One of the most enjoyable aspects of character development (at least for me) is selecting a character's name. A character's name can be a powerful tool, offering insights into their personality, traits, background, culture, etc. However, it's essential to view a character's name from multiple angles before making a decision. Here are some suggestions to consider when selecting an appropriate character name:
Choose a name that suits your period and setting. You wouldn't want to name your character something that doesn't match where or when you are writing about. Imagine reading about a character from 1910 named "Lennox" or "Zayn." That doesn't sound right. You wouldn't say, "Zayn lumbered down the street in his knitwear and knickerbockers, trying to scrounge seven cents for a loaf of bread." The name doesn't fit the period. It would be best to use a name like"James" or "George," which were more prevalent in that era. Choosing a name relevant to the era allows readers to believe and immerse themselves in your story.
Choose a name that has a significant meaning. This doesn't always have to be the case, but sometimes it's nice to take the time to find a name with meaning. Maybe your character is a female warrior, and you want her to have a firm name that means so. So you could research "female names meaning warrior," and you would come up with something like "Alexandra" or "Luisa." Your character's name doesn't always have to have a specific meaning, but if you don't know where to start, this may be a good place.
Remember that you are technically not the one naming your character. What do I mean by that? I mean that your character's parents or guardians actually named your character. This is an important aspect to consider when you are selecting a name. Would your character's guardians realistically choose this name? Does it match the guardians' personality, identity, or origin? Is it a family name or just something that the guardian liked? This consideration will help readers feel more engaged in your character's backstory.
Choose a name your audience can read and speak with relative ease. Think about how this name will sound coming out of someone's mouth. Are they going to stutter, mispronounce, or struggle with it? Do not choose something like "Caoimhe" for your protagonist if you are looking to capture the attention of an American audience and your character is a full-blown, typical American. No offense to anyone with this name, but most would not guess it's pronounced "Kwee-va." Choose something unique that fits your character, but make it relevant to your audience. If you are an American, you might not know that the Irish name "Caoimhe" is pronounced that way. Feel free to have some fun with names, especially side characters, but a main character's name should be at least easy to guess how to pronounce.
The same concept applies to fantasy names! Fantasy names can be a blast because you have the freedom to choose almost anything you desire. After all, it's your fantasy world! But remember, even in fantasy, make sure the names are pronounceable!
Ensure you aren't copying extremely famous names of celebrities or other literary characters. For example, you might not want to name your character 'Harry Weasley' because you may just be writing out some relative of a Harry Potter character. The same goes for celebrities; do not name your character 'Kathy Kardashian' (for obvious reasons). Your characters deserve names that are as unique as they are.
When choosing surnames (and first names), consider the family's origin and culture. Think about where your characters come from. Are they Lativan? German? Ethiopian? Research names from your character's culture and origin to match who you are developing your character to become. You probably wouldn't see someone who is a native Slovak named "Jane Smith." You would be more likely to see someone named "Zuzana Kovác."
If your character has siblings, ensure that the names of a sibling set flow well together. Make sure all the names have a similar feel, origin, or family meaning. What I mean by this is, "Would someone realistically have a set of children named this way?" For example, suppose your story is about siblings born throughout the 1990s in White Suburbian America. They probably wouldn't have names like "Clarence," "Diego," and "Astra." They don't fit well together and contradict the period, setting, and "typical" White Suburbia. If this was your story, you might want to choose names that were popular in the 1990s among the white population, like "Michael," "Andrew," and "Samantha." Consider the flow of family members' names and how they group.
Those are the seven things that I try to consider when naming my characters. If you have any more suggestions or ideas about naming, leave me a comment!
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