One thing I struggle with as a writer is creating character names. It’s probably difficult because I usually start with the plot of the story first and then input the characters’ names later. Anyway, since this is such a struggle for me, I wanted to share with you how I create character names.
Make Them Up
Oftentimes, a first or last name will randomly pop up while I’m doing something that isn’t writing-related. When that happens, I jot it down for future use.
Twitter & Instagram
Twitter and Instagram expose you to so many people from all kinds of backgrounds. You run across names that you can splice together and use for later creations. If something you see catches your eye, write it down!
Finding characters on Pinterest is as simple as searching “character names”. Seriously, that’s a perfect way to start your search on Pinterest for character names. Even better, you can search for what kind of character name you want (e.g., whimsical, futuristic, etc).
Random Name Generator
Random Name Generator is a lifesaver! You provide the number of names you want to generate (10, 25, 50, 100), the gender (male, female, male and female), and name style (common, average, rare) and the website randomly generates a list of names. Brilliant!
Creating character names is important. However, don’t stress yourself out over it. Keep your mind open. Tap into your surroundings. Inspiration is there.
Write On,
Joy