From @JAyala14
I know this is a book on writing fanfics but can you do a chapter on coming up with good character names? It would really help.
I think a lot of writers struggle with this because they want something unique, however, it really isn't something to stress over. Truthfully, some of the world's most popular novels have very simple character names. Do you want to know why? Because what makes your story good isn't the name of the character, it's the story you tell.
Technically, I wouldn't be answering your question if I left it at that, so I'll give you some tips and tricks that I use. Something that is very important to me, as a reader and a writer, is the reliability of a story. If you're writing a story that is set in the 1800's and your main character's name is Kaylee Brook, something is wrong. Kaylee wasn't a popular name until the 2000's, therefore, your story is unrealistic. You should've chosen a name such as Elizabeth, Rose, Laura, etc. I'm aware that your story probably isn't set in the 1800's but this was just an example to show the importance of realism.
Taking that into consideration, I'll tell you the process I use. Before I even think of character names, I know my plot, title, and theme. The character's name is always the last thing I decide upon before I start writing my draft. In order to do this, I already have their personality and general age noted. I take their age and subtract it from the year the story is set in. The year I get would be their birth year. I then open Google and search: Popular Names of ____
I tend to use the U.S. Social Security website since it is the most reliable and scroll through the top 100 names. (You can find this in the external link) You can use their website to even search the most popular names in a certain state during that time period. I tend to read each of them aloud and then pick my top five. I'll add them one at a time into my summary and pick the one that I like the best.
I know this isn't a very long chapter, but in all seriousness, character names really aren't something you need to spend hours on. Remember, it's not the name, it's the story.
I sincerely hope I have helped you in some way. If anyone has other questions that I haven't answered yet, feel free to ask them below. ❤
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