Where do you get ideas for character names?

[NewOldGuy77]

I start by looking at character names in little-known movies, but usually go to LinkedIn to get interesting first/last names. I also use former co-workers as a source, using people I hated for names of the bad guys. If it's a story involving other nationalities, I google "most popular names in [country], and see where that goes.

 

[Carnevil9]

I like to steal names from TV shows or movies, sometimes the characters, other times the actors. I'm a huge Star Trek fan, and right now I'm working on a story involving two nerdy roommates named Patrick and Stuart.

I've occasionally used baby name websites, too.

 

[Voboy]

Depends. I'm doing some fairly consistent SF and dabbling in Anglo-Saxon times too, in addition to a past foray into Republican Rome, so it varies.

Contemporary settings get normal names out of my general knowledge. Characters I like have names I like, those I don't have names I don't, but I'm sure that's fairly opaque to the casual reader.

My Anglo-Saxon names (or Norman sometimes) come from contemporary charters, and I often clean them up with Latinized versions for easier reading. Godgifu, for example, looks unlovely on the 2022 page, so I went with Godeve instead. Though Godiva would have worked too: they're all the same name, like how Mozart's middle name was both Amadeus and Gottlieb (same name, depending on the language of the person saying it). Picking names and learning about their customs is one of the great joys of writing historical fiction.

For SF? It's set in the far future, so I try to make whimsical predictions about how language might evolve. McChang, for example, as a surname. Mikeovich. Stuff like that. First names can be anything, but I usually like them to flow smoothly.

 

[Blind_Justice]

For contemporary stories I go by region/culture, then character's birth year. So, if I want to name a German woman born around 1975, I'd check one or more "most popular" lists for that year and country, ignore the first twenty-five or so entries and go from there. Eventually I'll find something I like.

For my Sci-Fi or Fantasy settings, I tend to work generatively, using certain algorithms to create somewhat unique naming conventions for each species. For example, my "little gray men" alien species always has at least one X and Y in their names, something like Ylzix the Fence. The fantasy elves get a lot of vowels and soft consonants for "singing" names.

And on occasion I blatantly steal nouns from other languages and turn them into names. In my upcoming Geek Pride story, a certain monstrous character interacting with one of the leads is named Kural, the Tamil word for "voice". How did I get there? Google Translate. Enter the word you want namified, then go through the languages on offer until you find something befitting the character and/or setting. Tweak if necessary. Profit.

 

[Seadog777]

Right now, I'm using my own name, because in every story there is an element of truth.

Whether it's a name, occupation, hair color, eye color, etc.

I leave it up to the reader, to try and figure out where the nugget of truth is.

I do plan on using different names in upcoming stories that I have in my head or ideas of stories written down.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I go to various places. Sometimes I'll combine the names of people I know, for instance the first name of one person and the last name of another. I also consult baby name lists, and other times I just look at the sports section and find a first and a last name that fit the character.

 

[MadeleineSinha]

I use first division footballers from 1976 for the men and female Olympians from 1972 when I’m stuck for a name

 

[Voboy]

And on occasion I blatantly steal nouns from other languages and turn them into names. In my upcoming Geek Pride story, a certain monstrous character interacting with one of the leads is named Kural, the Tamil word for "voice". How did I get there? Google Translate. Enter the word you want namified, the go through the languages on offer until you find something befitting the character and/or setting. Tweak if necessary. Profit.

Forgot about this. I do this all the time, but not for personal names; my SF stories are full of planets, warships, and corporations named things in obscure languages.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

I start by looking at character names in little-known movies, but usually go to LinkedIn to get interesting first/last names. I also use former co-workers as a source, using people I hated for names of the bad guys. If it's a story involving other nationalities, I google "most popular names in [country], and see where that goes.

Depends. Usually it’s a spare of the moment thing for the character I’m creating and usually thinking of the look and feel of the character makes the name match.

However for my current crop of characters I need names that mainly illiterate were their last name also relates to a job. Wright, Forrester, Sadler, etc.

I don’t think too hard about it. Just a few seconds usually. What’s the person like? What do they look like? What’s their name? Boom. Done.

 

[MsNatalie99]

I mostly just name the character based on my mental image of them. I take what I know of them vs. what they look like and be like, "Yup, that asshole looks like a Nathan to me."

 

[Bramblethorn]

I'll sometimes use a "baby name meanings" website to pick something relevant to the character, as a way to avoid going with the same familiar set of names all the time. Those sites aren't always the most accurate but that's not an issue since the story doesn't actually depend on the meaning.

 

[NewOldGuy77]

For contemporary stories I go by region/culture, then character's birth year. So, if I want to name a German woman born around 1975, I'd check one or more "most popular" lists for that year and country, ignore the first twenty-five or so entries and go from there. Eventually I'll find something I like.

For my Sci-Fi or Fantasy settings, I tend to work generatively, using certain algorithms to create somewhat unique naming conventions for each species. For example, my "little gray men" alien species always has at least one X and Y in their names, something like Ylzix the Fence. The fantasy elves get a lot of vowels and soft consonants for "singing" names.

And on occasion I blatantly steal nouns from other languages and turn them into names. In my upcoming Geek Pride story, a certain monstrous character interacting with one of the leads is named Kural, the Tamil word for "voice". How did I get there? Google Translate. Enter the word you want namified, then go through the languages on offer until you find something befitting the character and/or setting. Tweak if necessary. Profit.

"if I want to name a German woman born around 1975, I'd check one or more "most popular" lists for that year and country" - I love this!

 

[Blind_Justice]

"if I want to name a German woman born around 1975, I'd check one or more "most popular" lists for that year and country" - I love this!

Hey, my countrymen are nothing if not thorough.. Thanks to my lady love who's an even bigger language nerd than me, I now have access to a repository of German names going back into the 1800s.

If you're curious, have your adblocker ready and check "https://www.beliebte-vornamen.de/" The webmaster works at a registry office and has rather girthy lists of popular names, even international ones. Rather handy source to have.

 

[SimonDoom]

Usually they just pop out of my head, but sometimes I consult "most-popular name" lists from different eras and different countries.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I use first division footballers from 1976 for the men and female Olympians from 1972 when I’m stuck for a name

When using names from real people, I like to check for others of the same name to make sure it's not going to be associated with one person in particular. e.g. if I was working from RL actresses I'd be comfortable naming a character Susan or Catherine, but I'd steer clear of something like Sigourney.

 

[Ian_Snow]

Baby name books, particularly Bruce Lansky's. A lot of baby name sites regurgitate lists from other sites in an endless cycle, so I prefer baby name books, and Lansky does a lot of variations as well as including geographical sources. Super handy.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I've had to start keeping track of all the names I've used, for what I've got published as well as whatever I've got waiting to be finished or submitted. I look online for names of a certain era, and I have also used baby name books. If I hear an interesting name, I'll write it down to use for one my characters that I think it might fit.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Like others, I get an image of them or look at a website for common baby names from X place and year, and go for something in the 11-50 range.

In practice I think of most of the male characters as Dave, until told otherwise.

 

[Demiurging]

Random name generator and an autoclicker, goes until my subconscious mind tickles. If I just choose a placeholder, by the end of the story that name has just become that character's name to me and it's difficult to change. Recently accidentally had both a "Luis" and a "Louise" in the same story.

 

[PennameWombat]

Another vote here for “favorite baby names for <year> in <country>” lists. I like to scroll down a ways, usually not in the top 20. As a rule I look for names that ‘fit’ the story’s time and location. I also have bookmarked a few random name generators that I occasionally use.

I rarely look for a name with ‘meaning,’ with exceptions like Sirena Chanteuse in A Christmas Miracle on Dewdrop (she’s, um, the primary singer in an oral culture), and a few other names of the merpeople in that story.

 

[Hickinurpoll]

1. Where do you get your ideas? - My parents are writers/my grandparents were artists, this has passed down from my family. I think that's what sparked all my creativity. I'm not sure where I got mine though, but its probably some combination of my family, art classes at school, tv shows...
2. Who inspires you? - The real people around me inspire me. People who have bad days, good days, sad days, happy days. They are all interesting to listen to and learn from.
3. How would you describe yourself? - I am sarcastic, silly, loud, funny, and outgoing.
4. What are some of your hobbies? - Draw, read, write, cook, play video games, watch movies, sleep, dance!
5. Do you like working out? If yes, how long does it take for you to feel satisfied after exercising? If no, why? - I don't really work out regularly, but if I did I'd want to make time for it. I feel the best when I exercise, but I don't find that much satisfaction after it...I just feel hungry afterwards.
6. What music do you listen to? - Anything that makes me feel happy, sad, excited, relaxed, etc. I love listening to any type of music, but I prefer rock, country, hip-hop, punk, blues, jazz, metal, electronic, indie, and classical. I can listen to anything.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Most of the names I use are from those that I grew up with around me. Of course that was before parents started to give their poor children cutesy names.

That reminds me of an old joke...

A guy is in court wanting to change his name. The judge asks him is current name. He replies Harry Balls. The judge replies I can see why you want to change it. What would you like your new name to be. The guy replies, Sam.

 

[Mepher]

Combination of google translate, media I like, occasional keyboard mashing, and random thoughts when I conceptualize a character.

 

[MKvDeepSea]

Since my stories are based on our open marriage and sexual adventures, which took place in the 1970's and early 1980's. I'll use a search engine and find the most common names of the time period.

 

[Haulover]

When selecting names for longer stories which will require repeated use of the names, particularly if written in the 3rd-person, I apply the following:

Main characters:

2-syllable first name, 1-syllable last name.
E.g. Michael Jones
This way, you can avoid too much repetition by referring to the character as both "Michael", or "Mike" ... or if you need a harsher or more urgent tone, just "Jones".
Always use names that are reasonably common and easy to pronounce.

Couples :

Names should synch well. I'm a sucker for giving couples the same first initial. Yah, cheesy, but it's effective, especially if you're writing a group scene where the reader can quickly lose track of who belongs to whom..

Villains :

If feasible, I like to use names from a nationality other than the story's setting - but still easy to pronounce.

Or - if the villain needs to be local, I invent a believable-sounding last name that does not actually exist.