WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Iconic names can be found everywhere. Names like Harry Potter and Jon Snow were surely on birth certificates before Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and A Game of Thrones was published. Harry Potter is just a normal boy, far from likely to be any sort of “chosen one.” The simple names are meant to humanize the protagonists to be more relatable to the reader.
How do we find a name that sticks, both for the writer and the reader? Our rule of thumb is that, above all else, the name should sound like it could actually exist. The name "Eugor" was created simply by taking the word rogue and reversing it. When Rachel played her first D&D campaign, she was assigned a rogue and told to name him. When Jarod was asked, at the age of 10, to create a character for the book; he took his name and combined it with the world "wizard" to create Jarz.
A great way to come up with the perfect name is to scour FantasyNameGenerators.com. It’s a fantastic resource. They have pop culture-inspired names, as well as real names, that you can fuss around with and mash-up as you see fit. If you’re going for something that’s vaguely Eastern European, pick a generator and tweak some letters around until you’ve got a name you’re happy with.
In short: fantasy names are hard. It’s even harder to come up with original names. But it’s worth it. The goal is to make your character stand out, and a great name is a great start. What names would you choose for a character?
If you would like to see all the names of our characters, you can visit our website and purchase copies of book 1 & book 2.
On behalf of Rachel and myself, We thank you for joining our adventure. Until next time, fare thee well, friends.
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