Character Name Generator

The last random name creator you’ll need

Use our free random character name generator and generate names to kickstart your next creative writing project. We’ve taken the 1.000 most popular male and female names — first and last — added hundreds of beloved middle names, and squeezed them all into our random name creator. Generate a million possible character names for either gender, or boost that up to over a hundred million by adding middle names.

Number of character name options

To use the character name generator, simply generate random names by clicking on the big button. Configure gender and middle name settings as you see fit, and you’re good to go. Have fun!

Why should I use a character name generator?

Simple. Even with a strong idea about a character’s personality, you may be hard-pressed for names. Therefore, use a name generator to:

• Find names you never thought of
• Create a shortlist with possible candidates
• Mix and match first and last name combinations

Let it serve as inspiration, and use a name if it truly creates that eureka moment for you. Read on to find out more about why choosing the right name for your character is crucial.

Why are character names important?

Even though this generator creates a very large amount of character names, that does not mean that any of these names are necessarily a good fit.

A character name’s link to personality

Character names tell a lot about the personality of your heroes and heroines. Say a person’s first name is Petunia. Imagine her personality. Now imagine another character whose name is Zoey. I would picture Petunia as a very uptight person, a kind of neat freak, which is an impression stemming from my previous experiences with stories that include characters who bear that name. Zoey on the other hand strikes me as a free soul, an excitable young woman ready for the outside world.

Names and core values

Names often not only describe a personality as a whole; they can also pinpoint a certain quality, that one trait that defines the person. The importance of character names by Scott Myers uses the following example from Star Wars:

 

Darth Vader: “Darth” as in dark and “Vader” as in a variation of the German word vater or father; therefore dark father, a huge clue to the character’s Nemesis function as well as his relationship to Luke (revealed in The Empire Strikes Back).

 

Many cultures also use names to describe a person’s primary qualities. Native American or Australian Aborigine tribes are well-known for names that translate to e.g. Proud Buffalo or Crouching Bear.

But character names are not always as obvious in their meaning as the aforementioned examples. They can also be subtle references to well-known literary works — often the bible — or famous historical persons.

What should I keep in mind when creating character names?

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Do not use names that already exist
• Ensure the names adhere to the current day and time
• Try to be subtle about meanings
• Create names that sound unique
• Don’t let names end with an ’S’

The list goes on. Whatever your character name becomes, keep one thing in mind: try to make it memorable.