What's In A Name?

I am a writer who is entirely incapable of writing a character until I know what their name is. I'm also a writer who typically has characters manifest themselves in the back of my mind, uninvited, but they don't usually come to me fully formed. I may have a scene in mind for them, or a personality trait or two pre-determined, but until I've put a name to them, I struggle to connect with my characters in a way that allows me to start telling their stories. And that's because naming my characters is such an integral part of my understanding them. Because a name shapes your character. Not just in the way a reader views your character, but also in the way your characters view themselves.

How exactly you name your characters is a personal choice, of course, but here are a few things I tend to consider when going through the process:

1. Name Meaning

I think most writers use this method at some point. Especially early in the writing journey when you're first learning to develop characters and every detail seems imperative. And plenty of writers - myself included - continue to use it to find just the right moniker for a character! Sometimes you can use a character's name to hide foreshadowing tidbits (ie. Remus Lupin), or you use a particular name to reiterate something about the character's personality. Kendrick, for example, means 'royal ruler' or 'champion.' This could be a great name for a monarch or maybe even a superhero.

2. Name Bias

Naturally, as we go through our lives, we develop biases around certain names. There are plenty of factors for this - people we know, historical figures, cultural biases, etc. - but the fact remains that certain names will resonate in very different ways with your readers. For example, if you're writing a fantasy novel about a wizard, you'll probably want to steer clear of the name Harry. There are already two fantastic and prominent series that star a magic-wielding Harry, so you may struggle to stand out with a third. Alternatively, a name like Alejandro, with rolling syllables and pop culture significance, may make for a perfect romance protagonist.

3. Name Weight

If you write anything like I do, you probably spend more time on baby name sites than parents expecting sextuplets. And if you don't, I highly recommend checking a few out! A personal favorite of mine is NameBerry. But if you spend enough time on these sites, you'll start to become familiar with the intricacies of names and how much weight they carry - for a baby or for your new character. A name like Archibald, for example, is lofty and not exactly modern or popular at the moment. Simply put, it's difficult to pull off. But you can still use this to shape your character. Personally, I'm a fan of giving characters big, bold names and then letting them decide if they're the sort to embrace it or the sort to insist on a nickname. After all, there's usually a difference between a character who goes by Archibald and a character who goes by Archie.

And if worse comes to worst, you can always scour through name lists or chase the rabbit through "similar name" threads until you find something that simply resonates with you and your vision of a character. And if you have a different method for naming your characters, or if you have a favorite place to go for name inspiration, please let me know in a comment - I love finding new resources!