I personally know how hard it is to name characters, and go a little crazy sometimes trying to make each and every person unique with a fantastically absurd name that stands out.
But that's exactly the problem. How can a unique name be unique if every other name it is surrounded by is unique as well? Well of course, the name becomes quite normal. And instead of having a character stand out, he doesn't, and you end up naming him Bob. *is reminded of the monkey-bird scene from MirrorMask where all the monkey-birds introduce themselves as Bob. Except one who calls himself Malcom*
But I digress. At the moment I'm having a civil argument with RockSmith about his name choices in his imaginative story, Brombil the Barkeep (post739131.html#p739131).
Which lead me to making this thread.
Below is more than a few tips on creating/finding/mangling names that I have gathered from many sources (all of which are provided as their original links at the end). Just in case I wasn't clear enough, the below is not my work, but work of others that I have collected and rearranged/spliced/edited to make the pieces correlate with each other in a cohesive way. The original owners are credited in the links at the end. I take no credit for what they have written.
Feel free to add your own tips and links to help out those who can't help but make every name unique.
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What is in a Name?
How many of us have belabored over finding just the right name for a character, only to have our critique group throw it back in our face with the claim, "It doesn't work for me." As much as we hate to admit a mistake, they may be right. After all, how many medieval knights were really named Billy? And how many Englishmen do you know named Aleksy?
A character's name is a basic part of that character, but it can sometimes be hard to come by just the right name. These tips might make that passage a little easier. Okay, so you promised your father to name the hero of your third book after him. You still can -- but with a variation to the root -- Alexander perhaps. Or is your hero Irish? Name him Alsandair. Is he Scottish? Name him Alastair. Three things to keep in mind when naming your characters are -- the character's personality, his/her ethnicity, and the century in which they were born.
Warning! Names Stick to Your Brain! If you can't think of a name right away, you might decide to try out a temporary name on a character. Or you might give your character a name and only later realize that it's not very good. Still, it's only a first draft, what harm could it do? Be careful! I once created a villain named Lord Nohan. By the time I realized that name would send readers into peals of laughter, the name was fixed in my brain. I changed it to Lord Merik, but it took months before I felt comfortable with the new name.
Full Name Structure
First Names
Once you know who your characters are, you can select an appropriate name for them. The way you name your characters falls into two categories -- who they are, and where they come from. So you know your hero possesses all these random sterling qualities. Will a name like Rickman suit him, then? Was your heroine born at night? Maybe her parents named her Starr because of it. Decide what qualifications your characters have that you want to come across most. Only you as the author know them well enough to do that.
Say the name aloud. Hard sounds like "t" or "s" will strengthen your character, while softer sounds like "d" or "b" will have a pleasanter ring. Think about the image you wish to convey. Ending the name on a hard sound -- Kent or Brooke -- would be stronger than Hugh or Ella.
If writing an historical, remember the setting/era of your novel. Ashley and Madison were once exclusively male names. Now, both are associated with females. If you aren't certain which names were popular when, visit your local library's genealogy section and read through old birth/death/marriage records. You will get a feel for the era by skimming through the files.
Surnames
Surnames didn't even exist before the 12th century. A man had his name and that's how he was known. By the 1100s, however, evidence of a second, or surname, exists. A man achieved that name in various ways -- by the place of his birth, from his father (whether full or given name), by his occupation, or perhaps even by a nickname. Not everyone had surnames at once either. At first, they were taken or chosen by whomever wanted one. Some men even took combinations of the above, joining their estate name with their father's name possibly.
It wasn't until the 13th and 14th centuries that surnames became less elaborate, eventually evolving through the 17th century as the more recognizable form we know today.
English surnames derive chiefly from local or place names. Clifford, Oakman and Ellwood are all examples of this. Surnames of relationship could use either the father or mother's name as the root. The suffix -son was popular in the North of England, as in Johnson or Williamson. Surnames of occupation began with holders of the actual office, but eventually became hereditary. Steward, Dean and Sergeant were all occupations as well as surnames. The last type of surname origination is the nickname--a rare and seldom hereditary name. While some Barefoots, Prouds and Skippers have survived the centuries, few surnames bear this origin.
Can you borrow real surnames from local historical figures? Yes and no. If you are using that figure in your novel, you have to use the name. But be careful as to how you portray him/her. For a fictional character, yes, you can borrow real names. But rather than copy a name directly (Winston Churchill, for example, or the Duke of Wellington) change it a bit. You're more likely to avoid problems that way. And your character won't have to live up to another's reputation.
The same applies for titles in the case of English aristocracy. Rather than copy a title exactly, like the Earl of Spenser, create your own with an imaginary county/manor house/family name, etc.. But remember not to take away from the authenticity of the title. What are the odds of there being a Duke of Washington or a Marquess of Rouen in England?
Most of the guidelines that apply to first names apply to last names as well, but there are some special tips that you can apply to last names. There are also guidelines that help you combine the right first name with the right last name.
* Don't end the first name with the same sound as the last name. (Try pronouncing Johnson Naismith, and you'll see what I mean.)
* Try combining common first names with unusual last names, or unusual first names with common last names.
* Use genealogy sources to look up possible surnames.
* Unless you're writing a futuristic or fantasy romance, avoid making up surnames -- made-up surnames often stick out like sure thumbs. So speaks the person who ended up with characters with the last names of Irting, Cranly, and Tilden.
Getting Your Character Right
The first step in naming your characters is to know them. Names make impressions. That's why you should think long and hard over them. You want your readers to remember your characters' names long after they've finished reading the book. But before you can name your characters, you must know them inside and out. Create a thorough outline on each one. Analyze what motivates them, what makes them who they are.
Take your hero. Is he strong? Powerful? Wealthy? Muscular? Would you convey that impression with a name like Robin Tibbles? It's a traditional English name, and your hero is English. Or would Garrick Maxwell Atwater III better suit him? The longer a man's name, the more likely he will be considered honest and accomplished. What about your heroine? Is she confident and adventurous? Or is she sedate and well-mannered? Would the name Clover Darling be better for the former or latter? How about Elizabeth Knight?
Also determine your characters' ethnic backgrounds. Nothing is more jarring to the reader than coming across an Irish hero named Pedro. So if it's vital to the story that the hero is Irish, find an Irish name for him. (Unless his mother is Spanish, perhaps, and named him Pedro because it irritated the father's family who disowned him when he married a Spaniard . . . but that's another story.) If you aren't familiar with names from a particular country, investigate. Baby name books often include ethnic origins. Or read books by contemporary authors from the country in question. In other words, go directly to the source.
Let the Names Reflect the Characters
Give characters names that tell you something about them. Is your hero an alpha hero and a warrior? Then give him a name that alerts readers to his personality. Is your heroine an artist? Find a name that projects a creative personality. In my romantic suspense novel, I had a great time finding names that suited the characters. For example, Sebastian Gregoire, a passionate artist; Constance Wynter, cold, wealthy woman; and Laurel Walker, the down-to-earth heroine.
Remember the Genre
Readers of a specific genre have certain expectations when they pick up a book. You, as the author, have to fulfill those expectations. Cactus Jack and One-eyed Bill might suit a Western, but would certainly be out of place in your romance. (Unless of course, it's set in the West and has some colorful secondary characters.) When choosing a name, think of what image that name conjures up. Rafe implies a very different type of personality than, say, Gimp. Just as Raven or Honey would for your heroine.
Finally, while you can spend hours searching for just the right name, don't be offended if a reader tells you she liked everything except the heroine's name. We all come to the book with past experiences, and those experiences may have included some not so pleasant memories of someone who bears the same name as a hero/heroine.
Names that Fit the Period
The biggest mistake we see writers make is choosing a character name that is not age-appropriate. Many authors make the mistake of choosing a name that is popular now for an adult character—name that would have rarely been used around the time of the character's birth. Decide the age of your character and then calculate the year your character was born. If your character was born in the U.S., browse the Social Security Name Popularity List for that year. You will also want to take into account the character's ethnic background and the ethnic background of his/her parents.
If you're writing a historical or Regency romance, do some research on names common to the era. Read primary sources from that era to find out, for example, if the name you picked for your heroine was actually used exclusively for males at that time. Also, if you're creating characters with a particular ethnic background, do research to find authentic names from that ethnic group. I once started to read a romance about the Norman Invasion and nearly dropped it when I found out that the hero, one of the Normans, was named... Brian?! I quickly realized this was an author who did not grasp the concept of Norman invaders. I'm sure many other readers had the same reaction. Perhaps this was why it was in the bargain bin.
Also, no matter how good your sources are, don't grab the first name you see. Remember that not every Hispanic man is named Raoul or Juan, nor was every Anglo-Saxon or Viking man named Wulf.
On the other hand, remember that people from this era will be reading your book. Though you must pick authentic names, those names should be something modern day readers can relate to. Sure, Egbert was once a popular Anglo-Saxon name meaning "bright spear" -- but modern readers will look at that name and think that your warrior hero sounds like an accountant.
Names that Reflect Your World
Names should be affected by your worldbuilding. If the world you have created for your story is a harsh land dominated by a warrior culture, the names will reflect that -- just as many Anglo-Saxon names included words relating to concepts such as "strong," "spear," "warrior," and so forth. On the other hand, if your characters live in a pastoral world, they are more likely to have names that reflect their closeness to nature. Depending on your society, characters could be named after ancestors, gods, animals, places, or even their occupations. Similarly, if your world is supposed to be separate from earth, avoid names that are too closely associated with earth. If you can find existing names that are exotic enough so that people won't recognize, then that's fine. I won't tell where you got them.
Characters can also have nicknames -- let those reflect the world they live in as well. Let's say you're writing a futuristic. What should your hero's nickname be? That depends on what he does. A nickname like Flash or Blaster tells you one thing about a character, a nickname like Gadget or Gizmo describes a different character entirely.
Suggestions
Choose a Name by Meaning
Many writers give their characters names that have significance in the story. It could reflect major personality traits, or the character's role in the story. You may want to use our advanced search to search by literal meaning, or think of ways to incorporate other meanings into your character's name. For example, if your character is a botanist, you may not want to name her Flower (too literal), but you may want to consider the names Linnea or Sage. Even if you choose not to name a character by meaning, you should look up the meaning of all your characters' names—there may be something that inspires you or, on the other hand, conflicts with your message.
Don't Get Hung Up on the Meanings
Knowing what a name means is great. However, never let it get in the way of picking a good name. When I first started writing novels, I used to look up the meanings of names before picking names. However, more often than not, I ended up with terrible names.
Some resources on naming characters do suggest doing this because it can give your name a sort of "subliminal message." This sounds like a good idea at first. In some cases, it is, if you can get across a meaning without being either obvious or too obscure. (For example, J. K. Rowlings does this well in the "Harry Potter" books, with names just as Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.) But keep in mind that most people don't know the meanings of names, especially very old names.
Nicknames
When writing your story, be aware that parents rarely call their children by their full names—unless they are admonishing them for bad behavior or testifying in court. If you have loving parent characters that are addressing their kids, use a nick name or term of endearment. An exception to this would be if you want to show the parent character being cold and distant to their child.
Pronounce the Name to Make Sure It Isn't Horrid
I confess. While I love the freedom of creating names in fantasy and SF settings, I have also created some putrid character names -- from Jag-Ok to Namdeii (which I never did figure out how to pronounce). One of the worst has to be Uring. At first glance, it looked all right on the page, so I started using it. Then I realized that it could be misread in a couple of ways, one quite embarrassing. I finally renamed the character Goren, but I will probably always think of him as Uring because I had stuck with that name for so long.
Avoid the Ap'ostrph'e of D'oom
Some writers of fantasy and science fiction use apostrophes to make names look exotic. If this is part of your worldbuilding, that's fine. Anne McCaffrey uses apostrophes to create honorifics from the names of characters in her Pern books, and they have meaning in that setting. It worked in that setting -- there was even a part where a character was at a loss because it was so hard to create an honorific from the name Jaxom. However, most writers who use apostrophes can't carry it off as well as Anne McCaffrey. For example, many people are annoyed by the overuse of apostrophes in James Clemens' fantasy series, starting with "Wit'ch Fire." Yes, you saw that right, wit'ch. You can see why readers get annoyed with t'oo m'any ap'ostrph'es.
Yryyyreat, Meet Qoologa
One of the great parts about writing fantasy and futuristic romances is the chance to make up exotic names. You don't have to stick to a simple Hank Stone or Chrissie Hensen, you can have heroes and heroines with names exciting, even enchanting, names. However, it's easy to get carried away and create names that no one, including yourself, can pronounce. If your name makes readers stop and struggle every time they see it, then consider other possibilities: change the name; include a pronunciation guide; give the character a nickname.
Welcome to the Land of Clout!
If you're writing fantasy or futuristic romances, you have another obstacle similar to that of naming a character after a celebrity. While it's fun thinking of exotic names, it's very easy to accidentally come up with proper names that turn out to be real words. When you come up with those cool words, think them over, read them out loud, and look them up in a dictionary. If you do this, then you won't do as I did in my first fantasy story, when I had the hero living in the land of Clout. Boy did I feel silly when I later remembered it was a real word.
Secondary Characters
Put as much thought into your secondary characters as you do your hero/heroine. Use the same rules here as above regarding country of origin and historical era, but names for secondary characters can be more colorful. Consider the eccentric Aunt Poppy and the non-descript Mr. Brown before saddling them with their names.
Above all, try not to confuse the reader. Don't have surnames of Johnson, Whitson, Fredrickson and Smithson just because they're all from Northern England. And while Mary, Maggie, Millie and Maisie are all cute names for siblings, unless each of the girls has a distinct personality trait, or they have very small parts in the book, the reader could get lost. Remember this when naming unrelated characters also. If the hero's name is Winston, don't have another character named Winthrop. And if the heroine's name is cross-gender (Jamie) don't give the hero a cross-gender (Chris) name also. You want your readers to enjoy your book, not labor over it.
Opinions
Exotic names are for romance novels, soap operas and strippers
Romance novels and soap operas and strippers all have one thing in common—they evoke a fantasy of romance and/or sex. Characters in these genres tend to have names that are more exotic, like Chesapeake Divine or Rod Remington. If you are not writing a romance or soap opera, however, this kind of name can sound silly and out of place.
Science fiction names don't have to sound alien
It's difficult to predict what names will be popular in the year 3000, however you don't have to make your science fiction characters sound like they are from Mars (unless they are). When a person reads (or watches) your story, you don't want them to stumble over a name. The name Zyxnrid, for example, would be difficult to read or listen to every time the character is referenced—and may detract from your overall story. If you do choose to create your sci-fi name, you may want to:
* Combine two common names to make a less common, but pronounceable name. Example: Donica (Donna and Veronica).
* Use ancient mythological names, or combine two of them. Example: Ceres or Evadne.
* Make it easy to pronounce and spell. Example: Bilbo Baggins from Lord of the Rings.
Avoid Names That End in S
This tip sounds trivial, but it can save you a lot of trouble later. If you give a character a name that ends in the letter S, you will have an awkward time of it when you write the possessive form of that name. One of my first drafts included a character named Demas. That name was history once I started the second draft because I was sick of pausing every time I wrote the possessive form of his name. Demas' didn't look right, and Demas's looked even worse. This character had a run of bad luck in the naming department, however, as I eventually renamed him Uring.
Avoid the Trends
There are already a lot of heroes named Rafe, Damon, Demon, Devil, and so forth, just as there are many heroines names Jayne, Alex, Angela, Samantha... Well, you get the picture. Readers are already getting sick of the throngs of characters with the same names. Try to find something new.
Besides, were there really that many rakes cavorting about with names like Demon and Devil? There's nothing wrong with giving your heroes cool nicknames, but go beyond the usual. Readers will be grateful that they don't have to read about yet another Devil. There are lots of strong names and nicknames out there that aren't overused. Be sure to read a lot of books (and read the back covers of the ones you don't have time to read) to make sure you're not using an overused name.
Avoid Overly Weird Names and Cute Spellings
Many romance writers are so intent on giving characters unusual names that they end up going to the extremes. Romance novels are littered with character names that are so unusual that they practically "boing" off the page every time you read them. However, you don't want character names that boing of the page, you want names that readers will accept.
Another trend in romance character names is cute spellings of ordinary names. If you want to use an ordinary name, then go ahead and use it. Many readers will find it refreshing to come across a Chris instead of a Crys or Cryssa.
Avoid Names That Sound the Same
Have you ever comes across a book where one character was named Jack, another Jane, yet another Josephine, and so forth? Enough already! It can get confusing, no matter how distinctly those characters are drawn. This pitfall isn't as easy to avoid as you might think, however. Readers can be just as distracted by characters with names that sound alike even if they don't start with the same letter -- such as Craig and Greg.
Avoid Androgynous Names
This isn't a major no-no, but it can be a bit of a distraction to readers. If your heroine is named Pat or Sam, it can be easy for a reader to pick up the book and them find herself wondering why Sam is complaining about PMS before remembering "Oh, right, that's the heroine. Also, don't forget that readers will be reading the back cover copy before they read the actual novel. I've come across back cover copy that took a couple of passes to "translate" because I couldn't tell which character was the hero and which was the heroine. In some cases, I've found myself blinking when the back cover told me that someone named Pat was wearing high heels!
More Tips
*** Use words. Use a Word-Of-The-Day feature from certain websites. Uncommon words can be suitable for names if you tweak them.
*** Combine letters. Combine some random letters together and see if it sounds good. For example, how about Quilayi? Or maybe tweak it to Quiliya, or even Quilane! The possibilities are endless.
*** Use a name generator. There are many websites with name generators, such as http://www.seventhsanctum.com .
*** Try writing sites. A good writing site will usually have a list of names and their meanings. One example is http://www.lunarberry.com.
*** Use spelling mistakes to your advantage. One way to do this is to misspell words and write them without spaces lykkethez (like this). How about Kethez? Or Ethe? Even Ykke?
*** Create an anagram. Pull a Rowling and arrive at a name through an anagram describing the character. However, if the anagram is too obvious, it might not work for your story.
*** Mutate names. Use names of people who you admire. George Lucas did this with "Anakin."
*** Get inspired through mythology. Get a decent world mythology book, preferably from a college library, and search for inspiration.
*** Look through a baby name book. Baby name books have lots of uncommon names, and they have other spellings/variations too! Have you heard of Razilee? Or Kadiah? Or Joval? Maybe you've heard of Jantanie, Keryl, or Kaline?
*** Look on a baby name site. One example is http://www.behindthename.com, or http://www.babynames.com.
*** Write names backwards. See if they sound cool.
*** Blend common names together. Creatively blend together two or more names that might be common. If it sounds good, use it! For example: Lucas and Duncan together equals Lucan or Duncas. Who's ever heard of those names before?
*** Try different spelling variations. Maybe try different spellings of more common names, like: Mykael for Michael or Emory for Emorie?
*** Re-create your own name. Take your own name, take off the first letter of both names, add the new name together in a weird way, and add the first letters to the end of your new last name (if there are no vowels in your new first or last name, then add some, so it makes sense). Like if your name is Bob Smith, it would now be Obmi Thibs.
*** Use other languages. Translate names into other languages using sites like http://www.freetranslation.com
*** Use real words or names of places or things. For example, Blade, or using the name of a constellation such as Sirius. J.K. Rowling uses this technique a lot in her books (two examples being Sirius Black and Regulus Arcturus Black).
*** Mix Your Friends' names. Take one of your friends first name and take your other friends last name and mix. If you had a friend called Anna Milton, and another called Richard Thomas, Make Richard Milton or Anna Thomas.
*** Watch the title scroll at the end of a TV show. A lot of uncommon names can be found here.
*** If you take common names, or names of people you know, and take the letters and put them in a different order, you could come up with an interesting name. Like: Christopher, could be Sterchoiph. Or Annabel could be Bleana.
*** Take a tip from John Braine: use place names from the region the story takes place in.
*** Make sure it's pronounceable. Readers don't like to try and decipher a name.
*** Try to coordinate names with the time or place the character lives in.
*** Go to a bookstore and purchase a name dictionary.
*** Avoid giving your character more than three or four names (a first, a middle, and a last), otherwise names such as "Marie Suzanna Amelia Anabell Smith" will end up sounding silly and comical (unless this was what you are going for).
*** Names of uncommon bones or muscles are good.
*** Names of uncommon towns or cities can make good names
*** Remember not to use a name that everyone will know of, except if you're writing a biography.
*** Your character's name should roll off the readers tongue, when said out loud, it should sound cool, not hard to say.
*** Your character's name could reflect your character's personality.
*** Use your imagination - sometimes a name or word may appear in your mind from nothing. that`s how i got the names for my characters.
Warnings
*** Make Sure the Name Doesn't Belong to Someone Famous: Sometimes, when you hit the right name, it will feel just right, as if it had been on the tip of your tongue, as if you had known your character's name all along and just had to remember it. Unfortunately, that same feeling can also come from the familiarity of using the name of a celebrity. For example, Warren Zevon sounds like a great name for a villain. Whoops, he's the guy who did "Werewolves of London." So how do you avoid this? Enter potential names into a web search engine, such as Google, to make sure they don't belong to someone famous.
This doesn't mean that you have to come up with a name that no one has. That is probably impossible, especially when you're writing contemporary novels. However, avoid inadvertently naming your heroine "Margaret Mead," or people will expect her to go to Samoa.
Don't name your character after somebody who's already been invented, particularly if they have a similar personality. You might face a lawsuit. Check to see whether anyone has used the name before you give it to your character.
*** Don't use a name immediately after you create or find it -- present it to at least one other (nonbiased) person first. What sounds great to you may sound like a headache medication to your audience.
*** Make names believable. You can usually be as out-there and creative as you want, but really, if you name one of your characters something like, "Lord Marky Mark", no one will take your story seriously.
*** Don't choose a name that is too over the top (unless it fits with the character's personality). "Ravensky Darkmoon" is a lovely name, but you will end up sounding silly and derivative.
*** Names that end in an S are okay, but you could run into awkward problems, for example: Alexis's, Alexis'. Kind of strange looking.
Sources and Citations
* http://www.seventhsanctum.com
* http://www.wikihow.com/Find-Unique-Name ... Characters
* http://www.lunarberry.com
* http://rinkworks.com/namegen/
* http://www.behindthename.com
* http://www.babynames.com
* http://www.freetranslation.com
* http://www.babynames.com/character-names.php
* http://www.writing-world.com/romance/names.shtml
* http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article002.html
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