For some writers, one of the hardest parts of writing a novel is coming up with names for their characters. I am not one of those writers. I love naming characters, from main to side. If you do happen to struggle with this, I hope my tips can help.
Create a Note in Your Phone
I have a page in my notes app on my phone titled “Character Names” and whenever I hear or see a cool name, I write it down. Then, when I’m working on a character profile or drafting, I open the app and scan through to see if any of them are a good fit.
Buy a Baby Names Book
Will it feel weird purchasing a baby names book if you’re single and don’t intend to have children, like me? Sure. But these books are gold mines to reach for when you’re stumped on names.
Use the Internet
Here’s an easy and obvious one: if you’re trying to think of a girl name starting with A, just type that into good old Google and you’ll get results for tons of websites devoted to parents and babies listing every single name on the planet for every letter of the alphabet.
Do Your Research…or Not
I read an interview with an author once who talked about her process for naming her characters and it involved looking up the meaning of a name and if that meaning went along with the plot and themes of their book, they selected it. I have never done this. I don’t go that deep and I honestly don’t ever feel the need to. I pick names that I like or love. That’s all there is to the naming selection for me.
Other People
If you’re really stumped for a good name, turn to the people in your life for ideas. Family, friends, co-workers…you could even check the tags of employees at the grocery store or coffee shops and if they have an interesting name, ask them the story behind it.
Don’t Get Too Attached
The most important thing to remember about naming characters is that no decision is final. If you start working on draft two of your book and realize the heroine’s sister’s name and the hero’s boss’s name are too similar, go back in and change one of them. I’ve even changed names in draft four or five.
Every Name Should Be Different
Have you ever read a book and gotten confused because too many characters had names starting with S or L? Have you ever gotten confused because two characters share similar names, like Molly and Mallory? It’s really annoying when this happens and tends to take a reader out of the story. So please, for the reader’s sake, switch things up.