All Comments on 'How to Name Your Characters'

by Whispersecret

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  • 25 Comments
AnonymousAnonymousalmost 20 years ago
baby name book

I think that the naming of a character is so integral to someone's opinion of that person. It's strange but sometimes I get put off a story simply because the character's name doesn't appeal to me. I have a rather exotic name and I like to have my heroines have slightly dramatic and romantic names.

And I use a baby name book too! It's called 'The New Age Baby Name Book' and has names from all over the world.

doormousedoormouseover 19 years ago
great advice

My family could write their own baby name book (I'm from a BIG family LOL), so choosing names is easy for me.

Totally agree with one of the posters. Some stories just don't feel right if the names don't work. ;-)

FitzdracoFitzdracoover 19 years ago
Other name resources

I liked your article and I wanted to tell about another resource. There are many online resources for names. Not only are there lists of names some of them tell the history behind the name. They also give variations and such beyond the usual replacing the y with an i. So if you want a name to reflect a certain culture, or add a little bit of the exotic it's a good place to look.

Lia MondeLia Mondeabout 19 years ago
Excellent ideas

I know the impact of a name when I try substituting different options in a story I've written. The effect is often subtle, but there can be a noticeable shift in the tone and feel of the story.

AnonymousAnonymousover 18 years ago
Insightful!

This was a very insightful read...very helpful. But I have another book out there that people may want -- it's called The Baby Name Survery Book, by Bruce Lansky and Barry Sinrod. (Previously titled The Baby Name Personality Survey.) It lists boys and girls names alphabetically along with their origin and meaning, but also gives the stereotype of that name, basically telling you what other people's first impressions are of that name. It's an excellent find!

AnonymousAnonymousover 17 years ago
Helpful

Some good tips, though i thought i'd add - when i'm writing a story and looking for character names i sometimes go on babyname websites such as babynamesworld.com because its easier if you're writing on a computer. i also look for meanings and look for names that mean a certain something, adds to it. And if you want to write about someone you know but want to preserve their anonomity, try a name that sounds similiar. it could rhyme or just end or start the same. thats my twopenceworth :P

duddle146duddle146over 17 years ago
Invaluable Information!

I particularily like the part of matching the name you select to the Character's personal appearance, demeanor, and social class. Well Done! Should be of infinite use to Writers.

ButtercupRobertsButtercupRobertsover 16 years ago
More on names from movies

Great ideas. You mentioned movies. You may have meant movie characters. I will sit and read all the end credits looking for a name the takes my interest. It gives randomness that the alphabetical listing in the baby books don't have. Different ethnic groups are mixed together. Alliteration is also present. It is also a bunch of names I feel forced to speed read. Several minutes of scrolling names is more interesting than several minutes of reading a book of names. That said, I am a fan of name lists as well.

ButtercupRobertsButtercupRobertsover 16 years ago
More on names from movies

Great ideas. You mentioned movies. You may have meant movie characters. I will sit and read all the end credits looking for a name the takes my interest. It gives randomness that the alphabetical listing in the baby books don't have. Different ethnic groups are mixed together. Alliteration is also present. It is also a bunch of names I feel forced to speed read. Several minutes of scrolling names is more interesting than several minutes of reading a book of names. That said, I am a fan of name lists as well.

JakeRiversJakeRiversover 16 years ago
Internet Movie Database (IMDB)

is a great source of names. Find an appropriate movie for your genre. For example, if you are writing a horror story, take a look at Boris Karloff's name in "The Raven," Dr. Scarabus ... hey, a great name.

<p>

For one of my stories with a Christmas Theme, "The First ... Noel," all the characters except for the title one are named after characters in the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." I was surprised no one picked up on this. Noel was the choice for the male character since I used the song "The First Noel" in the story. The title was a play on words: it is a First Time story and her first was named ... Noel.

<p>

Or take a look at "Red River," one of my all time favorite westerns. If you are writing in that genre, how about these great names: Buster McGee, Cherry Valence, Teeler Yacey, Matt Garth and Thomas Dunson. Oh, yeah, and Old Leather and Laredo.

<p>

I also spend a bit of times on names - the right names make the story easier to write.

<p>

Regards, Jack

AnonymousAnonymousover 15 years ago
Yes, but....

I am working on a story in which a married couple cooperate in the seduction of an eighteen year old virgin they have known all of her life. For ironic effect I am giving the married couple names appropriate for a conventional, decent, and somewhat boring middle aged couple. I hope it works.

AnonymousAnonymousover 15 years ago
Okay...nice

Nice article. Although a little bit simplistic in examples. What should a person do when one is writing a historical fantasy? Any tips on inventing medieval/viking names? Or making up variations of some common name like George?

Pineapple2Pineapple2about 15 years ago
I agree, but...

I agree with your basic FAQ, but it doesn't really address the underlying concept of how names are used symbolically. I mean, everything you've said is true, but the only reason it's true is because of the cumulative past knowledge of readers. There is no real reason to assume that people named Bertha are fat. The only reason someone has to think that names with hard sounds indicate a hard personality, is that that's what they've learned from other stories that they've read. In this way, this method of selecting names perpetuates stereotypes, and racist ideologies, which might be effective for erotica, but hardly contribute to good characters.

AnonymousAnonymousover 14 years ago
no names

This was very helpful because I am new to this, but I have been writing these kinds of stories for my friends and they love them. What if you don't want to use names, but make sure the readers knows who's the male and females are?

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 13 years ago

If you do a search for baby names on google you will find dozens of websites. That's how I name my characters-- just clicking through related names or names with a specific meaning until I find one I like.

lilgrasshoppahlilgrasshoppahover 12 years ago
isn't a cocksucker, by definition, slutty...?

not that i mind... just asking. Love the article tho, as Guy Fieri would say... "On Point."

soflabbwlvrsoflabbwlvrover 12 years ago
Baby name books

I, too, use baby name books and websites to find character names. However, these resources should be used with caution. Names that are common or popular now may not have been widely used at the time your character was born. A name that has become popular in the last 5-10 years would not fit well with a character who is 50 years old. In the end, I often choose a name based upon what I imagine that character's parents would have given him/her, rather than the traits he/she now possesses.

cittrancittranabout 11 years ago
o.O

Holy crap, this never even crossed my mind. I'm very glad I found it though.

mixedracebbwmixedracebbwabout 11 years ago
Very Interesting

I like to take my time naming characters, but I now have some new things to consider when I do so.

AnonymousAnonymousover 10 years ago
also consider...

When basing a character loosely or directly on a person that you know or have seen, choose a name with a similar meaning (if it has a meaning). For example if the real life person is named Jennifer you could consider Mina. I have also used the equivalence of a name from English to Spanish although my favorite is Croation. Another great way to choose a name would be to pick a distinguishing feature of the character and look it up in various languages. I was surprised when a friend of mine complimented me on naming a warrior character Mohel.

SalomeAhrimanSalomeAhrimanover 8 years ago
Another Name Source

Authors can also invent brand new names for their characters. This is most commonly done in fantasy and sci fi, but it can happen in any genre. The name Pamela was originally the invention of an author for a novel.

Scotsman69Scotsman69over 8 years ago
The common Scots name Fiona,

and the less common Malvina, were invented by c18 Scots author James McPherson. They featured in his Ossian sagas, widely held to be one of the most convincing frauds in Literary history.

DC_Michael_1981DC_Michael_1981about 6 years ago
Innocent?

You said authors might 'want to "change the names to protect the innocent."' to prevent someone you write a fantasy about from finding out. But if you take the discovery into mind you might want to say 'want to "change the names to protect the [indecent]."'

DarkAurther6969DarkAurther6969about 2 years ago

First off All of your Points are Valid I'm Not Disputing that by any stretch of the the imagination but some times to me Names are just Names they don't really mean anything aside from Identifying your Characters to your Audiences, in real life I know a lot few people with the same name, but with vastly deferent interests and personalities. some times just like in Batman Begins "It's Not Who I Am Is Important It's What I Do Is Important." Some times to me Names are Just Names to Identify your Characters as I Have Said.

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