Naming your characters is of incredible significance when creating the idea for your next novel. Giving your character the "right" name can be a major building block in the creation of a realistic character. For instance, if you are writing an action novel, where the main protagonist is a rough and ready killing machine, do you think the name Giles Smith would be suitable? Would that name conjure up a tough muscular fighter or the bespectacled clerk in the bank? No offense to anyone called Giles Smith, but it's not a name that relates to an image of a relentless power.

Whenever you begin to build a new character, you ought to have a solid feeling of what values and beliefs he or she has. What characteristics and attributes do they have? You would not find a better inspiration for naming characters than taking an example from the characters in computer games because of their over the top nature. For example, if we take the game Final Fantasy, the characters are complex, varied and very three dimensional.

The lead character was named Cloud Strife. He was physically solid, yet mentally feeble with an agonizing nature. He had an entire entourage who battled alongside him against the fundamental enemy, Sephiroth. Sephiroth was a genetically modified fighter, whose name is based on the teachings of the Kabbalah. Sephiroth believes himself to be the son of an alien God, and therefore believes it is inevitable he is going to take over the world. The name is very cleverly chosen because in the Kabbalah there are ten Sephiroth, which are the attributes and concepts you must practice to reach your ultimate self-awareness. The same attributes are used in the game by the character to overthrow his opponents, and take over the world.

Obviously, all these character names are just fine if you were writing a science fiction novel, but would appear to be very odd in a more normal, everyday setting. If your female character is pretty and has a shy nature, then the name that comes into my mind is Kathryn Lincoln. Kathryn, for me, represents the same qualities, but this is down to my personal experience of girls with the same name. Lincoln comes from the dignified president Abraham Lincoln. Another important point to take into account is your character's ethnic background. If they come from Irish descent, then their surname should reflect that. Also, the time your novel is set in is another important factor. A name like Brad when you are writing a period novel is not really authentic to that time. So do your research into popular names from your chosen period.

Take care not to name your characters with the same first letter. You don’t want names to be too similar, such as Alan and Alana, as this is going to confuse the reader. The names have to be easy to pronounce, so they are easily understood by the reader. If you are still struggling, then check out popular baby names or do an internet search for character names using keywords for your character's personality, such as arrogant or feisty. You will be given a huge list to chose from.