I was sitting at a table with some young friends of mine, and we began to talk about writing. One sweet girl asked me what all the names of my characters were. I gave her a few. Her round blue eyes reflected the amazement of her wide smile. She exclaimed, “How do you come up with such good names?”
If I could have given her the information in this post that day, I would have.

Since that time, I have named over forty characters. Sometimes it is easy, and sometimes it’s not. I don’t think I’m the very best at naming characters. But, here are some things to consider that may help you give your hero (or heroine) a good name!

1) Consider the Setting

If your character lives in England, names like Charles, Henry, and Wesley, Anne, Catherine, and Mary are perfectly in line. However, if your characters are in Russia names like Alexi, Ivan, and Vladimir, Irina, Olga, and Sofia are more appropriate. In a fictional world, you get to choose what culture you cater to. Or you can mesh a bunch of them together.

2) Consider Pronunciation

By looking at your name, will the reader know how to say it aloud? Good readers enjoy talking about their characters and telling you which one is their favorite. If they can’t pronounce the name, they can struggle to identify and rave about him (or her). Unique names look cool but aren’t always practical.

Now, I said, consider this. But I didn’t say you couldn’t throw in a couple of names that everyone looks at with a bewildered expression before turning to the glossary to try and pronounce it. 🙂 Try making those side characters instead of your hero or heroine. Have fun! 

3) Consider Your Audience

If you are writing to a younger audience, it is best to have shorter names. Archibald, Bartholomew, Henrietta, and Gwendolyn could be shortened naturally to Archi, Bart, Etta, and Gwen. If you start with a short name, you won’t run into fans who have shortened the name you loved.

When writing to an older audience, attempt to give names that have clear, good connotations. We are most likely to root for characters with highly favored names like Jonathan, Peter, Mary, or Grace. A name creates a mental image of the character instantly. So, try out your name on several friends and family members to be sure they’re getting the vibe you want.

Another thing to consider is where the majority of your audience will live. If your readers are primarily in America, you will want to avoid names from other cultures that sound crazy, silly, or strange (like Sukey or Flannery).

4) Consider Gender

Avoiding “gender-neutral” names will save you from the frustration and embarrassment of clarifying that your hero was actually a heroine. Here are a few examples: Jesse, Riley, Charlie, Nikki, Chris, Robin, and Clare.

Also, pay attention to how the names sound in the culture of your audience. Although Llewelyn is a boy’s name in another country, it sounds feminine in America. Beware!

5) Consider Repetition

I started a series with siblings whose names almost all started with a W. It immediately confused my readers. They couldn’t remember who was the oldest, where this one was or where this one wasn’t, and which one carried a Faze Whip or not. It was a mess. Some name-changing happened.

So, work to pick out names that begin and end with different sounds. It will save you the hassle of correcting readers – or even yourself! 

A Word About Twins

Most people love naming twins with similar-sounding names, or at least names that begin with the same letter. That can be fine, although it works best if the twins are of opposite genders in books. It’s hard to distinguish between Cory and Coby, Mally and Sally, Leo and Teo, and Jake and Josh. Especially if they look alike, talk alike, stand next to each other, and work on the same project! You don’t have to avoid the twin deal altogether but do it tastefully to avoid perplexing your readers.

6) Consider Real Life

If you love the name David or Jenna so much that you would like to name your child that later in life (or have have a sibling, friend, or child named that already), I would advise you not to use that name in a book. You may end up placing an expectation on the person in real life to be like the book character, which will disappoint you more than anyone. Or you may end up insulting your friend or sibling by the way you portray “their character.” {Been there. Please, just take the advice.}

Thankfully, there are billions of names to choose from! If you don’t like one name, or your family or friends think the name is silly, choose another. If you aren’t feeling it, try again. Eventually, you’re going to land on the name that strikes you and your readers with the exact image you want the hero or heroine to have. 

So, consider:
1) Setting
2) Pronunciation
3) Audience
4) Gender
5) Repetition
6) Real Life

Have fun naming your hero or heroine!