Book Character Name Ideas: 90+ Names by Genre
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Find the perfect character name for your novel, short story, or creative writing project with our comprehensive genre-organized name guide.
A character's name is the first promise a writer makes to the reader. Before a single line of dialogue is spoken or a backstory revealed, the name sets expectations—about genre, tone, and the kind of person we're about to spend hundreds of pages with. For a deeper dive into the art of naming, see our tips for naming fictional characters. "Elowen Nighthollow" tells you you're in a fantasy world before the first chapter ends. "Sebastian Blackwell" whispers Regency-era romance. "Zara Voss-7" puts you on a spaceship.
We've assembled over 300 character names organized by the six most popular fiction genres, each carefully crafted to feel authentic within its world. Whether you're writing your first novel or your fifteenth, naming characters remains one of the most creatively demanding tasks in storytelling—our guide on how to come up with character names walks you through the process step by step. The names below aren't just labels—they're doorways into character, each chosen for how it sounds on the tongue, what it suggests to the imagination, and how it anchors a character in their story.
Key Fact: Research shows that readers form initial impressions of characters within the first 3 seconds of encountering their name. A well-chosen name can do as much characterization work as an entire page of description.
Why Genre Shapes Everything About Naming
Genre isn't just a marketing category—it's a contract with the reader about the kind of experience they're about to have. Fantasy readers expect names that feel invented yet pronounceable, built from familiar linguistic roots but arranged in unfamiliar combinations. Romance readers want names that are attractive, memorable, and carry a hint of the character's personality. Mystery readers need names they can keep straight across a complex plot with multiple suspects.
Consider how differently you'd react to a detective named "Maren Lockwood" versus one named "Sparkle McFairywhisper." The first feels competent and serious; the second belongs in an entirely different book. This isn't about following rules rigidly—it's about understanding the expectations your genre has established so you can either fulfill them brilliantly or subvert them intentionally.
Fantasy Novel Character Names
Fantasy naming is an art form unto itself. The best fantasy names feel like they grew organically from the world they inhabit—names that sound like they have etymologies in languages that don't quite exist. Our guide to fantasy names by race explores how different fictional cultures develop distinct naming conventions. Tolkien set the gold standard by creating actual languages first and then deriving character names from them. You don't need to go that far, but understanding that principle—that names should feel rooted in a consistent system—separates forgettable fantasy names from unforgettable ones.
Fantasy Book Character Names
These fantasy names blend mythological roots with evocative surnames that immediately conjure images of enchanted forests, ancient battlefields, and arcane towers. Each name is designed to feel at home in an epic fantasy novel while remaining distinct and pronounceable for modern readers.
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Elowen Nighthollow
A name rooted in Cornish mythology meaning "elm tree," paired with a shadowy surname that evokes ancient forests where magic sleeps beneath tangled roots—perfect for a woodland sorceress or reluctant hero discovering hidden powers
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Theron Ashvale
Derived from the Greek word for "hunter," combined with a surname suggesting scorched landscapes and resilience. This name suits a ranger or wandering knight who carries the scars of a kingdom reduced to cinders
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Seraphina Duskmantle
Blending angelic origins with twilight imagery, this name captures the duality of a character caught between light and shadow—ideal for a sorceress navigating the thin line between celestial grace and forbidden magic
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Caspian Ironforge
The first name evokes vast, mysterious seas while the surname grounds the character in craftsmanship and strength. Perfect for a seafaring blacksmith or a prince who forged his own destiny rather than inheriting a throne
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Lyra Thornwood
Musical and celestial in its first name, dangerous and wild in its surname—a name that suggests a bard whose songs carry enchantments, or a druid whose beauty conceals thorns sharp enough to draw blood
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Aldric Stormweaver
A battle-mage who commands tempests and lightning
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Isolde Ravencrest
A noblewoman with prophetic visions and dark secrets
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Fenris Blackthorn
A shapeshifter bound by an ancient wolf curse
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Rowan Mistwalker
A wandering healer who travels between realms
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Astrid Flameheart
A warrior queen who wields fire as her birthright
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Dorian Shadowmere
A secretive scholar of forbidden arcane arts
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Freya Silverbrook
An elven diplomat with centuries of wisdom
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Gareth Dragonbane
A legendary knight known for slaying wyrms
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Nimue Starweave
An enchantress who reads destiny in constellations
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Orion Dawnbreaker
A paladin sworn to banish the undead from mortal lands
Romance Novel Character Names
Romance character names carry an extra burden that other genres don't demand: they need to be attractive. Not just pleasant to read, but genuinely appealing—names you'd want to whisper, shout across a crowded room, or see printed on a wedding invitation. The best romance names balance elegance with accessibility, sophistication with warmth. They hint at the character's personality without revealing everything, leaving room for the story to fill in the details.
Key Fact: In romance publishing, character names influence reader engagement more than in any other genre. Studies of bestselling romance novels show that protagonists overwhelmingly have names with 2-3 syllables, which readers find most attractive and memorable.
Romance Book Character Names
Romance names must do double duty: sound attractive enough to carry a love story while revealing personality through subtle associations. These names range from Regency-era elegance to contemporary charm, each crafted to make readers fall a little in love before the first chapter ends.
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Sebastian Blackwell
A brooding, aristocratic name that instantly conjures images of a proud man with a guarded heart—the kind of surname that looks perfect embossed on old leather-bound journals and whispered in candlelit ballrooms
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Vivienne Hartley
Elegant and warm, this name pairs French sophistication with an English surname suggesting matters of the heart. Perfect for a headstrong heroine who refuses to marry for convenience and insists on love
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Julian St. Claire
The saintly surname adds an air of old-money refinement to a first name that feels both classic and sensual. Ideal for a charming rogue whose polished exterior hides a passionate, impulsive nature
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Arabella Montgomery
A sweeping, multi-syllabic name that demands to be spoken slowly—perfect for historical romance where the heroine navigates society galas while harboring a secret identity as a writer of scandalous novels
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Dashiell Kensington
Sharp and dashing in its first name, grand and established in its surname. This name belongs to a man who looks devastating in a tailored suit and has never once admitted he was wrong—until he meets her
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Eloise Beaumont
A gentle spirit with hidden determination
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Nathaniel Cross
A rugged outsider with a complicated past
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Charlotte Sinclair
A society heiress defying family expectations
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Rafe Calloway
A mysterious stranger with a devastating smile
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Gemma Ashford
A bookshop owner who has given up on love
- 11
Alexander Thorne
A billionaire CEO hiding emotional scars
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Isla Wainwright
A free-spirited artist chasing her dreams abroad
- 13
Lucian Everett
A brooding professor with a poet's soul
- 14
Rosalind Fairfax
A witty journalist who speaks her mind
- 15
Theo Langston
A childhood best friend harboring a decade-long secret
Mystery & Detective Character Names
Mystery names need to accomplish something subtle and specific: they need to feel trustworthy for your detective while feeling slightly suspicious for everyone else. For inspiration on creating memorably sinister names, explore what makes a good villain name. The best mystery writers understand that a name like "Edmund Graves" planted early in a suspect list creates an unconscious association with death that either pays off brilliantly as a clue or serves as a masterful red herring. Every name in a mystery is evidence.
Mystery & Detective Character Names
Mystery and thriller names balance authority with intrigue. Detective names should inspire confidence, while suspect names can carry subtle hints—or deliberate misdirections. These names are designed to work within complex plots where readers are actively trying to solve the puzzle alongside the protagonist.
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Maren Lockwood
A surname literally suggesting locked doors and hidden secrets, paired with a Scandinavian first name meaning "sea"—ideal for a detective whose calm surface conceals relentless depths of deduction and a refusal to let any case go cold
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Victor Ashworth
A name that carries the weight of old money and quiet authority. The "worth" suffix implies someone who measures everything—evidence, motives, alibis—with exacting precision. Perfect for a retired prosecutor turned private investigator
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Celeste Blackburn
The celestial first name contrasts sharply with the dark, smoldering surname, creating tension in every introduction. This name suits a forensic psychologist who understands criminal minds because she battles her own shadows
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Griffin Hale
Short, punchy, and impossible to forget—exactly what a hardboiled detective needs. The mythological first name hints at vigilance while the crisp surname suggests someone who never wastes a word or overlooks a clue
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Sloane Mercer
Sleek and androgynous, this name works brilliantly for a sharp-witted investigator who moves between high society and the criminal underworld with equal ease, trading in secrets the way others trade in currency
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Edmund Graves
A coroner with an unsettling eye for detail
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Nora Whitfield
An amateur sleuth with a photographic memory
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Dashiell Crowe
A cynical PI who trusts no one completely
- 9
Petra Holloway
A cold case specialist haunted by one unsolved murder
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Miles Sheridan
A forensic accountant who follows the money
- 11
Ingrid Voss
An Interpol agent with a gift for languages
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Bennett Locke
A defense attorney who only takes impossible cases
- 13
Cordelia Blackstone
A mystery novelist whose plots start coming true
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Rowan Flint
A small-town sheriff with big-city instincts
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Harper Langley
A journalist who uncovers conspiracies no one wants found
Science Fiction Character Names
Science fiction naming sits at a fascinating crossroads: the names need to feel futuristic enough to signal that we're not in Kansas anymore, but familiar enough that readers can connect with the characters as human beings. The most effective approach blends recognizable cultural elements with subtle modifications—a Japanese surname paired with a Latin first name, or a familiar name appended with a clone designation number.
Science Fiction Character Names
Sci-fi names must bridge the gap between the familiar and the futuristic. These names blend multicultural influences with speculative elements—clone markers, stellar references, and streamlined constructions—that signal advanced civilizations while keeping characters relatable and human at their core.
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Zara Voss-7
The hyphenated number suffix suggests a clone lineage or generation marker—a naming convention that instantly signals a future where identity is manufactured. The sharp "Voss" grounds her humanity while "7" raises unsettling questions about versions 1 through 6
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Orion Kessler
Named after one of the most recognizable constellations, paired with a Germanic surname suggesting precision engineering. This name suits a starship navigator or astrophysicist whose calculations have saved entire colonies from orbital decay
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Nova Andaris
A name that literally means "new star," combined with a surname that sounds like it belongs on a star chart. Perfect for a character born during a stellar event who carries the weight of prophecy in a universe that runs on science, not magic
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Caelum Ren
Latin for "sky" or "heaven," this first name reaches for the cosmos while the minimalist surname reflects a streamlined future where excess has been engineered away. Ideal for an AI researcher questioning the boundaries of consciousness
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Lyris Tanaka
Blending a lyrical, invented first name with a grounded Japanese surname, this combination captures the multicultural reality of far-future civilizations where Earth cultures have merged and evolved across generations of interstellar migration
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Kael Drexler
A rogue pilot running cargo on the outer rim
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Seren Okafor
A xenobiologist studying alien ecosystems
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Atlas Korr
A soldier engineered for combat who seeks peace
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Mira Solenne
A diplomat negotiating first contact with new species
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Juno Hex
A cybernetic hacker navigating corporate espionage
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Thane Voltaris
A terraforming engineer on a dying colony world
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Elara Quinn
A quantum physicist who bends the laws of reality
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Cassian Wren
A resistance leader fighting an authoritarian regime
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Vega Ashborne
A starship captain charting unknown galaxies
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Idris Nyx
A time-displaced traveler searching for home
Historical Fiction Character Names
Historical fiction demands the most research-intensive naming of any genre. A name that feels perfectly natural in Regency England would be anachronistic in Tudor London, and a name common in 1920s Paris would sound out of place in medieval Florence. The best historical fiction writers don't just pick names that "sound old"—they verify that each name was actually in use during their chosen period and within the appropriate social class.
Key Fact: Anachronistic names are the most common worldbuilding error in historical fiction. The name "Jessica," for example, was virtually unknown before Shakespeare coined it in The Merchant of Venice (1596), making it inappropriate for any earlier setting.
Historical Fiction Character Names
Historical names must feel authentic to their era, region, and social class. These names span centuries and continents—from medieval monasteries to WWII resistance networks—each researched for period accuracy while remaining accessible to modern readers who may be encountering these historical contexts for the first time.
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Edmund Hartwell
A sturdy Anglo-Saxon first name meaning "protector of prosperity," paired with a surname evoking rural English estates. This name belongs in a Regency drawing room or on a battlefield at Waterloo—a man torn between duty to his family name and his own moral compass
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Marguerite de Valois
The French royal naming convention instantly places this character in the courts of pre-revolutionary France. "Marguerite" (meaning "pearl") suggests beauty refined under pressure, while "de Valois" carries the weight of dynastic ambition and political intrigue
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Alaric Stonebridge
A Gothic first name meaning "ruler of all," combined with a surname suggesting permanence and connection between worlds. Perfect for a medieval lord defending a strategic crossing point or a Victorian industrialist building empires of iron and steam
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Theodora Ashby
Greek in origin meaning "gift of God," softened by a quintessentially English surname. This name suits a woman navigating the constraints of Georgian society while secretly funding scientific expeditions or running an underground printing press
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Cornelius Blackwood
A Roman first name that carries gravitas and formality, paired with a dark, atmospheric surname. Ideal for a colonial-era magistrate, a Civil War surgeon, or a Victorian explorer whose journals reveal more questions than answers
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Elspeth Waverly
A Scottish healer during the Jacobite risings
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Reginald Foxworth
A cunning diplomat in Elizabethan England
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Cosima von Rath
A Prussian countess with revolutionary sympathies
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Silas Copperthwaite
A Victorian inventor chasing impossible machines
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Honora Fitzgerald
An Irish noblewoman during the Great Famine
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Benedict Langford
A monk turned spy during the Wars of the Roses
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Adelaide Whitmore
A suffragette fighting for the vote in 1910s London
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Leander Castellano
A Renaissance merchant navigating Venetian politics
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Genevieve Marchand
A French Resistance courier in occupied Paris
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Tobias Wren
A Tudor-era playwright with dangerous patrons
Literary Fiction Character Names
Literary fiction names carry the heaviest symbolic weight. In a genre where every sentence is scrutinized for meaning, character names become another layer of the text—references, allusions, and quiet contradictions that reward attentive readers. For more on crafting distinctive names, see our unique character names for writers collection. The best literary names feel effortless on first reading but reveal hidden depths upon reflection, much like the characters themselves.
Literary Fiction Character Names
Literary fiction names prioritize resonance over flash. These names carry symbolic weight, cultural specificity, and the kind of quiet complexity that rewards close reading. Each is designed to feel like it belongs to a real person with a rich inner life—characters whose names become inseparable from their stories.
- 1
Callista Fenn
The Greek meaning "most beautiful" collides with an Old English surname suggesting marshland—a name that embodies the literary tension between surface elegance and murky depths. Perfect for a protagonist whose polished exterior conceals a complicated inner landscape
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August Lehane
A name that feels weighty and contemplative, like the late-summer month it invokes—warm but tinged with the knowledge that something is ending. The Irish surname adds a lyrical quality that suits a character processing grief, memory, or the slow unraveling of certainty
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Miriam Castellan
Biblical in its first name and fortress-like in its surname, this combination suggests a woman who has built walls around herself for good reason. Ideal for literary fiction exploring themes of faith, identity, and the courage required to let someone in
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Ezra Whitfield
A prophetic first name meaning "helper," paired with a surname suggesting blank pages or snow-covered fields—openness and potential. This name suits a writer, academic, or artist struggling with the gap between intention and creation
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Odette Navarro
The French elegance of "Odette" (meaning "wealth") meets the Spanish warmth of "Navarro," creating a bicultural identity that itself becomes a story. Perfect for a character navigating between two worlds, two languages, two versions of herself
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Judah Ashmore
A philosophy professor questioning everything he taught
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Sylvie Marchetti
An expatriate painter searching for meaning in Florence
- 8
Amos Birch
A quiet farmer whose life holds unexpected depth
- 9
Lena Ostrowski
A translator losing herself between languages
- 10
Felix Drummond
A hospice nurse confronting mortality and grace
- 11
Wren Gallagher
A small-town librarian unraveling a family mystery
- 12
Soren Hale
A reclusive architect rebuilding after personal loss
- 13
Maren Solberg
A Norwegian immigrant finding voice in a new country
- 14
Thea Castellano
A war correspondent writing her final dispatch
- 15
Eliot Sable
A bookshop owner whose past resurfaces in letters
Character Naming Quick-Reference Guide
Use this guide to match naming strategies to your genre and create characters whose names feel inevitable—as though no other name could possibly belong to them.
Name Sound & Rhythm
- Fantasy: Invented yet pronounceable, mythological echoes
- Romance: Attractive, 2-3 syllables, elegant flow
- Mystery: Authoritative, crisp, subtly suggestive
- Sci-Fi: Multicultural blends, streamlined, futuristic
Cultural & Thematic Fit
- Historical: Era-verified, class-appropriate, regionally accurate
- Literary: Symbolic, layered meaning, culturally specific
- All genres: Distinct first letters across your cast
- All genres: Read aloud for rhythm and memorability
How to Choose the Perfect Character Name for Your Book
Naming a character is one of the most important decisions a writer makes. The right name establishes tone, hints at personality, and anchors your reader in the world of your story. Follow these steps to find a name that resonates:
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Match the Name to Your Genre
Every genre carries naming expectations. Fantasy readers accept invented names like 'Elowen Nighthollow,' while literary fiction favors grounded names like 'August Lehane.' Romance names should feel attractive and memorable. Mystery names need authority. Study bestsellers in your genre to understand the naming landscape.
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Consider the Time Period and Setting
Historical fiction demands era-appropriate names—'Marguerite de Valois' fits 18th-century France, not modern New York. Sci-fi names can blend cultural origins with futuristic elements. Research naming trends from your story's era using census records, historical documents, and period literature.
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Let the Name Reveal Character
Great character names carry subtext. A detective named 'Lockwood' subtly suggests someone who unlocks mysteries. A romance hero named 'Thorne' hints at beauty with an edge. Consider what associations your reader will form before they learn anything else about the character.
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Test for Readability and Distinctiveness
Avoid giving multiple characters names starting with the same letter. Read names aloud—they should be easy to pronounce and distinct from one another. In a cast of characters, 'Maren,' 'Griffin,' and 'Celeste' are instantly distinguishable, while 'Cara,' 'Clara,' and 'Cora' will confuse readers.
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Use a Name Generator for Inspiration
When you're stuck, a name generator can break through creative blocks by offering combinations you'd never consider. Use our dragon name generator as a starting point for fantasy characters, then adapt the results to fit your story's unique world and tone.
Explore Related Name Generators
Start Naming Your Characters Today
Ready to find the perfect name for your next character? Our Name Generator offers unlimited creative combinations perfect for fantasy, sci-fi, and any genre that demands names with power and personality. Each generated name respects the naming conventions that make fictional characters feel real and memorable.
For more naming inspiration, explore our guide to elven names for fantasy characters, or check out our cyberpunk name ideas for futuristic settings.
