This week's post is going to be a bit short. Something that a lot of people struggle with is naming their characters, towns, countries, etc. So how do authors come up with all those names?
1. Meaning is important.
A lot of names are chosen for their meanings. Baby name sites are great places to look, but my favorite is behindthename.com.
It allows you to search for names that you already like, or to search by country/area of origin. It also offers additional spellings and other translations of names.
2. Some names just sound cool.
Another place I like to source names is fantasynamegenerator.com.
They have their names listed in many different ways, including "real names", elf names, tribe names, as many different names as you can think of! Meanings and additional spellings are not included, but it's a great place to start if you need some ideas.
3. Use names you like.
If coming up with exotic names or giving characters names that are difficult to pronounce aren't your thing, just go with names you like. There's nothing wrong with Abigail or Joseph.
Remember that names can come from anywhere. You can use names from the Bible, Greek mythology, your favorite baby names, colors, whatever you want! Names are only limited by what you can imagine!
What are some of your favorite names?