What's In A Name? 3 Steps To Picking The Perfect Character Name
The key to a productive writing practice is not getting too hung up on the details.
Naming characters is a hot-and-cold topic amongst writers, and the experience of choosing the perfect name for your characters is different for everyone.
For some, names comes easy―the perfect noun conjures effortlessly in their mind!
For others, the process can be lengthy, complex, sometimes even frustrating.
Quick story-time: My dad is a drummer. I grew up with his drum kit usually set up in the living room or garage.
The first novel I ever wrote featured a main character named Avedis. (Stay with me, I promise there’s a connection here.) A tale of two brothers bound by fearful dreams that promise a dark future, the name Avedis came to me the moment the story and character did.
After a couple of years working on this story, I decided to Google the name Avedis to see what came up. To my surprise and amazement, I learned that Avedis is the name of a company that makes keys for drum kits.
I’d grown up with the word “Avedis” surrounding me, never noticing it on a conscious level. Rather, the perfect name for my first novel character was lodged deep in my subconscious, ready to latch on at just the right moment.
Now, I love that this happened, but it won’t much matter to my readers. The bittersweet truth is that readers rarely care about what’s behind the name.
However, names can give prospective readers an instant window into your world and sense of creativity. (For example, if I pick up a book and the MC is named some variation of Kate, I will immediately put it down.)
A unique and descriptive character name can make or break my interest in a story, and this may be true for many of your readers.
Names reflect culture, identity, ancestral history, hidden meanings, familiarity and strangeness. Some believe names hold great power and that we should be discerning about who we share our full names with.
All this to say, naming character’s isn’t always easy.
If picking the perfect name isn’t coming easily, here are 3 steps you can take to get your noun-game going full speed!
1. Decide how meaningful you want your character’s name to be.
Some people love their own names, some hate them, and some are indifferent. This can be true of character names as well.
Do you need your character’s name to have a deeper meaning, to yourself, readers, and the character and those around them? Or are there grounds for a simple name that doesn’t necessarily tell secret stories about your character?
If the answer to the former question is yes, you’ll want to do some digging. If your answer to the latter question is yes, you can pick something straightforward and get to writing!
2. Research names from different cultures.
Maybe I’m picky, but you won’t ever catch me reading a story with a main character named “Tom” or “Bob.”
If you’re writing in the real world, there are tens of thousands of unique names you can chose from besides the most popular baby names of 1994. Be conscious of cultural appropriation, but don’t be afraid of expand your horizons to choose a name that will stand out to readers.
If you’re writing fantasy or a speculative fiction genre, research is still important! Reality is the ultimate gateway to writing compelling fantasy and spec-fic.
If you create a new name that is a variation of an existing name, it is up to you how complex it becomes. However, readers tend to prefer names that are recognizable, yet fresh and unique.
3. Pick a name.
This might seem like an obvious third step, but listen: too often I hear about writers waffling so hard on what to name their character, they don’t start writing the story for weeks.
What are your character’s core identities? What is their physical appearance like? Chances are, if you hold your character in your mind’s eye and practice applying the names you’ve chosen to them, you’ll feel it when the right name clicks.
And remember―just because you give your character a name doesn’t mean it has to remain permanent. You can always change it later. Find + Replace is a writer’s best friend!
Oftentimes, your character’s name is the fountain from which the rest of their features flow. The name is the anchor, and their identity is the ship it grounds.
If you’re still stuck and need some resources, here are my favorite go-tos for character-naming inspiration.
Pinterest Board For Character Names
There are infinite choices when it comes to naming your characters; the key is to not get hung up on what to name them and therefore let it interfere with your writing.
When you’re ready to develop your character in full, here is a shameless plug for the Character Development Template I designed specifically for fantasy and spec-fic writers!
If you want to stay in touch with me, you can find me on Instagram, Tumblr, Medium, Pinterest, and always feel free to contact me directly through my website!
For more, here’s the link to the Fighting For Writing blog.
Happy writing, friends, and take care!✨
-Ari