Five Tricks for Naming in Fiction
Character names, nicknames, place names, and pen names — whichever you need.
I don’t know about you, but for me naming is always the hard part when I’m working on a new story. There are a few names I genuinely like, and I end up recycling them over and over. If I try to come up with new names, they always feel unreliable and weird to pronounce, and I end up spending crucial time trying to make names up. Time I don’t necessarily have. That’s why I came up with a few tricks that help me find memorable and meaningful names in a short time. If you need to come up with a name — any name — and struggle to do so, these tricks may come in handy.
Name Blending
I used this trick back when I was working on my first book and decided to publish it under a pseudonym. I wanted to maintain a part of my name without making it obvious, and at the same time, create something unique. I took my first name — Noa — and combined it with a favorite name of mine — Emily.
The result: Nemily. As far as I know, it’s not a real name which gives it mystery and freshness. Not to mention, it still holds a part of me, like a fingerprint on glass. It stands out, and is impossible to mistake it for someone else’s.
If you struggle to come up with names, try combining two existing ones. They may be names with a sentimental value, like ones of loved ones, or names you especially love. Whichever ones you choose, keep it short and memorable.
Wordplay
After coming up with Nemily, I had to think of a last name. That was when I decided to add another part of myself and use my initials, so the final result was Nemily Bell.
Even though I didn’t use this pseudonym, it opened a door to the realm of wordplay. Whether it is acronyms, anagrams, or palindromes, wordplays add wit and mystery. More importantly, wordplays are clues hidden in plain sight, which is why they are prevalent in literature:
- Anagram: Tom Marvolo Riddle — I am Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter).
- Anagram: Oh, lame saint — The Mona Lisa (The Da Vinci Code).
- Palindrome: MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood
These are only a few examples of wordplay in famous books. If you want a unique, clever name that spice things up — no matter what type of name it is — try using wordplay. Not only does it add layers to your novel, it’s fun to create, and even funnier to solve for the readers.
Meaning
Like parents who think of their unborn child, you want the characters in your story to have names with powerful meanings. It’s not enough if a character name is to your liking. A name that fits a character perfectly is one that also conveys a message to the readers.
Like Andrew means “manly” or “brave”, Fred means “peace ruler”, or Chloe means “blooming”, many names are rooted from ancient words and therefore have a hidden meaning. A quick search can reveal the layers behind each name out there, especially if it’s a rare one.
If we’re talking about nicknames for a character, having meaning is an opportunity. Nicknames for characters can show us how the people surrounding them see them. A nickname can point to an emotion a character raises in others, like admiration or contempt. Nicknames can also point to a special bond between two characters or to a private experience the two share, no matter what kind of relationship they have. If you want your character to have another layer, a meaningful name is a wonderful way to achieve that.
Background
Besides meaning, a name can tell us a lot about the roots of a character. Did you know there are trends in naming? Some names are more popular than others throughout a specific period of time. Some names are more commonly used in certain cultures or genres.
If we want to send a clear message to the readers with only a character name, we should look at his background. The place he was born in, the culture and time he was raised in. Most common names have variations depending on the culture. For example, the name Christopher originated in Greek, but has more than five variations depending on the country. Playing with these variations based on the character’s background is where the fun begins.
Prefixes and Suffixes
We may not pay attention to it much because it has become inherent in the language, but many words in English contain word parts. Like “submarine” and “transportation”, many everyday words were created with the use of prefixes and suffixes when technology developed. Though it may be more relevant to place or object names, this trick can also be used for character names.
A prefix is a word part that is added at the beginning of the word, while a suffix is a word part that is added at the end. Each prefix and suffix has a meaning, which gives us the writers two benefits from using them.
First, making words up is easier when using prefixes and suffixes. All you have to do is cast letters into a mold. From there, the possibilities of creating a new name are endless.
Second, using prefixes and suffixes in new words would also make them sound more realistic and therefore more reliable. Like I mentioned earlier, many words we use in everyday life are relatively new in English. If they were nonexistent decades or even mere years ago and now feel natural, there is no reason your made up name would feel any different. And the best part? They would be simpler to pronounce only by belonging to the same prefix/ suffix family.
The Bottom Line
Naming can be a challenging, sometimes frustrating task. You try different names out, roll them on your tongue, say them out loud, and yet nothing feels right. If you have to come up with several unique names throughout your story, it can turn tedious.
That’s why we have to use simple yet effective tricks that will make naming not only easier, but more enjoyable too. These five tricks I mentioned help me in every story I write. Since then, my names sound realistic and unique while helping me convey a message to the reader in a subtle way. At the end of the day, naming can be a means to an end, or the end itself. It’s up to you.
