Thread: Character names?

How much thought do you put into naming your character's? Have you ever based a character on someone that you know?

A lot of authors (secretly, mind you) base their main character on a caricature of themselves. I think for a while about my protagonist and antagonist, but after that I just give the characters whatever name hits me first.

I've based one or two characters on people I know.

Sam.

I usually think of names off the top off my head for most characters, but if it's the main character or rival or evil master of the story, I think about it for a bit and decide carefully if their names sounds like what they are. For example... I was thinking of a name for a high leader of a secret order in a fantasy story. I came up with Uthalas Deagon. Not sure what it is, but the name fits.

As for basing characters on people, I like imagining a friend of mine and making a character of their opposite.

I've only based one character on myself was in a rom-com because the 'bad guy' was based on my ex.

As for naming characters I usually don't think too much about it. I just go for what feel natural, a gut instinct. In my teen sci-fi my main boy is called Noah. After a while this made sense because all the other characters in the story flock to him when the action starts

Just recently I've based a few characters on people I know but not using their actual names (because they're the baddies lol)

Yeah, all the people you really despise, put them in your novel and make them suffer severely - poetic justice.

Sam.

I put almost no thought what so ever in naming. I name will just come to me and I'll keep it or change it later. Really names are just place holders; the characters actions and personality are what matters the most.

Yes I have based character on people I've met, and most of my MC have a little bit of me in them. Not totally me, but some of my worries/problems/traits shine through them...

Originally Posted by Sam Winchester

Yeah, all the people you really despise, put them in your novel and make them suffer severely

Damn straight.

Names don't mean much to me. If the story exists in a mundane setting I'll give them mundane names, in another setting I'll give them names to match that. Most of my characters don't have names and tend to hide behind an assigned nickname or tag based on their traits.

I base all my characters on bits and pieces of traits Ive seen in other people, or myself, some positive, some negative. Most of my characters contain some part of me.

As for names, this part was so fun for me! I spent a lot of time on names. I got suggestions of random names, first and last, from lots of people. I spent time putting them in different combinations, relative to the character, their heritage and ethnicity, etc. At some point, a name just fell into place, a name which suited each character. For example my main character from the book Im working on now, weirdly, I just knew he would have a "D" name. Cant explain why, it just suited him. I based his last name. I knew his maternal family line was of French origin, so I googled French names for examples and found one that fit.

When I pick my names, I also do google searches on them, just in case somehow that specific name combination is some famous person or character that I didn't know about, because that would make me feel stupid when trying to get published. If you google the name and nothing much comes up on the first two pages, I know I have me an original name and am good to go!

This is the kind of thread that makes me want to don my "pro-necro" constume and picket sign.


Genre and themes are very important when picking a name. In basic fiction, it's pretty simple to just use a common name, unless you want to add an extra touch and pick a name with specific associations.

I've certainly based characters partly of people I know, but as a general rule, I try not to.


It gets more complicated in other genres.

More often than not, I'll give a character a random name that's easy to use as I'm writing (sometimes just something really basic like A). Eventually though, I find that they will name themselves through their character.

If Ian Fleming had named his famous spy Nicholas Sweetflower, it would have been inappropriate, and we should keep that in mind when naming our main characters.


It doesn't matter as much with the walkers-on, but names are still important – they need to fit the character, and not be too obvious, I wouldn't give a tough guy the name Schwarzenegger.

For the most part names are completely arbitrary. You, as the author, have to know when something you are working on requires a name with some kind of meaning (Willy Loman, Jim Casey,ect). I, personally, can not tell when that is, but I think the "sixth sense" may develop with the more prolific of a writer you become.

I consult books or websites for the name, and naming the characters whatever.. oddly the characters end up suiting the names i give them, subconsciously.

Names are powerful things.

Well if you're writing a Murder Mystery Suspense Thriller like I did, I named my hero Stone. Hey he's an FBI agent -- it had to sound masculine. Now I wouldn't name a computer expert that but Stone fit.

I ended up using family names - second or third removed. My heroine -- was given a name I would have like to have and she is my alter-ego (LOL).

Yes I think names are extremely important because as your writing and letting the movie run in your head, the characters become very real. Almost like friends and I want them to enjoy their names.

Makes writing their story a whole lot EZ-ier.