Steps to Naming Characters

Next to story plotting, naming your characters has to be one of the most important, nerve-wracking, and exciting moments in creating your story. For me, I usually spend a long time considering the name of my characters as if they were my own children. I become very attached to my characters and I feel it's important to find just the right name that suits them because let's face it, the name makes the character. I'm not just talking about the meaning behind the name but also the feeling of the name. Veronique versus Violet, for example, feel as though they have two completely polar personalities. Veronique sounds as though she is sophisticated and exotic, whereas Violet sounds warm and friendly.

So, let's have a quick chat about where to find inspiration for your character names!
Baby name books are always fun places to start, your local library should have a thick shelf of them at the ready. Or if you want to check out the scores of websites devoted to names, here are just a few that I have found to be helpful:

• Nameberry
• Chinaroad (my personal favorite)
• British Baby Names

Of course, what you name your characters all depends on what kind of story you have on your hands. I like to sort out my naming rules based on where in time and space they are as follows:

Historical Fiction: research the names popular in your chosen era, you can fiddle with the spelling but that's about it.

Modern Day: consider the country and area you are putting your characters. Remember to consider the character's personal background and if you think their parent or guardian would have really named a child THAT NAME. Also, if you are having trouble thinking of surnames have a look at movie credits...seriously there are some fantastic surnames to find there.

Sci-Fi: think about what might become a trend in the future. People might be attracted to star or constellation names, pharmaceutical or chemical sounding names. One thing to remember about future names (this goes for fantasy too), if the name is too oddly stylized, your reader is probably going to start skimming the name and giving your character their own nickname.

Fantasy: think about the cultures surrounding your fantasy world. Each faction, tribe, or sect should have their own set of naming traditions. Real-world example: Most English surnames were derived from the jobs their ancestors did (Smith, Baker, Fletcher, etc). In Korean society, some parents choose to name their children with one similar character (Min Young, Shin Young, Sun Young, etc).

Speaking of Fantasy names, here is an interview with George R.R. Martin about how he chooses his names.

Now I want to know: How do you choose your character names? Let me know!