When it’s time to name the characters in your story, where do you start? If you’re lucky, one or more may have already told you who they are. What about the rest? Some may be secondary characters or ones that are mentioned only once or twice, but they still need names so readers can picture them in their mind and identify with them. Let’s see what we can do about those blank spaces on your character roster.
Personality Traits
Take a moment and think about the personality of the character in your story. Are they quiet, meek, and soft-spoken? Perhaps a name like Sophie, Charlotte, or Mary would be a good fit. They sound soft and gentle on the tongue when being read. Feisty and outspoken? Try out Talia, Xavia, or Zara. If you want an unexpected twist, give her a name that is the opposite of her character/personality!
Physical Traits
If your character has dark hair, you might think about calling her Raven. But with a little research, you can find something less obvious, like Kerrin or Melanie. They both mean dark without spelling it out. The writer can reveal it (or not) as the story progresses. On the male side, the name Rory means famous leader or red king. Will he have red hair in your story? It’s a great tie-in to consider.
You can take things a step further with your character if you want. Remember Lady Violet in Downton Abbey? Looking back, she wore many costumes that were shades of violet. There are many choices that aren’t as obvious or readily recognizable. Perhaps your character has eyes that reveal his/her name, or they wear a certain gemstone that tells a story about their name and how it came to be.
Symbolism or Family Heritage
Is your character a strong leader? A strong name for a male character (whose name means just that) might be Conn, Duke, or Hank. If you want to associate it with his role in the story, a character who leads an army might do well with the name Harold. The time period of your story may influence your choices—popular names today may not have existed then. Fantasy story? The field is wide open, including made-up names! Still, they should have some significant meaning or something the character can align with.
Perhaps parents did something quirky, like have all of their children’s names start with the same letter: Samuel, Stanley, Sarah, Shelly. Why? What about the parents? Did their names start with S as well? Silas and Seraphina? It might be a fun exploration to figure out why and what the siblings think about it.
Names reveal a lot about the characters who live in your story. Spend some quality time researching, and have fun with the process. There are numerous name, symbolism, and baby name sites on the Internet. Historical records might provide some good choices or a jumping off point. Check them out, think about your own family, and others you may know. Dive in, and see who you come up with!
