"What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet."
- Romeo and Juliet, (II, ii, 1-2)
Everyone knows that one. The point being made there, is that regardless of what it's called, the rose would still be a rose. Nothing changes that. Or, you could use this example from the delightful video game called Borderlands 2:
However, when it comes to characters for either works of literature, or roleplay, names are very fucking important. You can't be rolling around with a shitty name and expect people to take your character seriously.
Therefore, let's move to Things To Avoid When Naming Your Character.
Shit That Doesn't Match the Genre
If you're developing a character in, say, a modern setting, go root through the infinitesimal baby name sites abounding in the internet. You should find a good given name if you cruise through those. Surnames can be found in a similar way, like searching genealogy sites or phone books. Extra points if it sounds like a name you might run across in a newspaper, or as a coworker.
What you're keeping in mind is that during the 20th century, a lot of names have gone out of fashion. And numerous other names just sound fucking goofy. Would you really run across a person named Legolas while at Starbucks? And aside from Joaquin Phoenix's brief stint as Leaf, hippie names have gone the way of the dodo. Selecting a name that's that dated will only cause eye rolling and derisive snickers.
In the same vein, there are modern names that just will not work in fantasy settings. Biblical names, for one, have no precedence in the Tolkien world. There's not going to be a hobbit named Moses or Abraham, as Hebrew does not exist linguistically. There are just as many websites dedicated to elvish or Tolkien-esque names out there as there are for modern baby names. Research™!
Race Matters
Unless it's within your character's background that they were raised by a race not their own, there's no damn reason they should have another culture's name. I know it's chic nowadays to utilize certain names derived from foreign languages, but throwing some elvish name on a human child is just ridiculous. You wouldn't see an elvish child given a dwarven name, right? Klingons don't pick human names, and Asari stick to their own linguistic background, even though the "father" of the child is from a different race.
Tacky Fucking Clichés
Okay. All you jerkwaters that throw around Dante, or Jezebel, or Lilith, this is to you. These names have been overused to the point of them committing seppuku any time they're said aloud. Flower names are also right out. And Japanese names on Caucasians, go fuck yourself (unless you have a splendid reason for it.)
Bizarre fucking spellings won't cut it either. Lylith is just as annoying, and so are the hundred iterations of Cain. And don't you dare try to justify naming your character Sephiroth. And natural weather occurrences barely even work in Final Fantasy, don't try that shit anywhere else.
Characters given these weird names are often Mary Sues. In fact, these names are often dead giveaways for being able to tell if the character is a Sue, because originators who craft Sues are prone to trying for the "very unique" in names. What comes of it is something not at all unique, and more glaringly vapid. Beneath the veneer of the Jades and Jasmines and Cherrys of the RP world are two-dimensional chunks of boring with nothing enticing to speak of. And all the Chastitys and Charitys somehow wind up being strippers or dominatrices, or modest girls somehow turned into the bastions of all things feminine and over sexualized.
Stealing Copyrighted Names
Just no. There's only one Drizzt. One Aragorn. One Luke Skywalker. Taking a pre-existing character and making superficial adjustments to clear it of its origin source is just as wrong as people stealing artwork and photoshopping it to try and make it their own. People will always know, and they will fry you for it. Your best bet is leaving the name alone and trying harder to come up with something more original. But if you're truly dead set on naming yourself Alucard, don't expect the fangirls to be lining up to interact with you.
Shit You Should Keep In Mind
If you're having trouble coming up with a good name set it on the back burner and delve into the meat of the character. Sometimes it's helpful to think of his ethnic background, or her social standing during childhood. Were his parents religious? Was she raised by family, or orphaned? Are the parents of differing cultures, or how old were they? Could said parents have been influenced by the pop culture of their era as children? Were they traditional, or avant garde?
Some of the best character names through literary history are simple. They keep pretension out of the flavor entirely, and somehow create something memorable. Let's look at these examples.
- Clark Kent
- Peter Parker
- Bruce Wayne
- Scott Summers
- Oliver Twist
- John Constantine
- Jason Bourne
- Dominic Toretto
- Marilyn Monroe
- Dorian Grey
- Richard B. Riddick
- John Shepard
- Duncan MacLeod
- Tony Stark
- Tom Sawyer
- Steve Rogers
- Michael Meyers
- Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan
- Frank Castle
One thing you'll see is alliteration. The repetition of certain sounds is appealing to the English-intoned ear, so with certain names with alike sounds, it rolls off the tongue. Repeated consonants work best.
There's also nothing extraordinary about the names, if you look at them separately. There are tons of Steves. And Rogers isn't all that exciting. Together, it sounds like a perfectly average guy, who may work at a desk and have a collection of model classic cars. One wouldn't expect for him to be Captain America, right?
Even Bruce Wayne sounds terribly ordinary. It's a name that fits a canny business man who inherited more than a few silver spoons. It's iconic together now because of who it is in comics, but if Batman didn't exist, it'd be just another name.
And that's the point I'm trying to drive home. Perfectly ordinary names made exemplary because of the character behind it, not the name. The name is just the doorway, a selling point to get started and build off of. The character could be excellent, but if they're given a shit name, the whole flavor gets ruined.
Conversely, a character could have a decent name, but the concept is absolute trash. Edward Cullen, for example, is a good name. But when it got attached to a stalking, immortally-cold sparkling virgin, it was ruined for all time. Don't get me started on Bella. Just don't.
As it stands, gentle reader, before deciding on a name for your newest creation, keep these things in mind. If you're not sure about a name, ask a friend who doesn't roleplay how they feel about it. If they give it the thumbs-up, you're good. If they point out it's goofy, hit the drawing board again. Many fellow roleplayers can be somewhat lax about names, given their exposure to crazy names on a daily basis. But mundane people aren't so used to weird names, so their reactions are generally more on the spot. Don't be afraid to ask for constructive criticism. That's the only way to get better.
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