I was reviewing a novel recently and the protagonist’s name just didn’t sound right. Jordan – the character, to me anyway, wasn’t a Parker. It was more a Rachel. At least, I thought so. I had a difficult time writing the review and using the author’s chosen name of Parker.

Character names are more important than authors realize. If the author can’t convince the reader that a certain name fits, then perhaps the wrong name has been chosen for the character.

So, how do we find the right names – the name that really fits?

If I’m stumped for a name, I allocate a number or an alphabet letter to a character until I can insert a suitable name. Sometimes, I find, the plot needs to develop along with the characters before a suitable name pops into mind. If I’m determined to find a name with a specific meaning, I search online, scrolling through lists of baby names and their meanings to find one that suits them.

Trolling the internet, studying lists of popular baby names for the time frame of my character’s birth year is a good start to the name quest. As it learning what the name means. The novel I’m writing now demands names with historical and/or mythological meaning. At least, I think it does. One of the main male characters is Amell. It’s not a common name, but when I learned its meaning, I knew it was perfect for the character. Amell is a German name which means the power of an eagle. It’s a name suggesting a great power and that’s what I wanted for this character. Another male is named Gawain (Wane, which means mine, for short), best known as one of the knights of the Round Table, is a noble sort of character. For those who recall Arthurian legend, Sir Gawain was one of the knights who went on the quest for the Holy Grail. His name actually means white hawk. Overall suitable because it suggests a noble character, someone persistent and who doesn’t give up. I almost named this character, Lancelot (Lance for short), but I didn’t want the association with the romance between this knight of Arthur’s Round Table and Queen Guinevere. Besides, the name Lancelot means servant and that is definitely not the description I’d give this character in my novel.

For the female character, I chose the name Priya, a Sanskrit name which means beloved and/or beautiful. I fell in love with this name when teaching piano to a delightful young lady was indeed the embodiment of what her name meant.

You may have guessed that my novel is a fantasy, given the names. However, fantasy or any other genre of fiction requires considerable thought as to the choice of character names.

Start with a character letter or number until you find the right name. Search online sites that list baby names and the meaning of different names – there are a lot of these sites. Granted, there will be times when you already know the name that suits your character. And, if you’re writing historical fiction, your main characters obviously already have their given names. However, it is important to consider the options and the meanings of character names. It’s more than just pulling a name out of a hat and going with it. Give it some thought.