Naming book characters can be challenging. This can be a stressful process because you want a memorable name for your character that matches their personality well without being too strange or too plain. If the name is too quirky or even hard to pronounce, it could make the reader uninterested in the book from the beginning. However, if a name’s too plain or boring, it won’t be a name that your readers will remember months or even years down the road. You can pinpoint some books with just the character’s name, and that’s what you should strive for. If you’re struggling to create a character’s name, we’ve got you covered! Below, we discuss top tips that you can use to create a memorable book character name.

Consider The Time Period/Genre Of Your Book

When creating a book character name, you’ll want to think about the genre of your book. If you’re writing a fantasy book, you’ll want a unique, exotic, and powerful name. You’ll want to use a modern name if you’re writing a contemporary romance book.

Take The Characters Age Into Consideration

There are names that may make a great adult name but just don’t necessarily make a great baby name. You’ll want to take into consideration the age of your character and give them a name that makes sense and is appropriate for them right now. 

Consider Pronunciations

Have you ever read a name and had absolutely no idea how to pronounce it? This can be difficult because it breaks your audience’s flow while reading and they may begin focusing more on the name than on the story. While you want the name to be unique and memorable, you don’t want your character’s name to take the attention away from the story. 

Read Baby Name Books

Reading a book full of baby names can help spark some inspiration. You may find a name that you love and maybe you just need to change up the spelling. A lot of baby name books will go in-depth about the history or meaning of the name. That should help you determine if that name is right for the character you’re creating and if it fits their personality. 

Ask For Feedback From Friends And Family

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends, family, and peers what they think of your potential book character names. You can give them a description of the book and give them a sneak peek into the character’s personality so they can get a better picture of the character. That will help them determine if the name is a good fit. Asking people around you will allow you to get their opinions and see if you’re on the right track with names.

Make Sure The Name Is A Good Fit

Your character’s name should fit them well. It should match their personality and compliment them well. For example, if they are a main character and considered a hero, their name needs to be strong. If you’re writing about a historical fiction character, think of elegant, classy, and traditional names. 

Pull Out Your Family Tree

If you want to add a personal touch to your book, you could grab inspiration from family names. You could always add a little bit of a spin to them and tweak the name a little to make it fit your character and their personality more. 

In Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right name for your characters is important. You want a name that stands out, is unforgettable, and is unique. However, you won’t want your character’s name to be too strange. This means you have to find the perfect balance. By using some of these tips, you’ll be able to pick a name that will fit your character and one that your readers will love. 

To complete your book characters and your book, you need a stunning book cover that ties everything together. Like choosing book character names, designing your own book cover can be overwhelming. There’s a lot that goes into it to ensure that it feels right. At Book Brush, we offer a Custom Cover Design Package where we’ll design a cover for you. You won’t have to worry about the stress that comes with designing your own cover. Our designer will create a cover that compliments your book well and makes your book stand out. With the right book names and cover, your book will be memorable.