I was just wondering if anybody had some method or source they use for making character names for their fics. I am having an extremely difficult time finding a name for an original character that fits into the HP universe. I have a complete backstory for him (it's a male) yet for the life of me can't make a bloody name up.

I'm very reluctant to reveal too much on his backstory and character as it's integral to the plot. Though I will say it's a male aged 45-50. His name is not of vital importance, I just need something that doesn't sound out of place in the HP universe.

 

hmmm, he sounds like a Steve to me.

 

The four methods I use:

1) General names, existing name - Go to http://www.behindthename.com/. Over there you can type in a term describing your character or simply browse the database and find some cool name. The downside is unoriginality, but it's still the BEST way to find a name quickly and painlessly.

2) General names, by association - Say english word that describes the character and then mix/shuffle the letters a bit to get the name

3) Names of snakes, historical figures, weird names - open latin dictionary, type in the term that best describes your character and then skew latin term to get the name (I used this for a Malfoy, I think).

4) Foreign names - open encyclopedia (Wikipedia, Britanica...), open the target country's history, find two not so important historical figures and then create the name by taking a forname from one and surname from the other guy (I've had a hard time figuring a Japanese female name).

Hope this helps.

 

20,000 names website or a phonebook....

 

Vash's site is very good, have a LOT of names.

Unfortunately, it misses detailed descriptions and better search engine to gothrough them...

http://www.20000-names.com/index.htm

 

internet, if im stuck the names websites are great. but then you get heaps you like and want for just one specific character. thats hard.

 

http://www.babynamesworld.com/

Edit: Oops...didn't notice the posting dates... Sorry bout contributing to long dead topic.

 

Just make sure the name doesn't stick out like a thorn. It needs to blend in with the rest of the story or everytime the name is brought up, the reader will stumble on it and so you'll spoil the fluidity of the story. E.g. Tolkein naming a character "Bob."

 

^
^
^ Er...tom bombadil always stuck out

 

But he's got a Tolkein-esque surname so that's excusable. Plus he was always seemed to be called by 'Tom Bombadil' rather than Tom.

 

On the general topic, I sometimes try to use names that already exist in the HP world. Fenwick and Smethwyk are such examples. On that note, I've found that my character Williamson, whom I've deemed an ex-Auror, exists in canon as an Auror. *grumbles about rampant plagarism of JKR*

€dit: Now that you mention it, I didn't notice it had been bumped... must've been some stupid muggle...

 

wow... I never thought I'd see this topic again, not after six months in the bowels of the site.

I've starting using names that are relevant to the country of birth of the character I am making. In my new story Harry travels a bit and meets some people along the way, so those characters are given names relevant to their country, some form of historical name most of the time.

 

I use random names that are creative, like for example Soren. It may not be Brit, but it will most likely fit the OC as long as the OC isnt British.

If the OC is British, I'll just pick out an english name, with a creative last name.

 

I look at CDs...No clue how that works for me, but I've gotten a couple of my OCs' names from looking at my CD collection. Course, I wasn't really concerned about the nationality of the names (except Boris ), I just figured that as long as I didn't name some Brit Abdul-Harim, for example, that I was doing okay.

 

I find a good way to get names is to go to the "Who's who?" section of the HP lexicon and mix and match the names. They have quite a few.