Female Character Names: 5 Tips on Choosing a Fictional Female Name

Need a name for your female character? As you rack your brain for flowery, delicate, or just plain feminine names, consider a more refined approach. Of course, there's not an exact science to naming a character, and no reader is going to throw your story aside because your "Tiffany" sounds more like a "Janice."

But plausibility is one of the most important factors in choosing a name, followed by creativity. A character named Rose Flora may reveal a character's love of nature, but it's sure to earn more than a few eye rolls from readers. So how should you pick a name? The following five tips will help guide you and spur your imagination.

Female Character Names Tip 1: Know your character

Before selecting a name, developing a background for your female character is key. Naming a character is much easier when you have a grasp of her culture, family, personality, ethnicity, strengths, weaknesses, abilities, desires, etc. Choose one or more of these factors when picking out a name.

Some authors do not like summarizing a character's attributes and innermost secrets all in one go, preferring the character to naturally develop as they write the story. If that's the case with you, then work with whatever you have. Remember you can always change names. It's especially easy to do so with the "Find and Replace" option in word processors.

Female Character Names Tip 2: Consider the traditional sources for names

Once you know more about your female character, you'll be better able to think of apt names for her. When aiming for plausibility, consider these four factors: year of birth, ethnicity, location, and nationality.

All of these factors can boil down to a simple question: What would the parents name their daughter? Or alternatively, what influences would affect a parent's decision?

Female Character Names Tip 3: Using symbolism

Being plausible is a safe way to choose a name, and, yes, safe can be boring. Putting in a reference to a character's personality, abilities, fate, or role in her name can be tempting.

But be careful if you choose to do this. As long as you can subtly slide in a hint, go for it. Naming a character who has a strong spirit, Madison Cay, (both "warrior" names) isn't going to distract readers. Names whose meanings aren't apparent without research or special knowledge are generally safe choices.

Unless you're writing a parody or satire, being more overt with the symbolism in your names is risky. For example, using names like Grace, Chastity, Innocence, or Patience to represent a character's affinity for that virtue (or trying to be ironic and have the character display the opposite characteristic) can be grating.

Similarly, naming a bookworm "Paige" or a journalist "Verita" is a bit over-the-top. At best, the reader will get a giggle out of the name. At worst, it will distract readers from your writing.

Female Character Names Tip 4: Choosing a last name

Last names, like plausible first names, reflect birth, ethnicity, location, or nationality. Exercise the same caution for last names as you would a first name if you want to go for a symbolic name (of course, last names can in fact refer to an occupation and still be plausible).

When pairing first names and last names, seeking balance is a good strategy. Picked an unusual first name? Couple it with a common last name. Pay attention to the sound of the name. Does it flow? Or do you stumble over it? If the names seem cumbersome together that does not necessarily mean the name needs to change (perhaps an awkward-sounding name could be a nod to a character's clumsiness).

Don't forget: just because your character is female doesn't mean the last name has to be feminine-sounding.

Female Character Names Tip 5: Naming resources

Baby books, phone books, and even your e-mail spam folder can be good browsing material for names. For a more refined search, numerous websites dedicated to names and their etymology can help you.

If you want to search according to ethnicity, meaning, and popularity for first names, thinkbabynames.com is a helpful site. For a list of popular names from 1879 to the present, the Social Security Administration site is a great resource. For help with last names, 20000-Names.com lists lots of surnames according to meaning and ethnicity.

Remember that just a simple web search can turn up plenty of sources that will help you find the right name for your female character. Explore and have fun.