Finding names for characters?

Question

I'm writing a novel and I am looking for names. I don't want them to be too complicated that the readers aren't going to be able to pronounce. I also want the names to mean, or relate to the characters that I have created. I want to know where I can find these kind of names. I also want to know is it ok for a writer to create their own name and meaning for the name that they created? I also would like to know what is the strategy for finding new names. Help will be aprreciated.Thank you!

Answer 1

The Old Testament is chock full of interesting and unusual names. Page through Genesis and you will see entire lists of them. Many of them have interesting meanings as well (but you'll have to look those up on the internet).

A simpler possibility, along the same lines, is to name them with a foreign language. German and Spanish are both fairly easy to pronounce. For example:

English Hero, German Held
English Beautiful, German Schon (leaving out the umlaut)

Whats great about using *both* German and Spanish is that, if one language gives you a word similar to English, the other likely will not. For example, German for green is grun, but Spanish for green is verde. You can translate words on sites like babelfish very quickly. If you don't like a word, try an adjective form instead (for example German for beauty is schonheit, but beautiful is just schon).

I hope this helps.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 2

The above suggestions are great and, yes, of course you can create your own names for your own creations!

I sometimes use the following trick for assigning character's names: Think about their back stories (I assume you have at least the kernel of one for each named character) and get a feel for the person in your mind.

Then go through every business card in your desk and wallet, and then every menu and brochure and flyer that's been delivered and saved in that junk drawer. Look at all the names and mix and match surnames and first names until one feels right to you. Don't worry if you use a surname for a first name and vice versa; the important thing is that the name has to feel right. Hagen Arnold, or Arnold Hagen? Either is okay, but which one clicks like a key turning in a lock?

Go get 'em! (Great question, by the way!)

Answer 3

My staple for at least getting naming going has always been either behindthename.com, as someone already posted, or http://seventhsanctum.com

If I'm making up new names, I take the basics of a name that's used a lot (John, Jake, Alice, etc.) and switch letters around, switch out vowels with different ones and try to come up with something that sounds right for that character. IT works better with last names than first ones though.

Answer 4

It's totally cool to come up with your own names. Look at Christopher Paolini's Eragon. The villain's name is Galbatorix. I've never heard that name, have you? Ha. "Eragon" doesn't exist either, that I know of. You want name creation strategy? Okay, how's this: take some names and scramble them together. Take words and read them backwards or take them apart or do both. This is a lousy example, but take this name sample: The word "diamond". Get rid of the "di", and you have Amond. I know, it's terrible and it looks like almond, but, you get the picture. Or take the name "Lorraine" and if you mix it up you can get Orlaine. It's not very good either, but, like I said, you get the picture.

Answer 5

All of these suggestions are great. My suggestion is to make sure your main characters don't end up with names that are too close like Jack and Jake, or Ricky and Nicky or Jemma and Jim. Say the names out loud, say them with passion, with anger, with fear. Do the names sound right? If the names do not sound right when read aloud, I don't use them.

Answer 6

Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, for their Chronicles Trilogy, used character traits to create names. Take for instance the characters Caramon and Raistlin. These twin brothers depend heavily on each other to survive. Caramon is loving, healthy, and kind. Raistlin, however, is sickly, spiteful, and parasitic. In the Annotated Chronicles, the authors reveal how they created the characters' names thusly: Caramon is derived from "caring man", and Raistlin from "waisting man." enjoy!

Answer 7

Haven
Candace
Lilly
Elijah
Lilac
Madox
Rose
Cecilia
Rory
henry
Christopher
Lea
Marie
Natasha
Isabelle
Candace
Ellery
Mallory
Elane
Elena
Elle
Emma
Gemma
Jewel
Remy
miles
Clayton
Trent
Ollie
Luke
Starr
Arlen
Anna
Elizabeth
Violet
victoria
Arwin
perrin
abigal
Misha
hayden
ella
marc
Anthony
Fabrice
Leo
Tristan
Lea
valeria
audrey
aubry
bri/bry
caidon
hayes
haden
aspen
tyson



Ok, well heres a list of my favorite names, and if you can't find one you like you can always use a name generator and there you can type in a name you like or the orgin you want it to be from and it will tell you the meaning, and u can match them to your characters.

Answer 8

Sure = create your own. After all the characters are your children. A lot of authors use
http://www.behindthename.com/

I use an Anne Geddes baby book too. Pax- C

Answer 9

You can create your own names. I created the names and places for the characters in my new book "Love's Soft Voice." If you get a chance, please visit my website at http://www.rubysbooks.i8.com.

Answer 10

try this site

http://www.writing-world.com/romance/names.shtml

or you could try my way use people middle names (for their first name) and the street they drew up on the longest (last name)

for example: me... james karrabin