Dozens of Ways for Writers to Create Catchy Character Names

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How to Create Memorable Character Names

Distinctive character names abound in literature, audio-visual media, and music. From Wil E. Coyote to Ebenezer Scrooge, Popeye to Sherlock Holmes, Dirk Diggler to Hot Lips Houlihan, writers worldwide have provided us with character monikers that will be remembered for centuries.

This post provides a few ideas to help you do the same by leveraging all the resources available to you — including dictionaries, thesauruses, foreign language resources, and brainstorming sessions with your muse.

Could You Mold Any of the Following and Make It Your Own?

Alien pilot: Acerix Celestrix, Flyzim UfoKraft

  • An ace is a person who excels at an activity, and the word is often used in reference to an excellent pilot; celestial relates to objects or entities in the sky or outer space.
  • Flyzim UfoKraft should be self-explanatory.

Avid hiker or walker: Cayne Walker, Bulla March

  • Cayne is a transformation of cane, which can also refer to a staff or spear; a walker is a person who walks.
  • A bulla is a large blister and might suit a bullish or bullying character; what more appropriate for a hiker than March?

Baker: Baxter Bakker, Filo (Philo, Phil) Danish

  • Baxter refers to a baker, and it could be shortened to Bax; Bakker is a common Dutch surname equivalent to the English word baker.
  • If you’re a pastry connoisseur, you’ll understand where Filo originated; ditto for Danish.

Career burglar: Sly Guilo, Pilf Brigand

  • Sly refers to a devious or underhanded individual and guile (Guilo) to a person filled with deceit and treachery.
  • Pilf is a shortened version of pilferer; a brigand is a thug or thief.

Disreputable car mechanic: Grub Slick, Buster Scheister

  • Grub could refer to maggots or grubbiness and slick to a greasy or untrustworthy individual.
  • Buster denotes a tough guy; a shyster (Scheister) is an unscrupulous individual.

Elementary school teacher: Kay Kinder, Prim Demure (stereotypical character, perhaps for a Victorian-era novel)

  • Kay represents a pure keeper of the keys; kinder is recognized worldwide as referring to children.
  • Prim could hint at a prude or a prig; demure implies modesty and decorum.

Entomologist: Arthur Podd, Professor B. U. G. Schmetterling

  • Arthur Podd takes liberties with the spelling of arthropod.
  • U. G. — If you don’t understand, look again; Schmetterling is the German name for a butterfly.

Famous Writer: Scribbles Penman, W. I. P. Hack

  • Scribbles Penman shouldn’t need an explanation.
  • Ditto for I. P. Hack.

Fisher: Fibster Fischer, Rod Angler

  • Fishers are notorious for telling fibs about the size or volume of their catches, thus Fibster; Fischer is a name derived from the fishing profession.
  • Those who fish use rods; angler refers to a person who fishes.

Lousy singer with voluminous hair: Tressy Tonedef, Harry Curle

  • Tressy is an archaic word that implies an abounding mane of hair; tone-deaf = Tonedef.
  • Harry is a repurposing of hairy, and Curle, a real surname, is a repurposing of curl.

Mobster: Bull E. Punk, Guy Tuff

  • Bully Punk = Bull E. Punk
  • Tough Guy = Guy Tuff

Nurse: Foster Minder, Aidan Banaltra

  • To foster is to nurture; to mind is to care for or tend.
  • Aidan implies honor and serenity in Latin, and is also an adaptation of aid; banaltra refers to a nurse in Gaelic.

Serial killer: Lynch Garrote, Rip Slaughter

  • To lynch is to murder or kill; to garrote is to strangle or throttle.
  • To rip is to cleave or tear; to slaughter is to butcher or massacre.

Sex maniac: Nan Nimfo, Randy Rutter

  • Nan refers to a daring, adventurous person; Nimfo is a misspelling of nympho.
  • A randy person is lascivious and lewd; to rut is to engage in promiscuous sexual activity.

Timid store clerk: Chary Chequer, Hilla la Clerque

  • Chary means apprehensive or suspicious; chequer is the British spelling for checker: a cashier in a supermarket
  • Hilla is an Indian name denoting timidity; la Clerque incorporates a misspelling of clerk.

Weightlifter: Bron Sinyew, Heff T. Stout

  • Brawn Sinew = Bron Sinyew
  • Hefty Stout = Heff T. Stout
Find thousands of writing tips and word lists in
The Writer’s Lexicon series
and additional resources on my Facebook page.
–

Avoid These Pitfalls

Read the following paragraphs and decide what’s wrong with them.

Szythzsral aimed his sound blaster at Szyzerin. “Capitulate or die.”

Szyzerin hit the ground at a run, scrunched herself into a ball, and rolled behind a rock. “My crew will transport me out of here before you have a chance to fire.”

Szythzral’s fingers tensed on the trigger just as Szythrthos and Szythrunta grabbed his arms, one crew member on each side.

He dropped his weapon.

Were you able to pronounce any of the names? If this type of writing continued for several pages, would you be able to remember who is who?

Takeaways:

  • Develop pronounceable names.
  • Avoid similar names such as Weston and Wesley or Brenda and Breanna.

Internet Resources

The following resources will help you in your creative journey. (Each link opens in a new tab.)

Character Name Generators

Other Languages

More Internet Resources

Find thousands of writing tips and word lists in
The Writer’s Lexicon series
and additional resources on my Facebook page.
–

Discover more from KathySteinemann.com: Free Resources for Writers

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12 thoughts on “Dozens of Ways for Writers to Create Catchy Character Names”

  1. I’m one of those people who leaves underscores in place of character names until I figure them out. I’ll go a whole book referring to a major character as __, placing him in conversation with the likes of _ and ____. (if this makes you cringe, please know that I’m cringing as well)

    These are some great actionable resources to minimize my underscoring. Thanks, ___! (re: Kathy)

  2. I spent an entertaining hour on zoom with my nine-year-old grandson brainstorming names. By the end he had created a whole hockey team. Here are just a few:
    Spen Dinghol Iday
    Think Hest Heking
    Evan B. Etter
    Thank you Kathy, I enjoy your inspiring tips.
    Jean

  4. Love your catchy character names! Thank you.

    That was great fun – I could hear myself saying the names while smiling.

    Such a good idea – the names not only describe but readily attach themselves to the character and their profession.

    Inspirational. Thank you, Kathy

  5. Perfect timing. Thanks to you, my monster will soon have a name and stop bugging me: “Name me, name me. I want a name and I want it now you jerk!”

    When he gets his name, I’ll let him who’s responsible. Don’t wait for a thankyou. He’s not the type. Lol.

  6. The similar names thing is something I try to avoid. I read a book where all the royalty had names began with the same prefix. In the end I gave up with it. I even try not to have names beginning with the same letter.
    I’m not a great fan of names such as those you suggest, except in comedy, but they are great for such works.
    The resources you suggest are great. Thank you.

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