How important are the names you pick for your Characters

I don't give it too much thought, but will pick a name that sounds "right" to me. I tend to choose names that are common enough that I've actually known people with them. I know some authors that like to go with really obscure names, but that doesn't work for me. I lean towards names like Lisa, Matt, Tammy, Jim, Ravi, etc.

I also mostly try to avoid reusing names. At some point I may need to write out a list of all the names I've used, to avoid duplicates, but haven't bothered yet.

I do try to come up with good names for each character. Certain names make me think of different types of personalities. Say, Cheyenne or Crystal, I think of as a stripper or hooker. While Sheri or Lisa are 'normal' women. Men's names like Grant or Chase seem upper crust/richy-rich guys.

WTS- i just read two stories, written in first person, where one or two characters were not named. How many times can you read HER and SHE or HIM and HE and wonder who the hell is this man/woman?

Quote by Taco4x4
i just read two stories, written in first person, where one or two characters were not named

I sometimes do this if it's not important to the story (or even if it is important and their name is only revealed much later).

Otherwise, yes, I choose character names very carefully to try and match their backstory or social status/age. There aren't many ravenous teenage sluts called Edna these days.

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

I sometimes do this if it's not important to the story (or even if it is important and their name is only revealed much later).

Otherwise, yes, I choose character names very carefully to try and match their backstory or social status/age. There aren't many ravenous teenage sluts called Edna these days.

How about Lois? Are sexy women named Lois? I actually only married so I could ditch that horrid first name and become my Middle Name / Maiden Name / Married Name.

Goodbye Lois!!!!

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

I sometimes do this if it's not important to the story (or even if it is important and their name is only revealed much later).

Otherwise, yes, I choose character names very carefully to try and match their backstory or social status/age. There aren't many ravenous teenage sluts called Edna these days.

But if you met one of the few, you might not care if she's named after her granny. If you can't see past that, perhaps you don't deserve her!😊

Middle Name / Maiden Name / Married Name.

Goodbye Lois!!!!

Kimmi Be Good ... Be? That's an unusual maiden name! Related to Johnny B. Good perhaps?

Quote by 2bespanked

Middle Name / Maiden Name / Married Name.

Goodbye Lois!!!!

Kimmi Be Good ... Be? That's an unusual maiden name! Related to Johnny B. Good perhaps?

Hahaha! 😊

Quote by JustForYou

But if you met one of the few, you might not care if she's named after her granny. If you can't see past that, perhaps you don't deserve her!😊

Ha. I didn't say there weren't any, and I don't care IRL.

A friend's kid is dating a hot 19yo called Mildred (calls herself Millie for modernisation reasons). But it wouldn't be my go-to name for a character unless it suited her or the story.

I picture the character in my brain and wait for the name to come to me. I’m probably working through dozens of unconscious stereotypes.

Mildred has yet to push her walker past me on the sidewalk. Millie sounds like a fun kid! She would be a cheerful busty brunette with freckles.

Nearly all of my stories are connected—my main series All That Jizz is based in 1926 but there is a childhood flashback to 1892 and a granddaughter series spanning 1968-1987—and nearly all of my characters have first and last names and specific ages. The main characters have birthdates, ethnic backgrounds, school histories, addresses, etc. Let's just say there's been a bit of fictional world-building in a real-world context.

I rarely use names of people I know—"Hey Chris, I wrote this filthy story with a guy named Chris but it has nothing to do with you!"—and I tend to avoid names that I personally dislike, because I'm writing these stories for my own entertainment as well. I aim for names that aren't super boring—Bill and Susan, yawn—but also try to avoid names that are too on point—Damian the demonic. I am guilty of naming my leading ladies Delilah and Daphne Davenport specifically so they could be double D's, har har... but it turns out that bra cup sizes weren't introduced until 1932. 🙄

My 1892 story În Vânt (Into The Wind) actually finishes with a scene at Ellis Island with the family getting its names Americanized by an immigration officer. Recommended Read, baby!

Here's an excerpt from another story, Lake Ossipee (Part 2 of 3), which shows you what I think about "Cathy"...

“So, is it Cassandra, then?”

“It’s Catherine,” she sighed, spelling it for him. “C-a-t-h-e-r-i-n-e. My parents loved the name but realized too late that people were going to shorten it to Cathy or Cath, which they hated, so I’ve been Cassie ever since I was a baby.”

“It’s cute, I like it. Cassie sounds like a fun chick, but Cathy sounds like a stick in the mud.”

“Sassy Cassie,” she laughed as she fetched a blanket from the couch.

It varies for me. Most of the time I try to find a name that fits the character I’ve written in my outlines. I tend to refer to my main character as the protagonist/antagonist before settling in on a name because I found that if I name my characters first, it skews their profile to fit the name. I’d rather the profile be the source for the name.

Other times it’s a poetic moment for me. For example, the most recent story I’m drafting, the main character was named Kari. I wrote the entire draft with that being her name. Then, when I went to title my story, I loved “Grace Before the Meal.” When I landed on that, it was a lightbulb moment. Her name isn’t Kari, it’s Grace. It gave her and the story a whole new layer of meaning.

For some reason, the other guy in my “Sexy Sixties” Obsession contest entry had to be named Jerry. That name came into my head just as the story idea formed. I considered other names, but somehow Jerry is who he had to be.

Most of the names I choose are names of people that I know and might fit the character, a few are favourite people I have had a relationship with.

Names have some meaning to me. It's hard to explain but they have to feel right to the character. I've gone back to finished stories and changed them just before submission. This probably means nothing to the reader but for me it's important to get a name that feels right

Quote by Milik_the_Red

Names have some meaning to me. It's hard to explain but they have to feel right to the character. I've gone back to finished stories and changed them just before submission. This probably means nothing to the reader but for me it's important to get a name that feels right

Never thought of it that way. Mine were almost always random. But occasionally I'd pull a name of somebody I knew from the back of my mind.

Quote by Milik_the_Red
Names have some meaning to me. It's hard to explain but they have to feel right to the character.

Same for me.

Quote by darkroot50

Never thought of it that way. Mine were almost always random. But occasionally I'd pull a name of somebody I knew from the back of my mind.

I think the best way to say it would be that the name needs to give an indication as to how strong or innocently natured a character is. In the Accidental Escort, the female lead was Alicia, which to me is one of both sweet innocence and inner strength. It was also a nod to Alice in Wonderland because Alicia was certainly going down the rabbit hole.

Sarah of Watching Sarah represents biblical virginity which was meant as a misdirection.

So, my answer is that yes, I put a great deal of thought into names, especially the female leads

I also seem to lean toward female names that start with the letter A and male leads that start with J. That isn't always the case but I often start with such a name and then have to change it later

I won't have a sweet innocent 17yo called something like Brenda or Doris in my stories. The names don't fit them. But they'd suit a middle-aged mom next door whose kids had flown the nest. Or a horny dinner lady.

So yes, like Milik, I pay attention to how I think the name reflects the character. And like he says. it's also fun every now and again to play with misdirection.

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

I won't have a sweet innocent 17yo called something like Brenda or Doris in my stories.

I named three NPCs Brenda, Janet, and Joan. They were school administrative assistants. 😅

This has proven to be an enlightening post. and it shows that the nuances that go into writing a good story or more than just plot. There are many subtle details that many readers don’t even notice going through a writers mind as they craft the story.

And that’s what makes it an art

Choosing names for my characters is as important and fun for me as choosing the cover art and title—just part of the story package that I create.

Quote by joe71
I also mostly try to avoid reusing names. At some point I may need to write out a list of all the names I've used, to avoid duplicates, but haven't bothered yet.

Finally did this the other day. I did find a couple of duplicates that I wasn't aware of, especially with minor characters. Fortunately Eric is the only name I've used twice for significant characters.

Also, as I flesh out my canonical Becoming A Man series, I just realized that one character has been referred to as Daphne in a couple of stories, and then as Heather in another. Oh well.

I'm also going to start a list of names I haven't used yet, to make future name-picking easier.