For many writers, the process of naming a character can be fun, much like selecting names for your children. You pore over books of baby names, pay attention to characters on television and in movies or rope your friends into voting for their favorite choices. But for some of us, choosing character names is a tedious, often difficult process. So, here are some tips to help you name your characters.
Rhyming Names
A lot of readers list names that rhyme as one of their biggest pet peeves in fiction. Bill, Will, Jill, Phil and Dill; imagine them in one story. It's best not to give your main characters names that sound the same. Why? First, it echoes. That's annoying. Second, and most importantly, it makes it difficult for the reader to follow the story. They'll pause and reread to make sure they are thinking of the right character and that's not what you want. It's also better for you as a writer to have names that don't rhyme because that lowers the possibility of you writing Bill where you meant to write Jill and causing a major error in your story.
Long or Hard to Pronounce Names
Try to select names that readers can pronounce. There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a name like "Srinivasan" as the protagonist and wondering every single time you see that name, how it's supposed to be pronounced. Again, this pulls the reader out of the story. You want them to become immersed so that they forget they're reading, not remind them every couple of lines that the world they've entered isn't real. If you choose a name that's difficult to pronounce, try to write the pronunciation into the story. For example, someone reads their name off a list, saying it the wrong way of course, and the character corrects them, enunciating the name so it makes sense. ("See-reen-ee-vaza," by the way, is as close as I can come to telling you how to pronounce the name chosen in the example.) This brings us to another point; if choosing a longer name that's tough to pronounce, choose one that you actually know how to pronounce and are familiar with.
Common Names
So, you like simple, easy-to-read names that people are familiar with and use every day. That's good. Sort of. Sometimes choosing names that are too common, like Mary, Joe, or Bob, for secondary characters makes them hard to remember. They blend, just as scenery blends, into the story. So, if you have a character that appears in the first scene but doesn't reappear until several chapters later, you might want to consider giving them a name that stands out. Zena instead of Mary, or Archibald instead of Joe.
Characters With Meaning
Consider selecting your characters' names based on the meanings. Be careful though, as sometimes there are many meanings to a single name. No one ever need know that you've selected the names so carefully, but those who do discover your little secret also become more attached to the story. Some authors select names for characters that are totally opposite to the meaning of the name. Consider Belle, which means beautiful in some cultures, given to an old crone with a giant wart on her nose and four teeth left in her mouth. Belle conjures images of a sweet-natured and pretty girl who is good and kind. The crone named Belle may stand out simply because her evil ways and ugly appearance are such a contrast to her beautiful name.
Select Names by Personality
Allow your character's personality to dictate his or her name. If he's a wimpy, snivelling little rat of a character, consider Cornelious or Ernest, as these names conjure this image for many readers. A strong, sexy and passionate woman might be called Veronica or Thalia rather than Elizabeth or Marsha. J.K. Rowling did an excellent job naming her characters because each one brings a particular image to the reader's mind, making the names impossible to forget.
Recycling Names
Occasionally a writer recycles names used in his stories. He favors the name Jacob, and so in every story he writes, Jacob makes an appearance. Perhaps it's unintentional, perhaps it's not. It's not ideal to reuse major character names throughout your stories. Why? Readers will notice (if you're lucky enough to have a loyal fan base). While this may be seen as quirky and fun, chances are it is more likely to insinuate a lazy writer who can't think up original names. If you prefer certain names, mix them up. Jacob might be the main character in one story, but in the next his name becomes Jake or Jack, or perhaps he appears as the main character and then the villain. That's fine, not the best you can do, but fine nonetheless. The point is to strive for originality in each story. From plot to setting to characters, try to make each story unique.
Make Naming Your Characters Fun
Have fun with the process and despite the do's and don't's, which are only guides, not rules set in stone, make naming your characters as fun as writing the story. Consider thematic names, culturally significant names, old, new, whatever makes the most sense to your story. If they fit the world they're in, then they'll be perfect.
There are many more opinions on how a writer should name characters. The best advice is to find what works for you and use it. Think about books you've read and the characters you remember. Figure out why it is you remember this one instead of that, and which names stand out while others fade from your mind. Pick up a baby name book, try a name generator online, ask friends and family members what they think and go with your gut. A writer's instinct is rarely wrong.
Renee Miller - Co-author of Writer's Companion, a reference manual for creative writers, and freelancer/fiction writer.
Join the Conversation