Ways to name your characters

When you want to write a story or a book, one of the first things you’ll want to do is name your character.  There are easy and hard ways to do this.  The hard way is to sit and think of names.  The easy way is to generate lists of names you like ahead of time and pick one that you think will work.

As I’ve read different stories, I’ve noticed that authors sometimes have a pattern in the names they choose for characters.   Often, they will choose names that have different first initials so that readers will be able to tell at a glance who the character is.  A_____ is the hero, and D______ is the love interest, and  Q_______ is the villain.   You know you are a fantasy author if you lean toward names that start with or contain X, Q, Z, V, K…  (wink)

Some authors like to create names that have lots of strange consonants but which are nearly unpronounceable when reading them out loud.  Like a hero named Soiuwrdoimcsxz.  As a reader, I personally don’t like this because it makes it hard for me to read the book out loud to my family and hard to discuss the book with family or friends.  I’m sure the poor souls who have to read out loud to create audio books hate it.  (Just a thought--if you as an author must have tongue-twisting character names and a particular way you want them to be pronounced, why not make it a little easier for your readers and include a pronunciation guide at the back of your book?)

It’s much better to make or use names that sing and zing.  Good names feel good to say, so much so that when your reader is done reading your book they will want to give the name to one of their children someday.  Or their next pet.  (Doesn't mean they should, but they will want to.  ;-) )

Some fantasy novels make all of their names unusual.  The function of this is to cue the readers that the culture is very different because naming conventions are different from our culture. I have noticed a cost to this--the names often seem blah or they seem to sound a lot alike.  (Terrick, Jarran,etc.) It could be argued that it could establish the naming conventions of the culture in the book, but I think a little more care with naming could help names feel interesting.

Another method of naming I’ve noticed is common names uniquely spelled.  These names look usual to readers eyes while evoking a different place, yet it also helps those who read the story out loud and gives a subconscious feeling of familiarity.  (Alison >> Alesyn)  Or, you can take a name you like and then mutate it beyond recognition.

When main character names are more recognizable or familiar than secondary characters or redshirts, readers instantly feel closer to them.  It’s a little trick for making a character sympathetic and cuing the reader to pay more attention to them.

Another method of naming is to smash together common names to make something that sounds different, but whose pieces are recognizable.  (Brandon + Christopher = Brandopher or Chrisdon.) 

You can name your character something exotic. For instance, a Japanese name is going to stick out in a list of Anglo-Saxon names.   This conveys that your main character is very different from his or her culture, like in fish-out-of-water stories or stories about misfits.   You can even put in your story that your character always has people joking about their name or asking about where they got their name.  If your character has an unusual name, call attention to it.

You can name characters after their attributes.  This works best for giving criminal types their names because it aids their anonymity.  Maybe you’ll call the guy with the short fuse “Stomps” after the way he stomps around.  Maybe the guy who inspects all the stolen merchandise with a magnifying glass for serial numbers will be called “GlassEye.”   Keep in mind, though, that trait names are very memorable, so if you use trait names for your criminal element then you’ll have to have very strong names for your main characters to make them easier to recall.  (If all your main characters are criminal, however, then you don’t have that problem..)

Attribute names aren't just for your criminals.  Remington Steele has the “steele” to make it strong and the “Remington” to give it sophistication.  

You’ll want to develop an ear for names.  This means noticing when you find a name that appeals to you.  Think about what part of it is appealing and why.  Is it the sound?  Whatever you may think of Kim Kardashian or her family, you have to admit that her name is lovely to say.  It has those enviable qualities of sing and zing.  (It has alliteration with the double Ks, the “dash” in the middle makes it both strong and hip, and the “ian” at the end gives it a very classical sound, like Marian, Dorian, Julian, etc.)   Can you make other names that sound similar?  

Would a location name work?  Indiana Jones and John Denver are memorable because a common name is combined with an intriguing place name.   In Indiana Jones, the “Indiana” is a nickname that suggests some kind of skill, though we don’t quite know what.  In the name “John Denver,” the “Denver” evokes a sense of location and that of a common man who has risen to the top.  If you met guys named John Chicago, John Phoenix, or John Seattle, what would you expect them to be like?

Finally, as I mentioned earlier in this post, I think it is best to collect lists of names you like, whether by chance or by consulting the many name generators on the internet. (One of my favorites is Seventh Sanctum, which I have linked to in my sidebar.) When you need a name for a character, you can then choose something from a list and get back to your writing more quickly, rather than losing your flow.