Tips for Character Names
We asked on twitter “How do you make up character names?” You answered!
Evening! How do you make up names for your characters?
— Women Writers (@WomenWriters) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters newspapers, usually crime columns!
— Dana Datko (@Dawsongirl2) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters With great difficulty. Even the most boring, commonplace names sound contrived and unrealistic somehow.
— pew (@pew_77) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters I search meanings on baby name sites for my character names
— Ally Aldridge (@Fae7) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters They pop into my head whilst driving!
— Cassie Kennedy (@cassiekennedyw) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters Exes, crushes, and lovers…fortunately…or perhaps unfortunately… there's a bottomless barrel full to choose from.
— Angela Pietrello (@screenwriterkid) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters Baby name sites & names I hear in every day life or on television. I keep a go to list that I peruse before starting a project
— Tess Martin Adams (@tessmartinadams) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters – I use people I know and borrow their names. It helps with character development. The flesh and blood translates to the page.
— heidi hewett (@heidiatheart) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters I use a baby name book. I like to know the meaning, origin & so on. It's worn & bookmarked by now. Scared off a date once.
— Katie (@Katiew552) October 18, 2013
@WomenWriters Setting drives my names. I'm in2 meaning&geographic, cultural,historic signif. Plus, names I like 4 kids I'll never have. 🙂
— MM Finck (@MMFinck) October 19, 2013
@WomenWriters I keep an ongoing list of names that I feel have a particular sonic quality.
— Hannah Brockbank (@hannahbrockbank) October 19, 2013
@WomenWriters I look at cast lists from movies and TV shows.
— Lele Schirmeister (@abertrotzdem) October 19, 2013
@WomenWriters Coming to this a bit late. If it's an historical work I go to the place(s) where its set and look at contemporary tombstones.
— Beryl Kingston (@berylkingston) October 20, 2013
@WomenWriters I missed your appeal. Here's 1 more. I use a character's personality or physical trait in another language in a name. #writers
— Mary Ellen Barchi (@writer_mebarchi) October 20, 2013
Category: Contemporary Women Writers
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My main characters come with names fully formed. Minor ones need more research. Especially if historical – one needs to find out what was around then.
I lean heavily on the online lists of names. I can search for a particular period in history in a particular country. I can search for lists of names in a particular language . . . and so on. I have a friend who uses names from tombstones and I’m looking for an opportunity to use one from the cemetery that’s four blocks from my house. I won’t try to spell it here because I haven’t written it down yet. It’s a long surname with only two or three vowels in a long string of consonants. I’d only use the name for a walk-on character who only appears once so my readers don’t have to remember it.
They pop into my story filled named. Their choice. I did find a good one this week from an obit. Always a good source.
Slightly creepy as this sounds, graveyards & old churches are amazing places to find names (as well as fascinating in their own rights), especially if you’re looking for something from a particular geographical location or historical period.