How Can We Create Great Names For Our Characters?
Have you ever spent days, or weeks, trying to think of the perfect name for your character? Sometimes, this initial sticking point can stop us from getting started or cause us to pause mid-chapter as we try to picture a new character.
Well, we can help.
While constructing and getting to know our characters can be great fun, naming them can feel more challenging. Trying to find that perfect name can be frustrating, especially when nothing seems to feel quite right. However, this creative writing blog is here to help!
How to Name Your Fictional Character
1. Think About The Meaning
Not only can researching the origin of names help you find the one that suits your character, but it can be a fun learning experience too. A name’s meaning can reveal a lot about that character, the kind of person they are, and even suggest traits about the person who named them. It’s an effective way of dropping hints to readers about your characters.
Looking into the root meaning of names can also open the door for new creative writing ideas. There might be a name you find really intriguing that isn’t quite right for this piece. Scribble it down and save it for later! You never know where it might take you.
2. Research From Real Life
What about using your phone to help you research a ‘real-life’ sounding name? Although it might not be the traditional reason we use our phones, it could help us uncover the name we’ve been searching for. Scour your list of contacts. Play with first and last names. See if you conjure up a combination that seems to fit. It might sound like a unique source of inspiration, but ideas can come from anywhere! Of course, we can’t use real-life characters in our fiction, but we can steal elements from real life.
Or, you could choose a name completely at random from your contacts and let it guide you. The beauty of writing is that you can edit, change, and tweak whenever you feel the need. The name isn’t set in stone at this stage, so feel free to adjust it to whatever you feel best suits your character.
3. Back To The Internet
The internet can be an invaluable tool for writers, from giving us access to endless writing prompts to character generators. It can also become a huge distraction! At times, it’s best to shut down your browser and write. However, we’re giving you permission to crack open your search engine and have fun. As the internet can be, a huge help when it comes to creating names.
A Google search for character name generators will turn up a huge range of options for you to explore. They’re definitely worth exploring, particularly when you’re feeling stuck as they offer you that starting point. Why not take a look and see if anything strikes you?
Even if you don’t stick with that exact name, it could give you the inspiration, or springboard you need to create the right one for your character.
4. Be Inspired By What You Love
You could potentially use the names of famous figures to help inspire your character’s names. While there is the option to pay direct homage to a name, by having your character share a first or last name with them, or perhaps a nickname, you could also do something a bit different. Why not put your own unique spin on it, and tweak the name slightly for something with a bit more originality to it?
We’re all inspired by something, whether it’s a book, a film or an author, for example. Honouring that name can be a special tribute, and also something meaningful to you. Just be sure you don’t copy a name or steal ideas. Simply use something you love as inspiration.
Our Creating Characters PDF Workbook will help you to:
✅ Create life-like characters with purpose.
✅ Make your story come alive.
✅ Understand why characters are so important.
✅ Create characters based on their motivation and desires.
✅ Link characters to your story structure.
✅ Build your characters through a step-by-step process.
✅ Understand the tools available to you to sustain your character development.
Plus it’s packed with writing prompts!
What’s In A Name?
Whilst naming characters can certainly feel like one of the most frustrating creative writing techniques, it’s important to remember not to stress too much about finding a perfect name. After all, there are plenty more components to our writing which need significant attention, such as plot and dialogue. Naming our characters is a chance to have some fun. Enjoy it! You can always change a name. It’s not unheard of for a writer to use one name, and then simply press ‘find and replace’ and in seconds a whole book that has been changed with the tweak of a name.
Whatever you do, don’t let finding the ‘perfect name’ stop you from writing. It’s only one part of bringing your character to life.
Do you have any suggestions for naming characters? Any reliable techniques you turn to? Get in touch and let us know what they are! We’d love to hear from you!
