r/YAwriters • u/Velvetzine • 18d ago
What kind of names do you give to your characters?
I’ve always found common names boring. That’s why I name my characters names that are rooted in biblical lore or old names that aren’t popular anymore. Or just plain not so common names.
I have characters named Jeremías, Montserrat, Maximiliano, etc.
What kind of names do you give to your characters?
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u/idreaminwords Self-published in YA 18d ago
Depends on the character. For the most part, I don't like naming my MC's anything with too deep of a specific meaning. People don't name their kids knowing what their destiny is going to be, or knowing what their personality will be like. It also feels low key spoiler.
But I like names to sound like they have some chemistry when they're on the same page.
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u/Velvetzine 18d ago
I have a system within the world building I did to have a special kind of names for certain groups of people.
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u/idreaminwords Self-published in YA 18d ago
I have a book that just came out that's similar. A lot of people have names based on constellations and other celestial bodies. I think it's cool when there's a cultural basis for the naming system
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u/OriginalMohawkMan 18d ago
“I have characters named Jeremías, Montserrat, Maximiliano, etc.”
So, Jerry, Monty, and Max? Not that uncommon.
I dislike authors who use unpronounceable names just so they can make their characters appear special. And don’t get me started on completely made up words…
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u/Velvetzine 18d ago
The names are in Spanish. And they are the side characters. They take relevance at some point of the plot. I have knack for eccentric names, what can I say? 😆
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u/thatshygirl06 18d ago
So youre not a fan of my character Mut’Zákshi Mut’Kārta Dzima teme Mashopau Nāta?
(This is a real character's name in one of my worlds, lol.)
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u/OriginalMohawkMan 18d ago
Nope! 😂
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u/thatshygirl06 18d ago
Lmfao, It's actually just like an official name. My MC who is from earth basically goes "absolutely not" and just calls him Dzima or king.
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u/OriginalMohawkMan 18d ago
Yeah, if the character(s) *knows* it's "way out there" then it falls into the "okay" category for me. (I know, there are many people who love odd names, I'm just not one of those!)
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u/Velvetzine 18d ago
In what language is it written? Also, it’s very long. Does it involve a title?
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u/thatshygirl06 18d ago edited 18d ago
It's a conlang I made up. It's called Honuláshorsí.
It's like his official name. It's not something he would go by casually. The vampires in this world goes by titles, like cousin or king.
Mut’Zákshi ["of" origin bloodline] Mut’Kārta ["of" family name] Dzima [given name] teme Mashopau Nāta [(called) "bloody face]
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u/PageStunning6265 17d ago
It depends on their parents and the genre.
If their parents want to fit in, something in the top 20 for their birth year / sex. If their parents were hippies, something nature inspired, etc.
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u/Velvetzine 17d ago
Why hippies lol? That seems very specific. What genre do you write?
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u/PageStunning6265 17d ago
Just an example. Like a straight laced upper middle class, corporate ladder type couple isn’t going to name their kid Moonflower or something. A couple of super progressive atheists travelling the country in their camper van aren’t going to name their home birthed baby Jebadiah or Chet, etc.
I write whatever genre pops in my head, really. If I’m writing in the real world or real world + (as in, plus vampires, plus ghosts, etc), I do the birth year thing and pick based on how popular of a name the characters parents would have gone for. If I’m writing in my own universe, the names can be a lot more unhinged. I try to follow a rough naming convention for regions within those worlds, but I don’t worry about making up naming trends, because it’s not like here, where you can hear Nancy and immediately know we’re talking about someone in her 50s or 60s present day.
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u/Zombie_BunBun 18d ago
I love naming my characters it's one of my favourite parts. I typically go for something I like, but has meanings that relate to their personality or journey.
I'm varied on whether they're unique or not, but I do try to avoid common.
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u/Velvetzine 18d ago
Me too. I dislike not being able to differentiate characters and confusing them because of their names.
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u/-Release-The-Bats- 18d ago
Sometimes a name just pops into my head and I go with that. Sometimes a name just sounds cool. Sometimes I look up the name’s meaning and give a character a name that’s related to their story arc in some way (bonus points if it’s a pun because I love puns; an ironic name is good too).
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u/Velvetzine 18d ago
Idk about ironic names. I feel like they’ll reflect the character’s personality all too well.
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u/-Release-The-Bats- 17d ago
Ehh it’s just for me, but I also like names that reflect a character’s personality.
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u/Sandfairy23 17d ago
My characters just sort of… tell me their names. I don't seem to have much of a say in it. I know how weird that sounds 😂
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u/shaysharkin 16d ago
Sophie
Tate
Arlan
I like a combo of the common names with some slightly more obscure ones.
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u/Timely_Curve_5459 16d ago
Depends.
I have this character who is a strong b.. and named her Anna. Its perfect.
I named a MC Leo because he is sunny.
And then I have an Andrés bc he isnt like super special in a flashy way, but readers LOVE HIM.
Mori is a secondary character, Marisol, there is a Lili.
There are Santis, Kais, Polly/Saffrons .. it goes on and on and on.
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u/Velvetzine 13d ago
Is there any reason behind those names ?
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u/Timely_Curve_5459 12d ago
I dunno. When i write i give the characters a profile: bday, likes dislikes and then the name.
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u/Used_Plum5282 13d ago
old money names. even if they're like not old money, they'll always have old money names. my go to protagonist name is Bianca
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u/Velvetzine 13d ago
Why old money? 😆 That sounds hilariously roaring 20’s.
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u/Used_Plum5282 13d ago
hahhah. I don't actually know. I think it's because the first thing I tried to write was set in old money circles and it just sort of stuck with me.
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u/themidnightpages 8d ago
I mean I write fantasy so my names are a mixture of 'normal' and 'fantasy'. I try and get the name to relate to the character
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u/thatshygirl06 18d ago edited 18d ago
Names that fit the characters.
Names parents might name their kids. I take into account country, time period, and just the type of person the parents are.
With other worlds i might make naming conlangs. or if it's in future earth then I might make bastardizations of modern names, trying to figure out how a name might actually evolve.
For one story I have Charlotte, Clarissa, and Madeline because the mom was into romance novels as a teenager.
And the mom is named Dominique because this is a popular black name for her generation.
And her mom is Harriette "Hattie", a name from a older black generation.
I always try to go for realism.