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How do you name characters?
- Thread starter MAG
- Start date
pmmg
Myth Weaver
The system I used was to decide on the regional sound I wanted names to have (IE, fench, spanish, norse...) and made some sound more prominent than others. I am not sure why I picked the ones I did, but I did. Generally, most of the names from one region make use of certain vowel structures and those from another a different one. My original names were, U, OU, and French sounding names for one region, and hard sounding names for another....Lots of K's and R's. But, I have expanded a lot since then.
I have used a random name generator at times, but usually I cant find anything I like on them. I am not sure of any name used by one that stuck.
Now, my characters and name sounds are pretty much established. I dont spend a lot of effort on names anymore.
I have used a random name generator at times, but usually I cant find anything I like on them. I am not sure of any name used by one that stuck.
Now, my characters and name sounds are pretty much established. I dont spend a lot of effort on names anymore.
Miles Lacey
Archmage
Begin with working out the culture(s) of the characters and the area(s) they live in.
My main characters live on a fictional island in the Pacific that was a French colony. The island is located within the Polynesian part of the Pacific. Thus, the place names and characters have French, Polynesian (Tahitian and Maori) or a mix of both French and Polynesian names to reflect the dominant cultures of the island.
To find names for people I use baby-naming websites and look up common surnames within specific cultures. I do need to be culturally aware, though. For example, using the name Maui for a disreputeable character is a very bad idea in the Pacific region because Maui is the name of a demi-god revered in virtually all Pacific island cultures.
As for finding place names? Look around your part of the world. What did they name streets, villages, hills, valleys, rivers and other places after? In most cases places are named after those long forgotten to history, mythical figures and, more often than not, aren't named after anything or anyone important. Naming a stretch of water Blue River because a drunken sailor named John Blue drowned in it or a mountain range Green Hills because it's covered in green year round is perfectly fine. It's what happens in these places that matter. That's why we remember Oz, the Shire and Camelot.
Just don't get too clever, though. Here in New Zealand there's a hill called: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. That is one word and it looks really cool on a road sign. Try reading that place name in one go and you'll find out why it's not a good name for use in a novel. In English it translates to "the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his flute to his loved one". The translation would put most readers to sleep.
My main characters live on a fictional island in the Pacific that was a French colony. The island is located within the Polynesian part of the Pacific. Thus, the place names and characters have French, Polynesian (Tahitian and Maori) or a mix of both French and Polynesian names to reflect the dominant cultures of the island.
To find names for people I use baby-naming websites and look up common surnames within specific cultures. I do need to be culturally aware, though. For example, using the name Maui for a disreputeable character is a very bad idea in the Pacific region because Maui is the name of a demi-god revered in virtually all Pacific island cultures.
As for finding place names? Look around your part of the world. What did they name streets, villages, hills, valleys, rivers and other places after? In most cases places are named after those long forgotten to history, mythical figures and, more often than not, aren't named after anything or anyone important. Naming a stretch of water Blue River because a drunken sailor named John Blue drowned in it or a mountain range Green Hills because it's covered in green year round is perfectly fine. It's what happens in these places that matter. That's why we remember Oz, the Shire and Camelot.
Just don't get too clever, though. Here in New Zealand there's a hill called: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. That is one word and it looks really cool on a road sign. Try reading that place name in one go and you'll find out why it's not a good name for use in a novel. In English it translates to "the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his flute to his loved one". The translation would put most readers to sleep.
Naruzeldamaster
Auror
I put a bit more effort than the saying implies but 'throw shit at a wall and hope it sticks' method works just fine for me.
At least when working on purely fictional characters / regions.
For more real life stuff, I look up common baby names in different cultures and go from that.
At least when working on purely fictional characters / regions.
For more real life stuff, I look up common baby names in different cultures and go from that.
Karlin
Inkling
I take a goat to the wise man in the mountain. He checks the horoscope, chews some fungus, and comes up with a name.
I prefer to have some internal consistency with names, so I look for resources. Two of my favorites are on this thread.
Medieval Names
For place names I go to the region in Europe (mine is an alternate Earth) and choose a place, then (usually in Wikipedia) I look for older forms of that place name. Tweak from there, if needed.
Medieval Names
For place names I go to the region in Europe (mine is an alternate Earth) and choose a place, then (usually in Wikipedia) I look for older forms of that place name. Tweak from there, if needed.
- Thread starter
- #7
ThrillhoBaggins
Minstrel
I just use normal names. If you really want something crazy wild and unique, then simply create your own language to solve that issue.
TheCrystallineEntity
Istar
Not everyone has the time, patience, energy, and motivation to create an entirely new language, even one that is limited in scope and/or only has as many components as needed for the story. There's no "simply" about it.
ThrillhoBaggins
Minstrel
Yeah, there is. It's your language. It can be as complex or simple as you want it to be.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
I think there must be a lot of room between I want to use common names and i think i will invent a whole language to make sure they are unique. Call me crazy but i am pretty sure i can do it without going that far.
xena
Sage
Most of the time the name just comes to me, but when I'm completely clueless, baby names are my go to haha
Gurkhal
Auror
Sometimes I have a plan with a name but most often I got for the first culturally appropriate name that comes to mind
D. Gray Warrior
Sage
Yeah, for fictional settings, I just resort to random gibberish that I think sound nice.
casval
Acolyte
Depends on the setting and the story, of course, but if I'm not doing anything special with them, I'm probably on the baby name sites browsing by gender/culture for something appropriate. More based on the look and 'sound' of the name than the meaning; I like a name that looks good on the page, that doesn't 'sound' like any other keywords or main characters (unless I need it to!), that pairs well with their romantic interest (if applicable), that sort of thing. Though if the meaning suits them, too, that's a bonus!
But for the right story or setting, I'll have more fun with it - one of the stories I'm fiddling with has a 70s sci-fi throwback aesthetic going on, so a lot of the character names are references to that era of SF (my MC is named Haruna Persson, for the Corneliusheads in the crowd). Another story I'm working on begins in a town I made intentionally over-froofy and twee, evocative of The Shire, so my main character's name is Daffadowndilly.
It can be anything, though! Omelas -- the one what people walk away from -- was just named Salem, O[regon] backwards. If it works, it works!
But for the right story or setting, I'll have more fun with it - one of the stories I'm fiddling with has a 70s sci-fi throwback aesthetic going on, so a lot of the character names are references to that era of SF (my MC is named Haruna Persson, for the Corneliusheads in the crowd). Another story I'm working on begins in a town I made intentionally over-froofy and twee, evocative of The Shire, so my main character's name is Daffadowndilly.
It can be anything, though! Omelas -- the one what people walk away from -- was just named Salem, O[regon] backwards. If it works, it works!
