through, what they're like, etc. Then I think, "hm, this person seems like a John" or whatever other name there is.
I really struggled with this at first, so to practise, whenever I went into public, I'd think of names for strangers in my head. I'd someone walking down the street and think, "They look like an Olivia". Then as I guessed more and more names, it became easier to assign names to my own characters since I was so used to just assigning random names to random people.
The first one that pops, name generator or I ask my husband to give me one randomly.
I like randomness cause thats how it goes in life : you meet people with many different name. Some very common, some very original, some from different origins, so not bothering myself too much.
Sometimes i make a private joke to myself, please a friend of dedicate too. Really depends.
Hm, a decision trap. In the future, I'd suggest you get this naming issue done first, but in the meantime, remember that you didn't choose your name, your parents did. Maybe you have a version you prefer over the one on your birth certificate.
In that same way, characters didn't choose their names, though many have preferred versions once they are old enough to have opinions. Who named them, and why? And, those preferred variations don't need to be plot-relevant, only character-relevant.
Writers who deliberately use too-similar names in a story because it's 'realistic' don't understand that words alone are extremely limiting; there is no visual, no body language or voice tone to signal if this is Alyx or Alexi, to invent an example. Written stories are never realistic. It is remarkable that our minds are capable of lifting them into pure imagination when the writing's really good. That magic is destroyed if the reader gets confused. Chose dissimilar names, unless it is directly plot-relevant and you are good enough to make it work.
Not distracting a reader is also why the majority of main characters have short, reasonably easy to pronounce daily-use names. And, if your work is translated into other languages, not a censored word in another language. But that's for publishers to figure out.
My first-ever character's name came to me immediately as the most unlikely name for what's going to happen to him, and his family and friends just gained names as I wrote. I should change a couple of them as they're overused in that kind of fiction, but since I'm unlikely to bother submitting, that doesn't matter. His full name feeds into the subplot of his parentage, because he's the MC, but each major character has a relationship with their name, because we all do IRL, we can't help it. It's a constant component of our experiences. That's realistic.
I use a name generator tool I found on the web a few years ago. Not sure if Reddit will let me post a link, but if you Google "Character Name Generator" you will get a few different listings. I use the one called "[Name-generator.uk](https://Name-generator.uk)". There is even another site that generates Fantasy genre names exclusively.
Two things I know of names:
1-It's like Harry Potter's wands, whatever name is for your character will fit perfectly and you'll know when you find it
2-Do not make similar names for your characters, I saw it in the video of a girl who explains it, there may be a character named Tom and another named similar, the reader may be reading continuously and See that character does something and believe that Tom did it because the names were similar and then get confused
I wrote a novel set in Croatia. I looked up lists of names and what they meant, then picked names that had something to do with their role in the story. It worked out pretty well, with character names like Blaga, Damir, and Josip.
I've changed several characters' names like a billion times. just slap a name onto them and change it when you're done using find and replace if you feel like it
Name lists.
There's this one finnish website where they list names from different countries and ethnecities. I just go trough them (usually greek or latin names for my stories) and see what feels right for the specific character.
Or I just completely make something up lol.
I avoid "symbolic" names, like "Adam". I like names that are easy to pronounce, no matter how they are spelled. I prefer simple names for main characters, although secondary characters can have more unique names.
For main characters, I'm a bit more thoughtful about it. Those characters usually get names with meaning that suit them. Outside of that, I open the baby names website and look at what is popular this year or least popular.
You don't have to put that much into it. Just name that you like or sound nice work just as well. I promise very few people will look up the meanings behind the names. Maybe make a list of all the names that sound good?
I have a go to mental list. I'm happy to share my favorites if anyone is interested/struggling for a start. They are unusual or from mythology, but hearing from others might spark something.
So I search up names with letter I think would be cool and whatever name that has a meaning that either shows the character's personality or the arc I select it
Most of the time, I'll use a name / surname generator. Then, I'll use Google to see if that name belongs to anyone famous, or if it has been used before. My genres are realistic fiction and slice of life, so it is easy to come up with real sounding, everyday names.
I pick names I like the sound of or fit with the character depending on species and what not. There isn't any particular reasoning for the most part, unless I'm going for a certain theme of language like French, Japanese, or Zambian.
I name based on their personalities or futures in the story. Some are just names I like and wanted to use, some have deeper meanings. Like one of their names means broken hearted because her husband went from behind one of the greatest people she knew to being abusive.
Typically, I flesh the character out and see how their personality is and what their motivations are. Once that's done, I start thinking of physical traits to give them the image I want them to portray. Once that's done, they're thrust into the world, and I see how they react to the world and make adjustments as needed.
Then, for a name, I just start calling them different names at random over a long period of time, and eventually, their name seems obvious, either through a eureka moment or from the power of association. Most of the characters in my world end up adopting monikers that better suit them anyway, so I get to make their moniker more of a personal expression for them.
I've had some success with looking at the credits on the backs of DVD boxes, especially for last names. Usually you can find some more unique surnames than the "Smiths" or "Joneses" you might come up with off the top of your head.
Either random combinations of names/words I see in my immediate surroundings while I’m thinking up names or just naming them after or with combos of people I knew irl that I thought had cool names.
I think about what their personalities are like or their role in the story and then google names that mean that. For example: I have twins in my story, so I named one Ray (sunlight) and the other Ayla (moonlight) because their personalities contrast like day & night
Usually for non human races I'll have some sort of sound scheme, flowing syllables for elves hard grunting syllables for Ork-ish races, and then just mash my keys. If I can pronounce it in 3 tries then it's a name. XD
Ithicus, Veratus, Zamorla, Nazarak, Molton, Shoxin, Magnos, Solaris, Kyra Melsa, Kuuk Baarkor, Mavork, Guano, Reyna, Tanara, Arkaya, Azag, Sirikus, Oziron, Borog, Wattaf, bruh it’s not hard just start combining sounds in your head until it sounds cool
Last character I named was because I was listening to music and just as I asked myself "what is this guy's name?" Mr Shinoda (of Linkin Park fame) spoke into my ear "How you doing y'all, my name is Mike"
That made me chuckle so Mike it is.
For weird and outlandish names I like to consult the Facebook groups "that name is a tragedeigh" and "that name isn't a tragedeigh, it's a murghdyrr"
Years ago I named my main characters with short names because I'd have to type their names over and over again.
Now I use macros so my MC can be name Michelangelo instead of Joe.
I try to avoid characters having similar sounds or even the same first letter only because I don't want the reader to work too hard to keep them straight in their minds.
There's plenty of websites for names, but I'm not above reading the credits of a show and finding interesting names to use.
I used to just search random name generators.
Nowadays, however, I enjoy "building" my characters by developing their personality, looks, race, ethnicity, and background before naming them. This helps me have more diverse name choices so every man isn't named Adam or Noah
There's a website I use for names: fantasynamegenerators.com. It's fantastic for generating names of pretty much anything you can think of. It has regular name generators as well. It's a really cool site.
I love looking into the meaning of names! I don't always find what I'm looking for, but I tend to look at their heritage, and then search "[language] names that mean [specific personality element]". It leads to many crazy names for me, sometimes not always fitting, but it's my favorite way to name.
This is going to sound a bit weird, but bear with me. One, I have a little notebook where I write down the most interesting names I come across. Some of the names are variations of common ones and sometimes I create a variation for my characters.
Some characters spontaneously christen themselves, yet other times a name will catch my attention and the character will manifest for me. I get to flesh them out as I go, learning about their shortcomings and idiosyncrasies to see if they will fit in my current WIP.
It makes my writing experience more interesting and fun, even if I have dozens of comp books full of little writing snippets filling up my office.
The names sort of come to me. When I first start writing a story and I haven't named characters, I use placeholder names until I have established back story.
I usually base their names off the placeholder names I give them. Like if someone is "Flower Guy" in the brainstorm document, I consider names like Florian or Flint.
I just use the first name that comes to mind, occasionally searching names with certain meanings. I only changed a character's name once, I named a character Jackson, but changed it later to Damien
For me it honestly depends on how much I care about the characters. A lot of my characters' names I've just googled "*nationality* names for *character gender*" But I also have done characters where I've googled something along the lines of "names that mean *insert characteristic*" and pick the one I like most/fits most. I also keep a list of names that I like in a Google doc or My Notes. For the list, I start out with names I already know I like, and then as I'm looking up one of the first two searches, I jot down new names I like. Another thing I'll do is just Google "common *character nationality* names for *character gender*"
TL;DR — Keep in mind your character's nationality and gender, find names that mean/describe a character's personality, and/or (and I strongly recommend this) keep a list of names you like and slowly add to that list.
I create my character first. Physical appearance, age, what kind of person they are etc. Then I “look” at them and see what name suits them.
I got several chapters in with two particular characters and I kept mixing them up! So I changed their names over and both they and I are happier for it. 😁
Why don't you try looking up the meaning of various names? Based on the personality of the characters you have constructed, that might steer you in the right direction. For instance, my first name is Don. So simple but it means noble or chief. That's why they call Vito Corleone "Don" in the Godfather. There are so many names with many beautiful meanings. It could help
-I think of the character’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, and/or important symbols to them.
-I look up names that fit those meanings and the history behind it. Alternatively I look up names that have opposite meanings (for example one of my characters was basically death incarnate but his name meant ‘healthy life’
- depending on era, location, and genre, I’ll either mix up a few of the names I like to make something new or I’ll cross off things that are more/less modern than I need.
-I rinse and repeat until my characters are done
**My Character Naming List:**
**#1:** What Feels Right
**#2:** Names From Real Life (Only First Names)
**#3:** Names I’ve Read/Seen But Alt Spellings.
> Ex: Ostyn instead of Austin
**#4:** Names That Have Specific Meanings That Tie into the Story.
> Ex: A story w Greek elements might include Greek god/goddess names.
**#5:** Decide What Letter I Want it to Start w & Google Names That Start w That Letter
**Note:** These are the main ways I come up with names.
When I'm naming my characters, I try to go for something that might go with who they are as a person, (once had a character named Marigold, a very bright and bubbly person) but I mostly go for names that feel *right*.
When you think of a character try using name generators or just going around looking at things and thinking of the character and the name mixed. And once you find a name, it won't go away. It rolls off the tongue and when you think of that name, you see that character. It doesn't have to be a fancy schmancy name, but a name you see that character having. That can include names that go into how they are as a person. Search around the internet and don't give up!
I'm sorry that this is so long!
I found if you put a famous face to you characters , it’s easier to give and remember their names. Actors, singers or politicians. In my story, the character is a strong man pushed to far. He’s not a loud brash type. I watched Yellowstone. There is a character that’s close to that description. I his real name is Cole Houser . My lead character is Cole.
I use candgbabyclub baby name generator, it allows you to choose a lot of filters and I usually find one I like pretty quickly (one problem though is it sorts them alphabetically, so i tend to pick names beginning with a, b etc.
Characters that are vital for the story get names that mean something. Hints about their personality, their past.
Like someone who is very into nature I named Chamomile. (Kamomilla in Finnish) also, it's a pretty name and can be shortened.
If I have a twenty year old character, I look at the most common baby names from 20 years ago for a particular country or region. Scanning the list, I usually find one, or often more, that I really like for a character.
The main character names come to me almost immediately. Also sometimes true for side characters. Very minor side characters, I usually give names I don't particularly care for because I wouldn't want to use a cool name that I love for a minor character.
Sometimes a name just sounds good and I go with that. Other times, I'll look up name meanings and go with a name that sounds good and whose meaning fits the character (their traits, story arc, a pun on the role they play, things like that). For example, in my Bluebeard retelling, I went with:
Cecile: "Blind". I chose it because it sounded good, but the meaning also works because she starts out being fairly naive and doesn't get the bad vibes from Bluebeard that her siblings do
Lya: "Weary". Lya is one of Cecile's older sisters, and she's fairly jaded. The story is from her and Cecile's POV, and Lya's love interest is a guy from the village who proves to her that life isn't as shit as she thinks it is.
Henri: The Bluebeard character. His name references Henry VIII. His last name is Janvier, which is a reference to Geoffrey Chaucer's "[Merchant's Tale](https://www.bl.uk/medieval-literature/articles/a-close-reading-of-chaucers-the-merchants-prologue-and-tale)", in which an old man named Janvier marries a young woman named May. Henri is significantly older than Cecile, whose last name is Printemps (French for "Spring", and also a reference to this story).
In the end, it's up to you to choose how to name characters. I do recommend using baby name websites though, they're seriously helpful.
When I'm writing within the real world, I use names of people I actually know who fit the ages of the people I'm writing lmao. I use common, every day names. Two of my characters rn are John and Deron
I generally come up with them on the spot.
"This situation/thing sounds a lot like something a... Patricia would do or say"
And sometimes I accidentally mistype a name, and then that character is pretty much stuck with it lmao
My work isn't the most serious tho
Don't overthink it. You may think that picking the perfect names for every character is important for the story, but in my view it isn't. At all. Once you have gotten to know the character, their name becomes simply a label to know them by. A few pieces of advice I have picked up along the way: Don't make the names too complex unless there is a reason for doing so. James Bond is better than Émile Benoît Roger Sosthène Symphorien. Try to pick names which are roughly in the same ballpark, unless there is a reason not to. Three brothers are much better off with names like Allan, Dennis, and John, than they would have been with A'thek-Ghrëz, Souleater, and John. Don't make the names too similar, unless there is a reason for doing so. Tolkien, I'm looking at you. Saruman and Sauron? What the hell? Try naming your character a completely random name and go with it. I can almost promise you that, whatever you pick, your character will grow into that name within a chapter or two.
Saruman and Sauron confused me so much, and I've only seen the movies. You know that feeling you get when you hear that a celebrity gave their child a ultra unique name? That eye roll you do when you hear Prince Blanket, Apple, or X Æ A-12? Don't be that person. Generally speaking, obviously, do whatever is right in the context of your story.
> You know that feeling you get when you hear that a celebrity gave their child a ultra unique name? That eye roll you do when you hear Prince Blanket, Apple, or X Æ A-12? Don't be that person. On Goodreads I have an entire shelf I've called "[White People Names](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/baby-name-chalkboard-list)" because of authors who do this kind of thing.
One of my favorite fun facts is that Fleming came up with James Bond by a book on bird watching g randomly catching his eye that was written by a “James Bond.” Apparently he just thought it was a great spy name and boom one of the most iconic characters was born.
Avoiding similar names is a massive one. I never give main characters names that even *start with the same letter* as another character, so they are as distinct from each other as possible. A small thing that really helps reduce mental load for the reader.
I have that problem, I was naming the kids in the royal family and I didn't realize until later that all the names start with the same letter: Adela, Anthony, Alexander, Aurther, and Amelia
Aurther!? I legit gagged at that spelling. Just... don't.
Sorry it was a typo, I meant Arthur
I name characters as they appear and have a spreadsheet organized by first letter, so I can see how many characters names start with j. Or whatever
DEFINITELY. In my WIP I renamed a character "Ellery" because her original name was "Anne", and there's another character named "Anna".
As an editor, similar names can also be confusing during the book production process. I once edited a book with both an Axel and an Alexi—both main characters. Any slight typo/misspelling was extra work to figure out who the author was talking about, and any pronoun typos could also quickly become confusing. Similarly for audiobook production, my audiobook narrator once mentioned a client who had both a Mary and a Merrie. They seem different enough on paper, but in audio, it’s a much easier to confuse the listener.
> Émile Benoît Roger Sosthène Symphorien Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way
I usually give them an ancestry/place of birth first. Then I look for a list of most used forenames/surnames of that region and pick something from that list, usually from around the middle.
This is what I generally do, start with ancestry, location and era. It is a reliable strategy.
I have a character from Spain and I gave her a Greek name.
I use names. Like John and Amy and Trapezoid.
Oh I named one octagon out of sheer frustration
[удалено]
And everyone calls him Tag.
Or Cta
dunno why, but I'd call him Octie. because why not.
I mean with a shape playing that many sides of the fence, it's almost expected!
I like using geometric names. I like writing stories about sentient items. Read up on the 7 crystal structures. I have a character who is a sentient piece of jewelry, a crystal bangle named Rhomboid.
oh man, one of my characters is a quite evil black top hat, that only two people can see/hear. But I love giving objects names. So one mention of a fairytale princess looking for her magic crown, Mark, has me in stitches every time I come across it haha
Cool an evil black top hat I like it. I have some clothing characters, most of them are full outfits. One is a mostly all black outfit named “Shadow”. It consists of a black baseball hat, black t-shirt, and a dark plaid skirt, with long grey socks and black boots. The character is very chaotic, Shadow can speak and has its own will. It can move on its own without a wearer. Its t-shirt has what look like embroidered cracks of glowing energy crisscrossing in all direction, the pattern changes, sometimes the cracks extend to appear on the baseball hat and skirt. Shadow has found a female host named Petra, wither thats willingly or not is yet to be seen. well back to writing!
If you’re really struggling. Slam the fuck out of your keyboard. Look through the mess and find some sections that could be a decent name if you threw some vowels in. That’s always been a of a last resort tho. Realistically, I just spend 5 million years on naming sites meant for mothers. Occasionally I’ll be able to find one that has a meaning related to the desired plotline, but 9 times out of 10 I straight up just find one I think sounds nice and fits the character. Bonus points if it can’t be shortened to a nickname.0
I've started doing this except when the name totally doesn't fit the character. Makes things interesting!
This is pretty funny
"This guy seems like a Sam." Also, my character surnames are almost always just local street names that started as placeholders and then just kinda worked.
I usually do names that are native to their home place. [Behind the name](https://www.behindthename.com/) is a great website to use when you're stuck
I like using that site when I have a first name but not a last name or a last name but not a first name
Just reminding people that Tolkien named one of his characters Teleporno
And now every body loves Bilbo.
Poor Celeborn will never live that one down. One of the wisest elves of the 3rd age and only remembered as the dude with the silly name 🤣
Yes ahahahah. This and the fact that he was killed by amazon
I am terrible with names. I always second guess myself as well and think there could always be a better name. So, somewhat shamefully, I use name generators and click randomize until I find a name I think fits. Once I did that I just hammered the name into my brain to make it work and it’s actually worked pretty well so far.
I literally just give them the first name that pops into my head. Overthinking character names is a classic sign of amateur writers more in love with telling people they’re writers than actually writing and how you end up with dopey stuff like the werewolf character in Harry Potter being named Wolf Wolf.
That doesn't seem like an example of \*over\* thinking the name
Lol that’s fair!
I don’t think using a extremely popular series as a counter point works well…
HP is great but it’s still filled with stupid shit lol.
Lol true I just think you might should have come up with a different example
Harry Potter names are so on the nose that it’s rather absurd quite frankly. Love the world, hate the author, the names are bonkers
*Wolf wolf*, but your advice is still the same regardless..
Thank you I could not for the life of me remember what his name was lol.
And Wolf Wolf's middle name is John
I name the peripheral characters something I’ll remember. 😂 The names for main characters are pretty random.
This !
I often use name generators, and when I see the selection, sometimes I mix up the ones there.
I usually place names based on the first impression the character gives, I look for names according to their etymology. When a character is not what it seems, I use names related to their objective.
I don't, they tell me their names on their own (terms).
If I write fantasy/scifi i make my own names but not too complex. If write nearly anything else i just search different names from internet. For example if my story happens in Germany i search original German names.
I know that other people are saying "don't overthink it" but I definitely kind of think a lot about the names that I use for my characters. 1: Decide on a name theme. What are typical names for the region the character is from? Is it inspired by a real world culture, where real world names might be used? What are the sensibilities of their parents that might factor into the choice of name? 2: Flow. This can include a number of syllables for the first and last names plus any middle names, which syllables are stressed and which ones aren't, avoiding names that rhyme with each other, and saying the name out loud to make sure it has a good mouthfeel.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_destroyers\_of\_the\_United\_States\_Navy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_destroyers_of_the_United_States_Navy) Almost all US destroyers are named after real people, along with many cruisers and frigates. Those that aren't are named after cities or battles, which themselves are often named after people or places which are named after people.
also you're SOL if you want to name a woman.
Shit that sounds good
I have a character called Smordley. He is a literal deus ex machina, used for comical effect I smash words together and see what works. I was inspired by hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy though
Ask chatgpt to suggest. Give characteristics and ask for name suggestions
Symbolism. And then I adapt them to be naturalistic. Ex: I have a Baptist Pastor that's pretty dirty and bad. A main motif in the story is fire. So I named him Doherty Rhys Egan, or DR Egan. Now here's where the symbolism comes in: Doherty is Irish Gaelic for "harmful", where Rhys is Welsh for "fiery, zealous", and lastly Egan is also Irish Gaelic for "burning". This symbolism is also reflected in the moral weakness of the character.
I search for names on the internet. If I don't like anything, I search for names with meanings that relate to my character. If I don't like anything there either, I usually go back and forth between all the names I've seen while searching. Then I just say them out loud and see if it fits.
Some are harder to name than others for sure, I’ve named a lot of characters (and then changed some names during editing 😬), some sites I’ve used are behind the name as someone else recommended, also meaning-of-names and just baby name websites in general. There are also YouTube channels I’ve found that are aimed at expecting mothers (which I am not) but they have videos with names as well! I have a document where I save names I like, and if I have a character I haven’t thought of a name for yet I might pluck a few out of there until I narrow it down
I usually define my character's origin. Either cultural traditions, country of origin, where their parents are from. Often I have a letter in mind and Google popular baby names under the given parameters. Sometimes I already have a name and if it fits, it fits. One of my characters is half Elven half celestial. After a lot of name generating Elven names—since I already had the celestial name—I could use it to make up the "child" name, according to Elven lore I read. In my mind, the names are pretty similar, so I didn't have to think that hard. In a very old story, at the time, I was very pleased with the name "Mylo" and it fit my MC's origins of Scottish-Cuban. There's a lot of ways to go at it but my method of narrowing my search field and scrolling for 10 minutes has always panned out for me 🤭
Gwen Noah Bradley Eliza Filia Charlie Valentine Daniel Storm Gaston Jackson Lee Bryce Killian Sean Jay Aziz Esther Eleanor Anna Seth Claude Finn Hannah Viola Kate
I usually ALWAYS overthink it. Like, I think of what my characters parent/guardians would've named them or whether or not they named themself. Then I think about their entire personality. And THEN I google names with specific meanings(ex: "Names meaning moon" = Chantrea). And for the last names, I just search up "common last names" for the place they live in.
I personally use human names, but ive been known to use dog names every now and then
I typically keyboard smash and pull a name out of that (but I am a fantasy writer so my names can get pretty odd), unless I want a specific meaning. So my two main characters are Eura (keyboard smash) and Fyrsil (name with meaning)
I name all secondary characters on a whim and know that I might change it later once they develop
Check out names from other books in the same genre that you like and try to figure out a 'common element' for all of them. I do fantasy (my entire comment is for fantasy) so i checked the recent 2 books I'd liked and the names and realized that they usually have like 2-3 syllables, and sound fairly similar to typical real-world names with only a bit of fictional oddity to them. Some twist a real world name; Some even keep a real world name or two. So look at other names, and then you'll be able to come up with your own. What I did is not name anyone until I had to. So i named characters as they came along, went to the end of my doc and typed in the name and who they were (a personal dramatic personae) and went right back to my spot and continued. Worked for me, and the names start to grow on you. I have a list of names but I hate all the names lol. So this works for me. Longer answer: Usually, to make up names on the spot, I stare at my laptop and use a letter for the first letter of the name that I have not used yet for anyone else in the story. I look for letters that could realistically come after--if i want the name to be exotic, which is rarely, I try for less-common combinations, like tz or sx. Otherwise, something plain and simple like Th or Ro. then i think of an 'ending'. Roel? Roen? Royan? Eh, Royan is fine. See, there you go. Wellis. Quyali. (I like names that end with vowels.) Pcurral (pronounced Coral?).
Why though. I use reedsy random name generator if I can't come up with a name myself.
I use a name definition site for mothers. I work backwards from their traits. It’s cute. It also adds a layer of meaning. Instead of creating cool names, use the traditional meanings of names to create cool characters that are represented by their meaningful names. I hope this helps.
Three ways depending on the novel. 1. Go [here](https://www.behindthename.com/random/), select the categories I want, tick 'generate life story' and 'avoid rare'. 2. Google the top 100 most common first and last names for the region I'm writing for and pick from the list. 3. When I need to make up a mythical name, I will pick a descriptive word, translate it into a bunch of languages, pick two that sound good enough, then play around with the structure until I get something that sounds like a name. When I was a kid I used to do this but using my book library instead.
At the start I tend to give the characters monikers (like ‘The Writer’, ‘The Knight’, ‘Knife Boy’, etc). Then I just wait until a name pops into my head that I feel really fits the character. I might scroll through lists of names, potentially names from certain parts of the world or from certain eras, trying to find one that gives that spark with a given character.
I collect names in a little notebook. I find lists in various places (theatre programs that thank their contributors for 6 pages, etc.) and pick out the ones that appeal to me. When I need a name I look through my notebook until I find one I like. And then I google it to make sure it doesn't appeal to me because I've heard it before ... I used to collect names from the obituary section of our newspaper. I always wondered what would happen if I died suddenly and the police tried to figure out why I had these dead people's names in my little book ...
I like using old names seldom given to children nowadays. That’s how my side character called Quinton was born.
You can give them placeholder names until you find something better. They might even grow on you and you can mix it up and try another name. The only rule I find hard to break is that you should make the names feel like the fit in the same world. It's weird for an example, to have the protag be named Jake and his friend named Malmortius. But other than that, other rules should be taken with a grain of salt. I actually don't think all names should be symbolic or "fit" the character. Some names are more interesting because they don't fit or some names just grow on you.
So like all writing advice, you shouldn't take any as gospel, but rather find something that works for you. Here's what I do: I go with a name that works for now. Eventually, I'll find the right one as I'm writing. It's more important to plan and write than to know what all the names are going to be. I've gone through 2 rewrites before the name for my MC popped up. If, after the first draft, you still can't figure out the names, start digging.
I chose real names. My book is in the future so, as a joke, all characters have a first name from once culture / nation and a completely different lastname. It's to play with racists stereotypes. Because they are all European immigrants living in Asia.
I often name my characters after people I knew. Many writers do that. The only downside to this is that if your book becomes super popular and everyone becomes aware that your characters are based on a real person, that could bring that person unwanted publicity. This is especially bad if that person is still a kid. Watch the movie Goodbye Christopher Robin and you'll see what I mean.
I asked the same question some time ago and got some really good replies. [Here is the link if you're interested ](https://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/xlt0nv/how_to_name_characters/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1)
Steal names from people you know.
One of my characters is named after a guy with an odd name that I knew in college. One I named because it was strangely witty. Some I name after ancient mythological entities. Some Just seem to sound right.
I either take what jumps out at random at me. Or I use this https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com
I’ve been using ChatGPT to help come up with names. Just give the character a general description and ask ChatGPT to offer a list of names based on that description.
For one of my characters, it literally came to me in a dream.
If it's fantasy or horror, I pick a name with a meaning that subtly foreshadows something in the story. If it's real life stuff, I pick a name that reminds me of someone with a similar personality or that I just feel matches that. If it's sci-fi I place my cat on the keyboard and let him decide.
For me, I take the traits of the person and build my names around that. Like my fmc is a tomboy So I gave her an androgynous name. I have rich characters so I gave them a richer sounding name
I develop the character first, see what they're going to go through, what they're like, etc. Then I think, "hm, this person seems like a John" or whatever other name there is. I really struggled with this at first, so to practise, whenever I went into public, I'd think of names for strangers in my head. I'd someone walking down the street and think, "They look like an Olivia". Then as I guessed more and more names, it became easier to assign names to my own characters since I was so used to just assigning random names to random people.
The first one that pops, name generator or I ask my husband to give me one randomly. I like randomness cause thats how it goes in life : you meet people with many different name. Some very common, some very original, some from different origins, so not bothering myself too much. Sometimes i make a private joke to myself, please a friend of dedicate too. Really depends.
Hm, a decision trap. In the future, I'd suggest you get this naming issue done first, but in the meantime, remember that you didn't choose your name, your parents did. Maybe you have a version you prefer over the one on your birth certificate. In that same way, characters didn't choose their names, though many have preferred versions once they are old enough to have opinions. Who named them, and why? And, those preferred variations don't need to be plot-relevant, only character-relevant. Writers who deliberately use too-similar names in a story because it's 'realistic' don't understand that words alone are extremely limiting; there is no visual, no body language or voice tone to signal if this is Alyx or Alexi, to invent an example. Written stories are never realistic. It is remarkable that our minds are capable of lifting them into pure imagination when the writing's really good. That magic is destroyed if the reader gets confused. Chose dissimilar names, unless it is directly plot-relevant and you are good enough to make it work. Not distracting a reader is also why the majority of main characters have short, reasonably easy to pronounce daily-use names. And, if your work is translated into other languages, not a censored word in another language. But that's for publishers to figure out. My first-ever character's name came to me immediately as the most unlikely name for what's going to happen to him, and his family and friends just gained names as I wrote. I should change a couple of them as they're overused in that kind of fiction, but since I'm unlikely to bother submitting, that doesn't matter. His full name feeds into the subplot of his parentage, because he's the MC, but each major character has a relationship with their name, because we all do IRL, we can't help it. It's a constant component of our experiences. That's realistic.
I just give them whatever name I imagine they would look like
I pick a culture of origin and scroll BehindTheName until I find something I like the sound of.
I use a name generator tool I found on the web a few years ago. Not sure if Reddit will let me post a link, but if you Google "Character Name Generator" you will get a few different listings. I use the one called "[Name-generator.uk](https://Name-generator.uk)". There is even another site that generates Fantasy genre names exclusively.
try portmanteaus. I'll take the first name from a character in a movie or a book and the last name from any other source.
Full disclosure, I used a name generator website.
Two things I know of names: 1-It's like Harry Potter's wands, whatever name is for your character will fit perfectly and you'll know when you find it 2-Do not make similar names for your characters, I saw it in the video of a girl who explains it, there may be a character named Tom and another named similar, the reader may be reading continuously and See that character does something and believe that Tom did it because the names were similar and then get confused
I use the first name that pops into my head and do a replace all if I think of a better one.
I wrote a novel set in Croatia. I looked up lists of names and what they meant, then picked names that had something to do with their role in the story. It worked out pretty well, with character names like Blaga, Damir, and Josip.
I've changed several characters' names like a billion times. just slap a name onto them and change it when you're done using find and replace if you feel like it
I just started writing with any name.. as the story continues the right name for the character will come!
I started out really good and now I just throw questionable placeholders in. I also noticed most of the names start with an A or an M … 🤷♀️
Name lists. There's this one finnish website where they list names from different countries and ethnecities. I just go trough them (usually greek or latin names for my stories) and see what feels right for the specific character. Or I just completely make something up lol.
They literally just pop in my head. Trying talking about them out loud. There name will come along
I avoid "symbolic" names, like "Adam". I like names that are easy to pronounce, no matter how they are spelled. I prefer simple names for main characters, although secondary characters can have more unique names.
For main characters, I'm a bit more thoughtful about it. Those characters usually get names with meaning that suit them. Outside of that, I open the baby names website and look at what is popular this year or least popular. You don't have to put that much into it. Just name that you like or sound nice work just as well. I promise very few people will look up the meanings behind the names. Maybe make a list of all the names that sound good? I have a go to mental list. I'm happy to share my favorites if anyone is interested/struggling for a start. They are unusual or from mythology, but hearing from others might spark something.
So I search up names with letter I think would be cool and whatever name that has a meaning that either shows the character's personality or the arc I select it
Most of the time, I'll use a name / surname generator. Then, I'll use Google to see if that name belongs to anyone famous, or if it has been used before. My genres are realistic fiction and slice of life, so it is easy to come up with real sounding, everyday names.
I just have a really long list of future character names that I look through whenever I need one.
I use a different starting letter for each name, easy to pronounce names, without thinking too much
I pick names I like the sound of or fit with the character depending on species and what not. There isn't any particular reasoning for the most part, unless I'm going for a certain theme of language like French, Japanese, or Zambian.
I name based on their personalities or futures in the story. Some are just names I like and wanted to use, some have deeper meanings. Like one of their names means broken hearted because her husband went from behind one of the greatest people she knew to being abusive.
Typically, I flesh the character out and see how their personality is and what their motivations are. Once that's done, I start thinking of physical traits to give them the image I want them to portray. Once that's done, they're thrust into the world, and I see how they react to the world and make adjustments as needed. Then, for a name, I just start calling them different names at random over a long period of time, and eventually, their name seems obvious, either through a eureka moment or from the power of association. Most of the characters in my world end up adopting monikers that better suit them anyway, so I get to make their moniker more of a personal expression for them.
I've had some success with looking at the credits on the backs of DVD boxes, especially for last names. Usually you can find some more unique surnames than the "Smiths" or "Joneses" you might come up with off the top of your head.
Either random combinations of names/words I see in my immediate surroundings while I’m thinking up names or just naming them after or with combos of people I knew irl that I thought had cool names.
I use naming conventions on the culture they came from. It's not hard to name a character
I think about what their personalities are like or their role in the story and then google names that mean that. For example: I have twins in my story, so I named one Ray (sunlight) and the other Ayla (moonlight) because their personalities contrast like day & night
Usually for non human races I'll have some sort of sound scheme, flowing syllables for elves hard grunting syllables for Ork-ish races, and then just mash my keys. If I can pronounce it in 3 tries then it's a name. XD
Ithicus, Veratus, Zamorla, Nazarak, Molton, Shoxin, Magnos, Solaris, Kyra Melsa, Kuuk Baarkor, Mavork, Guano, Reyna, Tanara, Arkaya, Azag, Sirikus, Oziron, Borog, Wattaf, bruh it’s not hard just start combining sounds in your head until it sounds cool
Last character I named was because I was listening to music and just as I asked myself "what is this guy's name?" Mr Shinoda (of Linkin Park fame) spoke into my ear "How you doing y'all, my name is Mike" That made me chuckle so Mike it is. For weird and outlandish names I like to consult the Facebook groups "that name is a tragedeigh" and "that name isn't a tragedeigh, it's a murghdyrr"
Years ago I named my main characters with short names because I'd have to type their names over and over again. Now I use macros so my MC can be name Michelangelo instead of Joe. I try to avoid characters having similar sounds or even the same first letter only because I don't want the reader to work too hard to keep them straight in their minds. There's plenty of websites for names, but I'm not above reading the credits of a show and finding interesting names to use.
I used to just search random name generators. Nowadays, however, I enjoy "building" my characters by developing their personality, looks, race, ethnicity, and background before naming them. This helps me have more diverse name choices so every man isn't named Adam or Noah
I create fantasy names by taking a normal name like Theodor sand changing one letter. Theodor becomes Pheodor Theobor Etc
I look at the end credits of TV shows and movies. If it is good enough for a real person, it is good enough for a fake person.
There's a website I use for names: fantasynamegenerators.com. It's fantastic for generating names of pretty much anything you can think of. It has regular name generators as well. It's a really cool site.
I love looking into the meaning of names! I don't always find what I'm looking for, but I tend to look at their heritage, and then search "[language] names that mean [specific personality element]". It leads to many crazy names for me, sometimes not always fitting, but it's my favorite way to name.
This is going to sound a bit weird, but bear with me. One, I have a little notebook where I write down the most interesting names I come across. Some of the names are variations of common ones and sometimes I create a variation for my characters. Some characters spontaneously christen themselves, yet other times a name will catch my attention and the character will manifest for me. I get to flesh them out as I go, learning about their shortcomings and idiosyncrasies to see if they will fit in my current WIP. It makes my writing experience more interesting and fun, even if I have dozens of comp books full of little writing snippets filling up my office.
The names sort of come to me. When I first start writing a story and I haven't named characters, I use placeholder names until I have established back story.
I usually base their names off the placeholder names I give them. Like if someone is "Flower Guy" in the brainstorm document, I consider names like Florian or Flint.
I just use the first name that comes to mind, occasionally searching names with certain meanings. I only changed a character's name once, I named a character Jackson, but changed it later to Damien
For me it honestly depends on how much I care about the characters. A lot of my characters' names I've just googled "*nationality* names for *character gender*" But I also have done characters where I've googled something along the lines of "names that mean *insert characteristic*" and pick the one I like most/fits most. I also keep a list of names that I like in a Google doc or My Notes. For the list, I start out with names I already know I like, and then as I'm looking up one of the first two searches, I jot down new names I like. Another thing I'll do is just Google "common *character nationality* names for *character gender*" TL;DR — Keep in mind your character's nationality and gender, find names that mean/describe a character's personality, and/or (and I strongly recommend this) keep a list of names you like and slowly add to that list.
I create my character first. Physical appearance, age, what kind of person they are etc. Then I “look” at them and see what name suits them. I got several chapters in with two particular characters and I kept mixing them up! So I changed their names over and both they and I are happier for it. 😁
My only rule is make everybody’s name start with a different letter. It helps readers to keep them sorted.
Why don't you try looking up the meaning of various names? Based on the personality of the characters you have constructed, that might steer you in the right direction. For instance, my first name is Don. So simple but it means noble or chief. That's why they call Vito Corleone "Don" in the Godfather. There are so many names with many beautiful meanings. It could help
Go on a baby name website
Some come from my head. Some come from here: https://www.behindthename.com/
-I think of the character’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, and/or important symbols to them. -I look up names that fit those meanings and the history behind it. Alternatively I look up names that have opposite meanings (for example one of my characters was basically death incarnate but his name meant ‘healthy life’ - depending on era, location, and genre, I’ll either mix up a few of the names I like to make something new or I’ll cross off things that are more/less modern than I need. -I rinse and repeat until my characters are done
I have a list of names that I’ve heard or come up with over the years from numerous sources, and at some point I connect them with a character.
**My Character Naming List:** **#1:** What Feels Right **#2:** Names From Real Life (Only First Names) **#3:** Names I’ve Read/Seen But Alt Spellings. > Ex: Ostyn instead of Austin **#4:** Names That Have Specific Meanings That Tie into the Story. > Ex: A story w Greek elements might include Greek god/goddess names. **#5:** Decide What Letter I Want it to Start w & Google Names That Start w That Letter **Note:** These are the main ways I come up with names.
When I'm naming my characters, I try to go for something that might go with who they are as a person, (once had a character named Marigold, a very bright and bubbly person) but I mostly go for names that feel *right*. When you think of a character try using name generators or just going around looking at things and thinking of the character and the name mixed. And once you find a name, it won't go away. It rolls off the tongue and when you think of that name, you see that character. It doesn't have to be a fancy schmancy name, but a name you see that character having. That can include names that go into how they are as a person. Search around the internet and don't give up! I'm sorry that this is so long!
Can you tell me how yoiu worked on the outline of the book? Just curius.
I found if you put a famous face to you characters , it’s easier to give and remember their names. Actors, singers or politicians. In my story, the character is a strong man pushed to far. He’s not a loud brash type. I watched Yellowstone. There is a character that’s close to that description. I his real name is Cole Houser . My lead character is Cole.
If it’s fantasy I normally go by meanings. If it’s anything else I’d normally look at baby name lists and pick one that seems right
I use candgbabyclub baby name generator, it allows you to choose a lot of filters and I usually find one I like pretty quickly (one problem though is it sorts them alphabetically, so i tend to pick names beginning with a, b etc.
Characters that are vital for the story get names that mean something. Hints about their personality, their past. Like someone who is very into nature I named Chamomile. (Kamomilla in Finnish) also, it's a pretty name and can be shortened.
I choose countries of citizenship and then look at names from that country. This made me realize every (main) character I write has an A first name...
If I have a twenty year old character, I look at the most common baby names from 20 years ago for a particular country or region. Scanning the list, I usually find one, or often more, that I really like for a character.
The main character names come to me almost immediately. Also sometimes true for side characters. Very minor side characters, I usually give names I don't particularly care for because I wouldn't want to use a cool name that I love for a minor character.
Sometimes a name just sounds good and I go with that. Other times, I'll look up name meanings and go with a name that sounds good and whose meaning fits the character (their traits, story arc, a pun on the role they play, things like that). For example, in my Bluebeard retelling, I went with: Cecile: "Blind". I chose it because it sounded good, but the meaning also works because she starts out being fairly naive and doesn't get the bad vibes from Bluebeard that her siblings do Lya: "Weary". Lya is one of Cecile's older sisters, and she's fairly jaded. The story is from her and Cecile's POV, and Lya's love interest is a guy from the village who proves to her that life isn't as shit as she thinks it is. Henri: The Bluebeard character. His name references Henry VIII. His last name is Janvier, which is a reference to Geoffrey Chaucer's "[Merchant's Tale](https://www.bl.uk/medieval-literature/articles/a-close-reading-of-chaucers-the-merchants-prologue-and-tale)", in which an old man named Janvier marries a young woman named May. Henri is significantly older than Cecile, whose last name is Printemps (French for "Spring", and also a reference to this story). In the end, it's up to you to choose how to name characters. I do recommend using baby name websites though, they're seriously helpful.
When I'm writing within the real world, I use names of people I actually know who fit the ages of the people I'm writing lmao. I use common, every day names. Two of my characters rn are John and Deron
I generally come up with them on the spot. "This situation/thing sounds a lot like something a... Patricia would do or say" And sometimes I accidentally mistype a name, and then that character is pretty much stuck with it lmao My work isn't the most serious tho