Finding Names for Characters and Places

One of the questions I constantly hear from new writers is “Where do you get all those names?”

 

Here are some of the resources I use.

For Characters:

• Telephone Books – especially if you can find one from the town where your story is set
• Credits – check out the end of a movie or TV show for tons of names to mix and match
• Online Generators – there are a variety of these to choose from
  • Online Name Generator – a database of different generators, from character names to businesses and band names
  • Behind the Name – you can choose from different countries, or even fantasy and mythologic names
  • Seventh Sanctum -not only does this site have several name generators, it also has story ideas, prompts, and a “what-if-inator”
  • The Character Name Generator – designed more for writers, with ethnic choices
  • Rinkworks – a fantasy name generator with some fun choices like very long names, mushy insults, and bad names

For Places:

• Old maps – you can get lots of ideas from maps, and mix and match various names
• Online Generators:
  • City and Town Name Generator – here’s a good little database that will give you various names for your cities, based on cities around the world – they’ve also got other generators on their site that you might want to check out
  • Random Town (City, Village or Place) Name Generator – after you scroll past all of the explanations, this is a pretty nifty little generator
  • Chaotic Shiny – you can pick from nonsense names or landmark names (or a combination)
  • Inkalicious Pseudo-Elizabethan Place Names – gives you 100 place names at a time
  • Squid.org’s Random Name Generator – gives you a long list of customizing options
  • Fantasy Name Generators – only English towns, but the site also has other name generators you might like

Are there any other resources you like to use that I haven’t mentioned? Comment below!

HERE’S a nifty little random name generator – for surnames. It’s only English, but it’ll get you started on those secondary characters.

 

Back to the Hillerman Conference soon…

 

HERE’S a great list of actual names – you can look up passengers on ships from the 1700’s and 1800’s – fantastic way to come up with character names!

HERE’S another little website I found while researching – it’s a LAST name generator for your characters, using US census data.

 

HERE is a nice little collection of ways you can come up with unique character names, by our friends at WikiHow.

I’m currently faced with the challenge of naming a new character. This is harder than non-writers realize. You can’t just slap any name down and declare the job done — the name must match the character, match the story, and match the reader’s imagination.

Here are five things to think about when picking a character name.

1. Get the time period right. Names go in and out of fashion just like clothing. Do a bit of research to find which names were popular in which eras. A reader happily immersed in Victorian England is going to be jarred right out of the story if they come across a flower girl named Courtney or Kaylee.
2. Say them out loud. If you can’t pronounce them easily, your readers surely can’t. And while a name might look perfectly fine on paper, if read aloud (think audio-books), it might create a different impression than you imagined.
3. Check the meaning. One great way to create memorable characters is to use a name that indicates their personality. You don’t have to actually name your character Stone to show that he’s inflexible – the name Peter would work just as well. If your readers don’t already know that’s what the name means, they’ll get a little thrill out of looking up the name and discovering that fact.
4. Keep the cast separate. Avoid having more than one character with the same initials, or with names that sound alike. It’s just too confusing to the readers, and eventually, to you as well.
5. Research the origin. There’s little more embarrassing than being caught doing faulty research by your readers. One easy way to trip yourself up is by using ethnic names. Always research carefully to be sure your character has an appropriate name — or a convincing reason to have an unusual one.

There are plenty of other tips and tricks for naming characters, but this will get you started on the right foot. What advice do you have for naming your characters?