Write a bunch of random names. Put them in a hat. Mix them around. Pull one out. BAM! You've got your name!
I tend to imagine bumping into that character in real life, then apologise followed by my name. Usually a random name pops up what he/she/it'd say.
If a name comes to me right away I'll use it, otherwise I number them and add names in later when something right appears
Normally I just base the name on their personal character. I want the name to match their personality, so i create the base profile, how i want them to act/react, etc. Then i'll draw them up (since i enjoy drawing also, I come up with what i want them to look like(but this could also be a mental image)). Match their likeness to who they are, most of the time the just comes out shortly after that. This will also keep you actively thinking about the character making it easier. Or you could base a character on someone you know, and play with anagrams using their names.
Since I am writing sci-fi, I try to choose syllables that sound like they could be real names, but are completely original. Idk how exactly i go through the process, but it generally turns out pretty decent. try taking existing names, and breaking them apart by syllable, then match different syllables until you have something that sounds believable.
I collect names that pop into my head, or cross my path and jot them down in a notebook. Sometimes it's just a first name, or a surname, sometimes it's a full name, sometimes it's a nickname. Sometimes I immediately know who the character is, and before I know it I've got yet another story idea on my hands. The list of names gets referred to if I'm looking for a name for a character. Sometimes (if the character's from a country I'm not that familiar with) I might look up names and name meanings online until I find one that feels right. I google around. Some characters need renaming until a name is found that fits properly.
Honestly, sometimes names just come to me. With this said, those names frequently change as the character develops over the course of the story. For instance, one of the central characters in a story I'm writing has gone through about four or five name changes. Initially his name was Adam, though I decided this wasn't fitting of his character, for a awhile it was Joseph, though the name felt increasingly generic and unfitting. Eventually I decided on Joshua, which is the American translation of Jesus. While a relatively common name, I found it rather apropos for the story, I find names to be a tool, especially if they have some sort of cultural importance. They are often the first introduction a reader has to a character. If they know the name, or the origins of it, they have a hint to who the character might end up being. In the aforementioned story above, while I was meticulous about choosing Joshua's name, the narrator character doesn't have a name. I wanted him to remain anonymous as I felt that a name for him was unnecessary. I wanted him to remain unpredictable.
I have this Word document where I write all names I stumble upon that I find pretty. And since my work is set in a fictional country, I sometimes make the names up, or change the existing ones up a bit. For example, I have a warlock named Xantos. I don't know where that came for me, but it just seems to fit him. First he was supposed to be a reaper, but I changed it to warlock and it still works because, after all, the country is fictional and I like the name.
My favorite types of names for main characters are always names that begin with a the same letter as their last name begins with. That may sound confusing, but for example, which name is better? Alex Arden or Alex Baxter? Alex Arden just flows. But to come up with names like that? Think of some of your friends and their siblings, maybe pick from that variety of options. Of course if they read the book then, it may be a bit awkward. Sometimes I will scroll through my yearbook (cause I've got some interesting names in my class) and I'll use a first or last name. Sometimes, I'll even look at baby websites for names. Unfortunately, somedays, names just won't click. Just use a temporary name and change it when the gold one appears!
Usually the best way to choose a name is the first name you think of when you envision your character. One of my characters is overweight, has the face of a bulldog, and his front teeth are so far apart that I reckon he could fit a whole sausage through there. His name is Perry. Because that guy's a Perry.
I am going to model my novel on real life events. So for names, I am going to write down a list of all the characters I need, find their real life analog and then munge the name a bit to have something similar but different enough to claim plausibly deniability.
It's humbling hanging out virtually with people who know what the fuck they are on about. I have no idea, to tell you the truth, but I will check it out regardless. Thanks for the suggestion. Please clarify if I totally missed the point.
All his novels have people from his real life that have names that are mildly tweaked away from the actual. As example, from his novel Desolation Angels:
I usually don't have an issue with names... they usually come to me as I write. Sticking with them, however, is a chore. Unless it's absolutely perfect, I'll change my protagonist and other characters' names a few times.
Usually I give the character a buffer name (Ryan, Matthew, Jenny, and Anna are my go to's) then find a name that suits them as I write them. I also realized that I named a lot of mother characters Ellinor by mistake. If I'm basing a character off someone, it depends if I like them. If I like them I ask them with the criteria needed (fantasy, scifi) then stick with that name. If I don't I change their name completely, since I'm paranoid they might read it then hunt me down >.>
This is my choice. It allows the user to set gender, name set, and country. The advanced settings even allow you to set age. It also offers a complete fictitious profile; address, birthday, employment details etc etc. I only use it for the name, but it's very thorough. http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/
I usually brainstorm first what he or she is like, are they a warrior? princess? Tennis Player? Student? Are they the protagonist? Antagonist? That guy who's trapped between a rock and a hard place? How old are they? Then I think about the setting, is it multicultural? What are the characters' nationalities? What time period are they in? Does the country/state/province really exist? I so, what's it like? What are common names for the area? What would be unusual? Which do we want to go with? Then I hop on to LanguageIsaVirus.com and search their character name database which let's you search based on gender, nationality, and meaning
