Character Names: How to decide

[RedJ]

I am writing a VN but I can't seem to decide on a good name for my main characters.

When designing characters, what is your way of naming them? Do you just use 'some' name as long as you think sounds right, or is it important that there has to be a deeper meaning(i.e., pun, or relationship with the behaviour of the character) in it?

Also, do you think that it is important for normal(i.e., non-alien, non-mechanical, etc) characters in VN's to have japanese-sounding names?

[Auro-Cyanide]

Just pick something that sounds right and fits the context. Your parents didn't know what you were going to be like when they names you, right? Sometimes there may be a story associated with a name (someone was named for such and such a reason) but that isn't hugely important unless it relates to the story.

I do not recommend using Japanese anything unless the setting is Japanese or the characters are Japanese. There is no reason to.

[sciencewarrior]

Don't worry too much about names at first. You can always search-and-replace later. Also, as Auro said, don't worry about weaving deeper meaning, unless it is somehow plot-relevant. You can spend days choosing a name that will hint at some facet of the character, or foreshadow an important moment of the story, and never see anyone comment on that. Just pick something appropriate for the setting (i.e. no Akiras and Chiakis if your story is about New England pilgrims).

The only rule-of-thumb I try to follow is making the names distinctive: Jack, Melvin, Sue, Lorelei; instead of Martin, Melvin, Marge, Millie. It makes it easier on the reader to tell them apart at a glance.

[kaleidofish]

This thread may help you.

I just come up with a list of names, and then pick one that I like the most at the time. If it sticks, then it sticks. Deeper meanings can sometimes be coincidental. For one of the visual novels I'm working on, a few of the names had meanings that tied strongly with their role in the story. One of them didn't, but I wasn't going to actively hunt down names to make sure they *all* meant something important. In another visual novel I'm making (not posted in the forums yet), I just had one of my best friends help me with the names by asking her which names sound better from a list.

Japanese-sounding names...like what's already been said (and will be said to death) - it's not important unless your setting's Japanese, or it makes sense in context, like what's been mentioned in the posts above mine.

[Greeny]

What I do? Visit websites for baby names or such.
For example, when I was creating a female character from Romania I googled "romanian girl names".

[Endorphin]

There are two ways I normally use (or rather: I normally use way two but for special thingies also way one).

1: Make it fit the setting
This is what I would recommend you if you place the game in a real country/time.
Let's say it plays in Germany in 2009.
The main character is 16 years old.
2009 - 16 = 1993
Let's google a list which shows us the >most popular names in Germany 1993<.
This way you can show the backgrounds of somebody - are the parents someone who go with the trends? Or did they maybe choose a exotic/old name on purpose? Does the child suffer because of this or is it proud?
And it will fit perfectly into your setting.

2: Make it fit the character
My favorite site is >thinkbabynames<.
Whenever I'm troubled by finding names I go after the meaning, which is sometimes more obvious and sometimes less.
I also like using "contradicting" meanings - while the girl with the name >Alisa< may be depressed, her parents named her in the wish of her becoming happy.

But really, it all depends on your story, on your style, on your preferences.
I sometimes just hear a name and think "this is it" - the setting doesn't matter this moment (that's the reason while I always place the story in a fictional place), neither does the meaning.
YOU must like the name, you'll have to write it over and over, you'll refer your precious character like that.

The only thing I wouldn't advise you is to switch the name completely at some place - it'll be hard to get used to it.
(But possible, of course.)
The reason for this is that after a time this name just is this character.
(But I guess this differs from human to human - some people might be less emotionally attached to names.)

The only rule-of-thumb I try to follow is making the names distinctive[...]

That's also totally important.
I normally fail at it, but that's a great advice!

- R.

[ffs_jay]

I like to give characters meaningful names, and there's all kinds of ways to do that. You can check baby name sites for name meanings, as well as just going by the implied reference in the sound of the name, or even go for a bilingual bonus and use foreign words. As a simple example, the lead girl in my current story is a Siren called Harmony, which implies music, but her friends call her Harm, which implies danger. Another one would be a recurring character I like to use, a field medic with a sketchy past called Vic Fleischer. The 'Vic' being a nod to Victor Frankenstein (as well as the full form, 'Victor', kind of implying the character's tendency to come out on top), and Fleischer being the German for butcher. Hardly subtle, but it's fun.

Character names are something I like to spend a lot of time on, as they can imply facets of characters to the reader almost instantly without having to spell it out for them. So my characters have a habit of changing names until almost the last minute.

[Applegate]

I give them names based on what I like. In "Nice Day", Davis Brooks refers to Davis from Digimon and Brooks as in the cycle bag brand. I know, I'm a horrible hackjob. Go with your first impulse, though. My mum always claims that however you name someone shapes their personality, so if you're hot into that some research is required. Otherwise, no one'll care if your character is named Chris or Alan.

[Gambit74]

I always see people name their characters based on meanings and/or their personalities. I tend to find the latter to be very unrealistic because as Auro-Cyanide pointed out, your parents will never know how you'll turn out to be when you grow up. Though the former actually happens in real life, it is a lot less common (At least in my case) than parents naming you simply after someone they like or a fictional character they like.

The way I approach the naming of characters is that I give them a real first name based on the time period that the story takes place in and then giving them an uncommon or unique (but still real) surname to make the names feel more original while still being actual names. Examples of my character names are:

Oliver Maxwell
Angelica Cunningham
Lance Taylor
Natalie Rose
Nathan Weaver
Olivia Sterling

[Tsundere Lightning]

I try to pick meaningful names and nicknames - go to a babynames site and so forth: Behind The Name is great for this - but not stress if I can't. Or ret-con the significance in later: a lot of the Isaac's I've made retroactively have parents that leave them in the lurch.

[CheeryMoya]

Step 1: Go to Google
Step 2: Enter in a search term for names (eg. Japanese names for girls, German names for boys, etc.)
Step 3: Go through the list and see if there's something I like
Step 4: Compile a list of possible names
Step 5: Select a name from that new list
Rinse and repeat for a surname.

Alternatively, you can go the route where you shout random names out until you find something you like. That's how most of my characters were named :3 Usually I don't name my characters until they have a basic personality down, then I choose a name that I think suits them. I rarely base a character off a name. Occasionally I'll look for a meaningful name, but most times I choose something I think has a good ring to it. In the case where I do select random names, sometimes I find that the meaning relates to the character in some way. Coincidence? Nah, because everything is symbolic.

[saguaro]

I usually pick a simple name as a placeholder in the beginning. Then, as I get more of the story written, I may change the names to better suit the character. There's nothing wrong with name research, and if you wait until the story has matured you won't have to research as much, but there's nothing wrong with having a character named Joe, either.

But like sciencewarrior said, I always try to make the names distinctive, even the placeholder names. I don't like to have multiple names that start with the same, or the same few, letters.

[nyaatrap]

I first define initials. she is "A**", she is "N**" e.t.c. Then assign sounds, finally choose the one to fit her personally.

[LVUER]

Since many people already post some good answers, I only want to add that you shouldn't be afraid to use popular over-used name (unless you're super sure that your game would be super epic and super popular that you probably want to have a unique name). How many games/anime have protagonist named Riku, Sora, or Sagara? Or James, or Snake?

[Greeny]

One thing I always do after deciding on my characters full name is google it to make sure there's nobody important who already has that name.