Choosing the right name for your characters can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack—except, what if that needle could shape the entire story! The act of naming isn’t just about slapping a label on a character; it’s about conveying personality, background, and even destiny in just a few syllables. Many new writers grapple with this creative puzzle, endlessly pondering questions like, “How do I come up with the perfect name?” or “What if I accidentally name my character something ridiculous, like Bob the Boring?” Fear not, fellow scribes! In this insightful guide, I’ll share my own trials and tribulations with character naming and reveal practical tips to help you discover those gems of creativity. Whether you’re crafting a fantasy hero or an everyday protagonist, you’re bound to find useful strategies that spark inspiration. Ready to dive in? LEARN MORE
How to name characters
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. — Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Many new writers struggle with naming their characters. “How do you come up with the perfect name?” “How can I find the right name for my character?”
I used to struggle coming up with names too. In the early days a lot of the time I’d just use whatever came to mind, even if it was kinda dumb. Or write in first person so I could get away with no names whatsoever.
In fact, I wrote a series of flash fiction pieces in which the main character was simply referred to as “he.” So~ experimental~ duuuuude~!
I became more confident in my writing, and went the fantasy route, which actually kinda makes coming up with names a breeze in some ways. Throw together some syllables, and once it becomes pronounceable… welp, that’s the name I’m going with I guess. 🤷
That said, there are ways of finding names for your characters, if you’re not into that approach.
Now, when I’m writing and realise I need a name for some character I’ve plopped into my world, I leave a [note] in square brackets. Like [General] or [Detective] or [Old woman]. This way I can continue writing without breaking the flow, but easily come back later to…
