The Last Bastion

I'm just curious to see how people create names for their characters.

They're usually common names, but if I decide to go fantasy I'll either appropriate something foreign or mess around with a dictionary word.

Nice idea for a poll. I'm not really sure how I choose mine, but I almost never stick with a completely common name. Brian Smithson in the Darkest Day thread was... a significant exception. See also: Rolan in the Poison of Nightmares thread, Serran as my most commonly-used character, Rae-Ann and Ten'Sarch in the Contagion...

I tend to make my names either by mixing/hybridizing existing names (whatever pops into my head). Rolan, for instance, came directly from Roland, and I removed the D to make it sound 'normal but not common.' I think it worked quite well.
Sometimes, if I can, I try to make the name sound like it comes from the culture/language the character is immersed in, but that's not something that happens often, since usually when I first create the character, culture isn't defined yet and there is no language other than 'english.'

I ask Peter, throw some random sounds at him, and then pick one of the random sounds he throws back at me.

As for myself, I have alot of different methods.

I sometimes make up random names(I.E. Nio). Other times, I just use real name (I.E. Amy) or mess around with real names to make other names (I.E. Jerem, coming from Jeremiah). Other times I use words from other languages to make names (I.E. Salen which means "they leave," or Traen which means "they bring.") In rare cases, I take the names of different animal (real or otherwise) and mess them around to make yet more names (I can't think of an example off the top of my head). Hm... I think that's it. I have lots of methods, though. XD

Oh... yeah, there is another method I forgot to mention. I've created my own language used for casting, and I use them as names (I.E. Sysh). Then again, this is also rare because if ever do make a name like this, the name always has something to do with the storyline of the character with that name.

/poll 'cause I do several

I USUALLY make up names on the spot (Such as Vint, Ravi, and Phyron), or use less-common real name (like Tristen), or use names from other characters or something I've seen somewhere, mixing up said names, switching around letters, looking at typos and determining that it would be an awesome name (how I got Cirbé, actually), etc.

I usually type something into a translator (Shiroyuki means "White Snow") or take something else and put it backwards (Tatsel is "Lestat" spelled backwards).

Argh. The Japanese names grate on my nerves D=
I have nothing against the Japanese culture or language, I simply find that I'm immediately turned off by a character with a blatantly Japanese name. >_<

magikchicken wrote:Argh. The Japanese names grate on my nerves D=
I have nothing against the Japanese culture or language, I simply find that I'm immediately turned off by a character with a blatantly Japanese name. >_<

If the character's Japanese or a weabo I don't mind, but otherwise it can be a bit annoying.

Of course a character being named ANYTHING that wouldn't make sense for them annoys me, so yeah.

Also Shakespeare. Shakespeare is good for names.

Composition of Scientific Words book (Greek/Latin dictionary) = Friend.

Writers Digest Character Naming Sourcebook = Friend.

Or if I feel too lazy to browse and no regular names or adjustable names come to mind, I randomly type... qroitulnvoafhtag;alkhfgkf

Then delete, keeping my characters demeanor/origin (let's say... barbarian royalty) in mind... roitulalkh

Then shuffle, refine, delete, and add. "Rotulkah"

Don't know if I'd use that one, but it's an adequate example. *shrugs*

A very long time ago, your name gave me the inspiration to name characters after nasty plants. :3