03/09/2023
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Some names should be retired from use, even in fiction.
7 years ago
Tolkien had similar sounding names and they're pretty memorable. Nori, Dori, and Ori are brothers. So are Fili and Kili. Gimli introduces himself as Gimli, son of Gloin, who is brother to Oin, and Thorin is son of Thrain, son of Thrall.
Meanwhile, Arwen's mother was named Celebrian, whose name sounds like that of her father, Celeborn, and Arwen's brothers, twins, are named Elrohir and Elladen, both of which sound similar to Elrond.
These are naming conventions of Dwarves and Elves. Relatives often have similar sounding names. So ignore that piece of advice, because you can use similar sounding names to group people.
I use Celtic names in Linwood, Norse and Germanic names in Fannar, African names in Halmar, Arabic/Hebrew/Persian names in Seos, and Native American names in Yewsel. This helps with my demographics, because those are the areas of the world each area is based on. So there's something to help with ideas for fantasy.
My favorite site is behind the name. You can look at names by gender, meaning, origin, etc.
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Avoid choosing names that have become famous in pop culture or infamous in annals of history. Unless you have a pretty good and intentional reason for using these names, don’t do it.
Otherwise, you could end up turning your character into a caricature of a historical figure.
CHOOSE EASY TO PRONOUNCE NAMES
Keep names as simple as possible. No D’ekjfa or Um’ro’a or Qwghapfe please. Your name should be easy to pronounce because readers often read names aloud (if only in their minds).
REINFORCE THE CHARACTER’S QUALITIES
The character’s name often shapes who he or she becomes. With a hippie name like River, your character may be an apologist for her parents. With a strong name like Stone, she may be a loner that’s rough around the edges.
Use names to give special insight into the character.
When choosing names, consider their root meanings. Use it as an opportunity to get symbolic, although you don’t need to spell it out for the reader. Years down the road, when your novel becomes mandatory reading in school, students will discover and delight in these hidden meanings.
RE-EVALUATE THE CHARACTER’S NAME
Last, but not least, remember that you can change your character’s name whenever you’d like during the editing process. If you don’t feel like the current name fits with the character, get rid of it and re-think it. Use these tips to help you find a better choice.
OTHER WAYS TO FIND NAMES
A NAME GENERATOR
Name generators can help get your creative juices flowing. A couple of clicks, and you may come away with a completely new and interesting name.
character name generator
Image Courtesy of Character Name Generator
Here are a few you can try:
The Character Name Generator
Random Name Generator
Quick Character Names
PICK UP A BABY NAME BOOK
Head to a baby name website and search for names by gender, popularity, and alphabet. Remember, don’t choose names that start with the same letter.
The Phone Book
Hey! Finally something you can do with it. If you still have access to a phone book (check your grandmother’s house), let your fingers do the walking until you find a few names that sound just right for your characters.
Here's a handy list of best practices for naming your characters.
Click Here
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