Names for character- research

 What names could symbolize in our film

Our film is a murder-mystery so as the director I wanted to choose names that match the characters personality. Unfortunately, this is just a film opening so we won't be able to see their true personality yet but their names can play a huge role into what people think of that character. So first I wanted to research what not to do when choosing names to be able to avoid horrid names and pick nice ones for the characters in the film.

How to create STRONG character names | Writers Start Here

How are names important?

Character names are crucial because readers encounter them repeatedly, shaping their perception of the characters and story world. Also, poorly chosen names can break immersion or create unintended humor.

Different genres have distinct challenges in naming:

• Fantasy and science fiction often struggle with hard-to-pronounce or overly complex names.
• Thrillers and romance sometimes use overly generic or stereotypical names.

Our film has some thriller aspects so generic names may be the best picks as stereotypical names can cause issues.

What to avoid

• Totally flat or generic: Names that feel interchangeable and lack personality (e.g., common thriller names like Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne).
• “On the nose” names: Names that are too literal or symbolic, which can feel forced (e.g., Peta from The Hunger Games representing a baker).
• Uniquely bad spelling: Altering familiar names with unnecessary changes just to appear unique (e.g., “Mallerie” instead of “Mallory”).

Common issues when choosing names

• Flat/Generic Names: Overused, interchangeable names lacking distinction. For example: Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne. These names commonly cause reader disengagement due to lack of uniqueness
• On-the-Nose Names: Names that overtly reflect character traits or professions. For example: Peta (baker), Steel (blacksmith’s son). These names cause reader distraction or loss of immersion
• Forced Spelling Variations: Changing known names to be “unique” but awkward or confusing. For example: Mallerie, Jaxon. This often feels artificial and breaks the flow while watching the film (also can cause audience to forget the name)

Practical Character Naming 

• Identify core traits or themes of your character (e.g., stoicism, calmness).
• Use translations or synonyms in other languages for inspiration.
• Search cultural or historical name databases relevant to your character’s background.
• Check for potential conflicts or famous associations via online search.
• Consider nicknames for storytelling dynamics and character relationships.
• Adjust as needed to balance uniqueness, watchablility, and thematic appropriateness.

What are my takeaways?

Names are very important when identifying characters and to avoid issues its good to use names common for those genres. However, do not pick names that are to common as it can cause the audience to immediately know what type of character that person will be like/ what their role would be. It's best to use common but not stereotypical names for that genre. So with this knowledge in my next blog post I will be able to accurately pinpoint names that I will be using for the characters in our film!