Coming Up with Character Names

I usually will come up with first names for multiple characters and then go back and jot down whatever last names come to mind for them. Then I'll google the whole name of each character to make sure that it isn't identical or nearly similar to the name of another character in media, or an actual person such as a celebrity. For instance one time I ended up finding out that one of my character names was the name of a porn star, so I most definitely changed it.


Also an interesting tool that you could use if you want, is the social security administrations web site where they keep track of the top 1000 names in the US for every year going back to 1880. You can sort by year, decade, state, etc.

This can be helpful for multiple reasons. If you're writing a period piece you can see what names were common around that time. Or say you think that giving your characters names that are common with the audience you are targeting will make them more relatable you can look that up too. E.g. You want your book to be read by 25-35 year olds, so you use names that were popular in the 80's

 

Good advice from Revilo87, but I also advice you to not go crazy over this. The only must is that you come up with the name yourself and don't take it from some celebrity or friend or whatnot you already know of. It's also a good idea to consider whether or not meaningful or comical names should appear in your story, because, say, Amanda Jonston and Burglarface Pissingmeoff aren't necessarily names you'd want to include in the same universe, and it would be confusing if a character called Jeremy Soulforger was a forger of souls whilst Dragona Firewitch was just an accountant and not a fierce user of fiery witchcraft or whatnot.

Personally I tend to come up with lots of names, on purpose, very early on in the development of a story, largely because I think it's fun and interesting. I suggest creating a document, page, list or table where you jot down ideas for characters' full names, and possibly nicknames, who they're related to, their sex, their sexuality, what they look like and what other names you've had for them during your time writing that story. Sort it alphabetically or something, and check in on it frequently, so you can edit and remember the names more easily.

Try also to settle on a name early on in the process of creating characters by attempting different combinations of first and last names until you've found the perfect match, but then also if you should come up with what you think might be an even better name idea afterwards you should think carefully about actually changing the name, choosing more easily to opt to keep the old name and save the other name for a character in your next story, and that way you may also the next time around have some names already from the get-go and you won't need to think of an all new set of names. The same applies if you should end up not using all the characters you made in the final cut of your story.

In the document you list your characters you may also want to utilise a few shorthands, such as "M" for male and "F" for female, "bf" and "gf" for boyfriend and girlfriend, "MC" for main character, "nn" for nickname and so on, so you instantly know who's who of your characters, and you can easily make changes and additions when you're writing or thoughts randomly pop into your head.

- have fun and good luck from someone who's without problem kept track of more than 200 characters with hundreds of names between them, many of which have been changed many times, for more than 2 years

 

I generally use whatever pops into my head. Sometimes, especially for last names, I will turn to google to look up things like "Jewish surnames" or "Jewish last names" or "Irish last names," or whatever ethnicity might apply to the story. That usually gives me a pretty good list, and I can also tweak the spelling if I want to (the U.S. immigration people weren't that careful with spellings, etc. of names).

I've found, that much like real people, characters will "grow into" their names.

 

I'm calling for the bell. You've won.

 

C'est ça!

I realized this only later, when I was settled on the name. Oh you're writing a character of French origin called Amélie -- isn't that just original? That's like writing a Swedish character and call her Lisbeth.

Not that it really matters 'cause a) how many people are bound to read the manuscript anyway? 2) At the end of the day, I don't actually give a fluff, so there.

 

I have a similar habit as you. Sometimes, when I start to write a story, I choose some names and after writing a part of the story, I think about chosen names again and feel they are not too pleasant for me, so I began changing them.

 

Some names can come quite easily to a character. Others might take a while and go through several changes. checking on-line baby same sites is an obvious recourse for both first and last names.
Don't overlook the fact that some last names, either direct or with modifications, can be used as first names. And there is the convention of using a character's temperament or intentions to decide what they will be called.
A big bad guy in one of my stories is named Callious, which is self explanatory. Another is Griev.
The heroine went through several, from E'csylla and others before settling on Tamlin, which is not even the character's real name in the book. Her original name in the book is Inatieri. And the name Tamlin actually comes from another book I read, though it has been changed enough that it has the same feel but a slightly different sound.
In another book, the heroines named was Hira Trueheart. The last name being evocative of her inner self, but in this day and age would sound a bit hokier than in Dick Tracy's time. Her name is now Hera Noble.
Basically, if you're having trouble finding a name, look to who the character is and let that lead you.
Creating a name for a character is a lot different from choosing a name for your own newborn. Or it could be just the same...

 

My method is a tad bit unconventional and I do hope you don't think I'm being coy or worse, rude. But I ask my character. My characters come to life in my head, and before I let them start to tell me their story I ask them their name, and every time I get an answer.

Wow....I may actually be crazy. O.O sorry I wasn't more helpful.

 

And where do they live? In the US, different ethnic groups are concentrated in different places. In the UK, you tend to have different surnames in Yorkshire, say, than you would in Sussex. (In New York , London, etc., all bets are off, of course.)

 

For fantasy, SF or any made up name I use http://www.rinkworks.com/namegen/
You can easily specify a pattern for the name which is great for generating simple to complex names, based upon your requirements.

 

I made up an entire language a long time ago that I use in my current fantasy WIP. Even though it's an ancient, nigh forgotten language in the story, some characters still have names derived from it. It's fun because I get to chuck some words together that describe the character and it sounds good but no one's the wiser until I choose to disclose the meaning.

 

Hmmm, I think you can do this to some extent. Like my MC in my Work in Revision needed a couple of brothers and I gave them the first names of two guys I used to work with back in the early '80s. But the first names only.

Or when I needed a name for a prestigious architecture firm, I gave the partners the last names of two famous turn of the century (19th-20th) architects who never worked together in their lives. And gave one of them the first name of yet another famous early 20th C architect.

If I name any of my characters "in homage" to someone I know, I consider whether they would be offended by having any part of their names attached to that character.

And I do watch out about using the complete names of living and famous people. For instance, in my WIP I needed a name for the adulterous first husband of one of my MC's best friends. Came up with a handle that seemed "natural" to him, until it dawned on me that it was also the name of a famous churchman, also adulterous, but paradoxically still in office. Oops, change that!

 

I work in in the insurance biz and have a lot of files dating back years with names of adjusters and claimants. Not really something you can use but.....Yeah. Actually I can probably give you an old log if you want. Lots of names in there

 

It happens to the best of us (if I may be so presumptuous as to say "us" in this context). Dorothy L. Sayers, towards the beginning of Strong Poison, calls a minor character Frank on one page, and a page later he's morphed into Archie. Whoopsie!

Keeping track of one's characters on an Excel spreadsheet can help, I think.

 

When it comes to character names I've got no solid method.
Sometimes I research baby names, like many others, but I don't rely on this too heavily.
Most characters in my fiction are developed from those in my dreams, and I like to keep the names the same to keep it feeling "genuine."
And then some names I have "borrowed" off old friends. Taking their name and making a new person from it.
My favourite from the last method would be from my old friend, Cyril. The character I named after him is Cyrillian, and I can never seem to decide on a solid last name for him. Oh well!

 

If it is for a modern or historical novel, then the names are derived from popular name lists derive from that time and place. If it is fantasy or SF far future, then I create a general naming system and stick to it.

 

I usually try to come up with cool soun ding name combinations hoping they would end up iconic some day.

 

First name from mom/dad's side of family, last name from the other

 

Most of the times I don't have a problem with the names, but I don't write fantasy. If I want a more unique name to one of my characters, I usually look for inspiration in the rest of europe, especially france and italy and england, and I can find names that could be swedish but are quite uncommon.

 

I typically use baby site names as well. But sometimes name generators too. I also struggle with making names on my won and it takes awhile for me to decide on a name all on my own, so using online resources helps me alot.

 

Name generators do work well, but there is one random name generator I've used that is good for finding names in different parts of the world. It is the Behind a Name generator. If you aren't sure what common names in a specific region are it is very helpful. It will also give you first names and middle names.

If it is a general fiction story I try and see people I know in my real life with the same character description and play with the name off of theirs.

 

I'm not good with finding names either, so I just let my creativity take the lead. All my characters have Slavic (usually Polish) first- and Vietnamese family names (spelling adjusted if necessary).