Character Name Generator

Avoid similar sounds. If your main characters are named Mark, Marc, and Mike, readers will constantly lose track. Vary first initials.

Match genre conventions. Fantasy readers expect Tolkienesque names. Literary fiction favors mundane names. Genre signals to readers through naming.

Name meaning matters. Many writers choose names whose meanings reflect character traits — even if readers never know it, you will, and it shapes how you write them.

Test pronounceability. Say the name out loud. If readers stumble over it every time, they'll mentally skip it and lose connection to the character.

Minor characters need simple names. Save the memorable/unusual names for your main cast. Supporting characters should be instantly forgettable or memorable by function, not sound.