Ah, the bane of every writer’s existence: naming your characters. An extensive plot and coinciding subplots, subtle symbolism, and quirky dialogue may come extremely easy to you, but picking a name for your character is a completely different ballpark—in fact, it’s more like an ice rink. Your OCs are like your children, after all, and you want only the best for your children (unless, of course, you kill them off).
In actuality, however, naming a character is simple if you don’t overthink it. But if the perfect name doesn’t come to you in your sleep like some sort of lucid dream, then here are some things you might want to try.
1. Keep an ongoing name list, even before you’re planning on a new character.
Every time you hear a name you like, you should jot it down somewhere. Maybe you’ve just met a Sadie in your chemistry class and you love her name. Or you’re watching the news and an anchor named Holden catches your attention. Just having a list in a journal or on your phone or scribbled in your pre-calc binder can help you recall cool names faster.
This especially works well if you need a name for a minor character or someone mentioned in passing and you don’t feel like thinking of one.
2. Look to baby name books and websites.
These resources may be geared toward expecting parents, but they work for great for writers as well. Most of them have a list of top names of certain years, and depending on your character, these could help you avoid certain names or use others. Some even have names sorted into lists or categories, such as old-fashioned names, nature-inspired names, or names based on classic movie stars. Some other ones even recommend other names if you specify a name or two that you like.
Nameberry is one of my personal favorites.
3. Research the meaning of names.
Does your character laugh a lot and is known for his sense of humor? A name like Isaac may be good for him, as it is rooted in the Hebrew word for “laugh”. If you have a character whose wisdom comes across nicely, then Sophia, meaning “wise”, would certainly work with her. Adding another layer to your character’s name by way of meaning is a fantastic way to go about naming.
4. Pick a name that fits your story.
I’m going to go out on a whim here and say that nowadays, there aren’t a lot of girls named Prudence. And in the early 1900s, I guarantee there weren’t a lot of Ashleys. Names that are ahead of or behind their prime are perfectly fine, but make sure that you don’t have any Ancient Roman warriors named Cory or a computer geek in 2005 called Spartacus.
5. As much as you may want to, don’t go too out there, but don’t stay too close—find the balance.
I love John Green, I really do. But have you ever met a Quentin or an Alaska? Your names need to be reasonable. That being said, it’s perfectly okay to have a Florence or a Delilah, if it fits your character. You can’t have a static and/or very average girl whose name is Magdalena. But you also don’t want a protagonist called Emma Smith because no one will remember her name or associate that name with your story. You know your book better than anyone else, so you’re responsible for finding the middle ground between Opal Jessamine Harding-Handover and Jill Baker.
6. Make sure your protagonists’ names aren’t already taken.
I’m sorry to say this, but you probably can’t name the main character of your story Katniss. You shouldn’t attempt to call the temperate prince Maxon. And I wouldn’t go near Percy or Annabeth, either. Once an unusual name is used by a huge series, it’s pretty much always going to be associated with said series. However, even though you may know a book with a Noah or a Charlotte or even a Bella, these names are more common and may not be automatically linked to their series of origin.
7. And make sure you actually like the name.
If you don’t like the name Maggie, then don’t name your character Maggie. You most likely will be stuck with a character for at least a few days, so it’s imperative that their name doesn’t make you cringe and question her parents’ decision. You have final say on your name.
Your character’s name should reflect who they are. Unlike when a baby is born and a name is picked for them before they’re even out of the hospital, you have the opportunity to get to know your character before assigning them identification. This ability seems to be unique only to writers, so be sure not to waste it.
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