Character Names: Finding the perfect one
Just as parents exhaust name books and websites searching for the name for their wee ones, so do we writers comb them too for character names. The prospect of naming an entire cast of characters can be overwhelming, and if perusing lists of popular names and countless other name lists isn’t your thing, here are a few methods to find the perfect character name and hopefully minimize the madness!
Name Meanings
J.R.R. Tolkien borrowed from many sources in coming up with the Lord of the Rings' names for the populace of Middle Earth, including mythology and nature. A linguistics scholar, he also created entire languages and named The Lord of the Rings’ central character, Frodo, from an Old English word for “wise.” (Appropriate for a character, who, by the end of his trials, is wise beyond his years and follows his uncle beyond the sea into the unknown.)
You can easily search Nameberry and Google for name meanings. If you’re looking for names that mean fire, for instance, you’ll find results like Seraphina and Ignatius. Just be aware that meanings can be difficult to verify, so you may want to dig deeper into the history of the names you find.
Allusions
Rick Riordan’s character names are often mythological names. Some of the characters, though, are named in honor of those that don’t feature in the books. For instance, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, is named after Perseus, son of Zeus, in an attempt to appease his uncle for his existence. Jason Grace is named after Jason the Argonaut and his sister, Thalia, for the muse of comedy.
Mythology, Shakespeare, other classic literature, and history are great sources for characters’ names. Especially when the allusion is relatively unknown and your character’s personality or role mimics theirs.
Period-Appropriate Names
Robin LaFevers’ His Fair Assassins trilogy takes place in medieval France and uses many historical characters. Additionally, the characters she fabricates have names that would be commonly used during that period, such as Louise and Jean.
While Googling can yield some helpful results, not all will be accurate. Be cautious, and look at old documents from your period if you can. If you’re writing a period piece after 1880 in the United States, the SSA is a great resource.
Creating Names
Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to choose names currently in use. Like the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender, you may decide to fabricate names, applying your own guidelines to form cohesiveness. Nearly every character from the Southern Water Tribe, for instance, has a K in their name: Sokka, Katara, Hakoda. The Fire Nation features Z’s: Ozai, Zuko, Azula. This distinguishes the cultures from one another and establishes their traditions.
Guidelines for your invented names could include picking a specific sound or letter for diverse groups, using long or short names with or without nicknames, and forgoing or adopting alliteration. Patterns help you narrow your choices and make the characters’ names memorable and believable for your audience.
Wordplay
Harry Potter names are famously clever, with depths of meaning. J.K. Rowling’s Xenophilius Lovegood is named using the Greek “xeno” and “phile,” roughly translating to “love of the strange,” an appropriate name for a character that believes in and adores things that most other wizards consider too “out there.” Many established names were created with such wordplay; all the “son” names literally mean “son of ___.”
Whether borrowing from English or another language (ancient or modern), wordplay is a fun and clever way to create the most apt name for your character. Anonyma, anyone?
Word Names
Some word names are subtle, like The Hunger Games’ Katniss being a plant that’s commonly referred to as “arrowhead” (apt for an archer). Hunger Games names played an important role in the revival of ancient names as well as word names.
Some are not, like How to Train Your Dragon’s Stoic. “Stop being so stoic, Stoic” is actually a line from the movie’s sequel. In contrast, his son’s name, Hiccup, could be a nod to the character’s tendency to mess up in his father’s eyes.
Think about your character’s qualities. Could any of them (or a synonym) work as their name? Would borrowing from nature or objects serve you better? If name sites or books aren’t revealing the name, try cracking open a dictionary.
Creative Name Spellings
Arya and Cersei from A Song of Ice and Fire sound the same as the established Aria and Circe, differing only in spelling. Similarly, Edward Carey’s Heap House features a family full of just-off appellations, like Tummis and Pinalippy (Thomas and Penelope), the latter bearing a name that also hearkens to her tendency to needle the protagonist.
If you want to populate your story with familiar-sounding names that feel realistic but lack usage (and therefore, associations), try altering the spelling.
Random Character Name Generator
If you're truly at a loss or just want a jumping-off point of inspiration, a random character name generator can get the ball rolling. Is a name like Sarah Florence Adams right for your character? Perhaps Prince Osias Phoenix fits the bill? Generate your own random character name and see what fate has in store.