Characters · Tip 16 of 82 · 4 min read
Choosing Perfect Names
A great name can tell readers who a character is before they've done anything.
What's in a name? Quite a lot, actually! A good name helps readers picture a character and remember them. Compare "Bob" with "Captain Thunderbeard". You can already imagine two very different people.
Names can give clues
- Sound: soft names (Lulu, Milo) feel gentle; spiky names (Krax, Grizzle) feel tough.
- Meaning: a brave character could be called Leo (lion) or a sunny one Sunny!
- Fun sounds: names that start with the same letter are easy to remember, like Penny Pickles.
Fit the name to the world
A space explorer might be called Zara Nova. A medieval knight might be Sir Edmund. A modern schoolkid might be Jayden or Aisha. The name should feel like it belongs in your story's world.
Naming places
Places need great names too! Try mixing two words together to create a place name that tells readers what it's like.
Gloomwater Swamp. Whistlewind Hills. The Village of Little Muddling. Crystalspire Castle.
Name traps to avoid
- Two main characters with similar names (Sam and Pam) get confusing.
- Very long or hard-to-say names make readers stumble every time.
- Using the name of someone you know might hurt their feelings!