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Determining a name for a character can be difficult, particularly in a fantasy story, in which the parameters for what can go into a name tend to be broader. But with the right attention to detail, finding the right name for your character doesn’t have to be as daunting as it might initially seem. Read on to find out how to tackle the name dilemma.
Steps
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List your character’s qualities. To find an appropriate name, start by listing the character's qualities, from most- to least-dominant.
- Ideally, your character’s name should sound at some level fitting to who they are, so keep this list on hand to help you decide between potential names.
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Research those qualities. Once you have your list of qualities, start doing some research into what historical, mythical, or literary figures have been closely associated with some or all of the character’s dominant qualities.
- Look into not only the history, myths, and literature of your own culture but of others as well. Try to look into cultures that have some form of connection to the characters, places, or events of your story.
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Make creative references. When you’ve found an element that relates to your character, take inspiration from that element in naming the character.
- Try not to be overly obvious. If your inspiration is relatively familiar or well-known, avoid naming your character overtly after whatever historical, mythical, or literary element you’ve chosen. So, for example, don’t name a character modeled after Gandolf “Dolf” or “Randolf” or something equally derivative.
- Take inspiration from more subtle associations, or create a name that’s more inventively tied to its inspiration. For example, you might name your character after a little-known monster from Norse mythology. Or you might use a word from another language that evokes an important quality in the character. But try to avoid commonly recognizable foreign-language words, like “Belle” or “Loco.”
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Think about your character’s relation to the setting. Carefully consider the setting of the story and how the character figures into it. Is the character a native? A foreigner? Upper class? Lower class? The name should reflect their position in the world you’ve created.
- For example, if the character is a lower-class laborer who’s always lived in the same place, choose a name that seems relatively common and unremarkable. Giving the character an extravagant name or a name that would seem “exotic” by comparison will seem incongruous and risk pulling your reader out of the story.
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Keep names consistent. Decide whether you’ll be using modern-style names or more archaic- or fantastical-sounding ones. Once you’ve made that choice, stick to it and stay consistent. Be mindful that characters who are supposed to share a common ethnic background should have congruent sounding names. Otherwise it may detract from the believability of the characters in the story.
- For example, if your story is set in Arthurian-era Wales, your characters should have recognizably old Welsh names, unless they’re specifically from a different place or background.
- Particularly if you’re using names typical of or popular among a particular group, don’t randomly mix and match culturally specific names unless you have a good explanation for your logic.
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Research the setting. If your story is set in an historically specific time and place, do your due diligence in researching names appropriate to that setting.
- For example, if your story is set in antebellum America, choose a name that would fit in with the time. Avoid obviously incongruous names like “Brooklyn” or “Kimberley.” [1] X Research source
- Similarly, be sure the name is age-appropriate. If the character is elderly, look into names that were popular at the time they would have been born, not at the time in which they’re currently living. [2] X Research source
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Research the name. Put the character’s potential name through a search engine and make sure it doesn’t have any unforeseen, and possibly unfortunate, associations or connotations.
- If a character’s name may be somewhat common, double-check that it’s not attached to something or someone you didn’t expect.
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Make sure the name is pronounceable. Assuming you want people to feel comfortable saying the character’s name in their head and potentially talking about it with others, shoot for a name that readers will be able to pronounce. [3] X Research source
- If there’s anything tricky or unexpected about how the character’s name should be pronounced, include a subtle reference in the text to how it should be pronounced.
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Say the name aloud. Sometimes the way things seem or sound in your head is different than how it will seem or sound when said out loud.
- Before you commit to a name, make sure it doesn’t sound like anything you don’t want it to and that it doesn’t sound grating or comical.
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Don’t be too obvious. Avoid choosing names that transparently communicate goodness or badness, etc. It’s an overused and overly obvious trope.
- For example, don’t name a good character something like “Angel Goodman,” and don’t name a bad character “Damon Blacksoul.” [4] X Research source
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Avoid using apostrophes in your characters’ names. It’s broadly believed within the fantasy fiction community that inserting apostrophes into a name is overused, trite, and generally frowned upon.
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Don’t make names too similar. Avoid using names that are too similar either in style, quality, or sound. It will make it difficult for the reader to distinguish between the characters. [7] X Research source
- For example, don’t name all of your main characters using the same initial, like Mary, Mike, Mark, and Molly.
- Also watch out for names that rhyme or sound quite similar, like Jake, Drake, and Blake or Mary Loo and Anna Marie.
- One thing about fantasy is that every cliche, every trope has been done.
- So when you take that on into your writing, you have to make a twist and make it unique.
- You need not avoid cliches. Instead, repurpose them.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I make a female singer's name?Community AnswerI like to use Latin words to form names; for example "singer" translates to "cantor," so I might name the character Canta or some other form of the word.
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QuestionIs it acceptable to use a normal name in a fantasy story?Community AnswerPerfectly! Characters can have normal names, too! They don't always have to be consonant-heavy or elaborate.
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QuestionHow do I name my fantasy characters?Community AnswerThere are many different fantasy name generators on the Internet. You can also use a related word/object and look at the translation in a different language.
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References
- ↑ http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-7-rules-of-picking-names-for-fictional-characters
- ↑ http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/character/creating-characters/684-name-that-character-top-ten-tips#
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2010/mar/16/fantasy-character-names
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2010/mar/16/fantasy-character-names
- ↑ http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/apostrophes-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy-names
- ↑ http://www.writing-world.com/romance/names.shtml
- ↑ http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/character/creating-characters/684-name-that-character-top-ten-tips#
About This Article
Article Summary
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One way to create a fantasy character name is to choose a name that's based on your character's defining qualities. For example, if your character is brave, you could look up the word for brave in a different language and use that for part of the name. Alternatively, you could look up a historical figure who's known for the same qualities and come up with a name that sounds like theirs. For example, if your character likes to invent things like Thomas Edison, you could name them something like "Theodore Robinson." You can also use the setting your character lives in to come up with a fitting name. For example, if your character lives on a farm, you could name them "Bill Haysticks." However, keep in mind that fantasy characters can have strange or even made-up names, so don't be afraid to make up your own name! Just make sure to read it out loud before deciding on it to make sure your readers won't have a hard time pronouncing it. For advice on how to avoid cliche fantasy character names, scroll down!
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