Naming Your Fictional Characters
Use a Character Sheet, Research, and Intuition to Name People
Dec 7, 2007
Giving a fictional character a name that suits him or her can be nerve-wracking. It’s vital though, because a character with the wrong name won’t ring true, the same way a character in the wrong clothes or saying the wrong words won’t be as real as he or she could be.
Start With a Character Sheet
As any fiction writer knows, there are so many character names from which to choose that it can be overwhelming. One place to start is by using a character sheet (learn more by reading Creating a Character Sheet). Even if you haven’t given the character a name on that sheet, the other information you have provided – such as when and where the character was born, and family history – may point you to the right name.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing Character Names
- The character's age: each era has its popular names. In the 1960s, Lisa, Susan, and Kimberley were popular girls’ names, while John, Robert, and Mark were popular for boys, according to Babies On-Line. Research sites like this to find popular names for a particular time.
- Keep in mind that you might not want your character to have a popular name, if he or she is an outsider. Perhaps the name has played a role in putting him or her in that outside position.
- Ask yourself if a character should be named after someone – a father or mother? Maybe this tradition will tell your readers something about the character and about his or her family.
Sources of Character Names
- In addition to online sources, check name books, such as The Baby Name Bible: The Ultimate Guide By America’s Baby-Naming Experts, by Pamela Redmond Satran, Linda Rosenkrantz.
- Keep names you come across in everyday life, noting them in your working journal.
Final Tips
- Try different names, and see what happens. As you write you will know if the name is working or not.
- Give a character a complete name, first, middle, and last, even if you don’t intend to use all of them.
- Once you've decided upon a name, decide if the character prefers a short form – Nick not Nicholas, Liz rather than Elizabeth.
- Don't forget nicknames. Should you give your character a nickname? If so, what does it mean, and what does it say about the character?
Finally, never underestimate a character’s determination to name him or herself. You may have researched the popular names of an era, been careful to choose a suitable name, but your character may have other ideas. Go with the name he or she keeps pushing at you, and see what happens.
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