Need Help Naming Your Characters? Try Some Of These Websites

If you're not the type of writer who chooses the names of their villain by the people in your life who have wronged you - you're missing an opportunity.

Finding a name for your character can have you search things high and low, writing down one name only to cross it out later when you find one that suits them better. 

If you're having trouble finding one that you think is just right for the characters in your novel try using one of these free websites to put a name to the faces in your head. 

Fantasy Name Generators

When I'm naming a new character and I have no idea where I'm going to start to find the right name for them I immediately go to this site. 

You can choose to have it generate fantasy and folklore names as well as real names for your characters and if there is a certain work you have been inspired by you can have it generate names that fit into that vibe as well. 

Not only does this site generate names, but locations, descriptions, and even story ideas if you're stuck on what to write. 

HiveWord 

If you want a no-nonsense, no additional-steps name generator this one is going to be the one for you. 

All you have to select is if you want a *masculine or feminine name* and click generate. (It doesn't seem to matter which you choose though as in my selection of male names it was giving me suggestions such as Joan, Jessica, and Lacey.) 

The site will give you a list of 20 names and you can continue to keep clicking the generate button until something sticks out at you. 

Behind The Name

This site is definitely an interesting one if you need to create characters as well as name them. 

They have a section on their site for random generations and as well as giving you the option to choose what type of name you would like from African to Zulu as well as choices from Mythological, Goth, Fantasy, and Ancient, you can also choose if you would like this generator to generate a life story for these characters. 

This generator gives you their gender, nationality, location, how old they are, their date of birth, height, weight, whether they are left-handed or right-handed, their blood type, and their future outlook. 

My generated character Aeorse Murray is going to die October 17th, 2062 at 6:35 am at the age of 90 due to an unspecified illness. 

Reedsy

Reedsy's site is one of those where it has a bit of everything for writers and a name generator is something that they are lacking in.

While yes they have one and you can choose to generate names based on their language, their religious affiliations, and what archetype they fit into. It can be a good resource, but if you want a "normal" name for your character this site isn't going to be the one for you.

However, if you are looking for names such as Clotilda, Mannleah, or Manfrid, then this site might be the one for you.

Any Baby Name Site 

I'll be honest about sites like this upfront - while the names given can be searched by region, nationality, and many other things. 

The ads on every site I looked at to find an example to give you drove me up the wall. 

There wasn't a single site that I scrolled through that didn't have a screen-wide popup ad every few minutes or every time I loaded a new page. 

These sites can be a wonderful resource if you don't mind the frustration of large ads taking over the whole screen with very tiny nearly unclickable X's in the corners. 

This isn't to say the other sites don't have any ads, they did. Their ads however were on the sides of the pages and didn't force me to interact with them or get in the way of my scrolling. 

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There are hundreds of name generators out there and while these are a few that have been recommended, to an extent, picking your character's name is something personal that only you can do. 

Sure you can use these sites to help give you the inspiration you need to know what names you don't want, but they can also help nudge you in the direction of finding the one that you do. 

Best of luck, 

With love, 

B. xo xo

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This story was originally posted on Medium.

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