How to Choose a Name for Your Fictional Character

Choosing a character name for your novel can be as challenging as picking a name for your first child. Okay, perhaps not that difficult, but it is essential that you choose the correct names for your characters.

Several years ago, I was working on a manuscript about overcoming the struggles and setbacks one incurs in life. For my main character, it seemed that every time something good happened to her, something devasting would occur, pushing her backward in her pursuit of happiness and success.

The book was to be titled "Going Through Life Backwards." My main character screamed for a name that was a palindrome, a name spelled the same backward and forward. How apropos that my main character's name was Hannah. Hannah was able to go through life forward and backward.

A bit corny, perhaps? So, let me cut to the chase and give you some essential tips to consider while choosing your character names. 

1.      Do Your Research.

Check the Root Meaning. Your readers may have a child with the same name and may know the root meaning, which may not coincide with your character's demeanor. Also, don't overdo it when trying to get your point across. Perhaps you want your main character to be a large, victorious detective? Calling him Max Supreme may be overkill. 

Check the Era of the Name. Max is a Scottish-derived name and might not work well for an Irish detective in the 19th century. Or, perhaps it became more popular in Ireland during the 19th century? You will have to do your research.

Is There Anyone with the Same Name? Again, do your research and make sure that no one, past or present, has a similar name that would align someone who actually exists with your fictitious serial killer. That's not nice. You might notice that in most crime fiction, the murderer rarely has a middle name or initial. Why? Because the more you explicate the name, the more likely there's a real person out there with it.

2.      Say the Name Out Loud. Some names are simply too complicated to pronounce and don't roll off the tongue. How often have you read a book and don't say a character's name when reading? You skim over it because you are unsure how to pronounce it. Let your names roll. They will be more memorable. Also, your book could become an audiobook.

3.      When appropriate, and if you are trying to bring special attention to a character, repeat identical initial consonant sounds in successive or closely associated syllables within a group of words, even those spelled differently. Alliteration is also called head rhyme or initial rhyme as a method of linking words for effect. For example, "humble house" or "potential power play." A familiar example is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." Or, a character in the current manuscript I am writing, Chatty Cathy.

Your turn: Comment below. What character names have you used, and why have you used them? Also, feel free to give me your favorite alliteration.