Naming your characters is, without a doubt, a huge part of the writing process. For me, the names are sometimes the first thing I come up with - I think of a name I like, and build a character around that. However, names can sometimes change as you continue to develop the character. For example, a character in the story I'm currently writing started out with the name "Molly". As I worked on the story some more, I realized that a slightly different name was what I always ended up associating her with - "Mel". Don't be afraid to play around and experiment with different names - see which ones suit your characters the best!
Some of the most useful references for writers looking for names are baby name websites. Nameberry and babynamewizard are my personal favorites. These websites give you an overview of each name in its database, including the meaning behind the name as well as the origin. Remember that your character's name does not have to reflect who they are - i.e., a graceful character named "Grace" (most real peoples' names are not chosen that way!).
Last names are a bit more difficult. There are similar websites dedicated to surnames, which I find myself browsing quite often when trying to choose one. Some surnames have been ones that I've thought of on my own. For example, "Bellsworth" is the last name of one of my current characters, which came to mind while playing a video game! Your characters don't have to have last names (there are plenty of fantasy stories that don't mention them), but it's always a useful aspect to keep in mind, should you choose to include them.
I really like the names that come out in stories. As a kid I disliked my name and was going to legally change it. I liked Staria Crystal from a cartoon and Vada from the movie My Girl. I still think that creative names are an important part of stories but would never change my name.
ReplyDeleteI love that you said that you can change the name of a character even if your farther in the story. I always realize my names are very generic by the time I am farther in the story.
ReplyDeleteI always thought the characters names played a huge part in there role, until after reading your blog post. I understand now that they don't necessarily make or break the character, it just all depends how you see the character and what you want it to be.
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