I'm a fiction novelist and I need original character names. Ideas?

Do you want your name to have a secret message for the reader? Most writers select the name to give the more sophisticated reader insight into the characterization.

Thus The Giver's Jonas would imply that the character is a survivor - coming from the Biblical reference - out of the belly.

Gatby's Daisy was pure as the spring flower she was named for and about as long lasting. And the fragrance of the daisy is actually nasty. One does not know it until taking a deep breath up close.

Movie credits are a great source for real, interesting, multicultural names.

Or you can honor someone you respect, like grandmother Dorothy, or Grandpa Joe, and write it into the storyline.

In my creative writing class, the students toss out favorite and sometimes strange names, and then we vote it down to a list of 8. As a group, we create a back story for each name: social, emotional, physical, and psychological characteristics. Next we create a time line for each name -- what happened in his or her life to make each one end up where he or she is now, when the story starts. Before we even start writing our individual stories, most students have decided who they want to meet within the lines.

Rachel Alex Amy

Brianna Alexa Martin

Chad Lucy Matthew

Dalena Anne Marilyn

Danielle Jen Melanie

Danny Nick Joey

Mike Sylvia Lisa

GOOD LUCK! =)

Buy a book of baby's names...they will have a great collection of names for you and they will also have descriptions of what the name traditionally means so you could incorporate that if you want to!

You should be able to pick them up cheap at a used book store...also, for last names, you can either search family crest websites (tons of last names there!), or even buy some foriegn language dictionaries (like a five-in-one language dictionary) and use names that maybe convey some aspect of the character you want to convey, but not too obviously...after all, who wants to name their character Mr. Obnoxious when Mr. Widerlich works a lot better!!!

1. Milo Aarons 2. Claire Parker 3. John Cameron

I always liked Savannah Tressman for a girl. for a guy I like the name Travis.

Female:

Malina

Alina

Lina (short for Carolina)

Olivia

Emma

Rickie

Jennie

Chrissy

Dagmara

Adelaide

Alexandria

Gabrysia

Kathie

Laura

Sara

Male:

Daniel

Andrew

James

Thomas

Mark

Henry

Marcin

Olaf

Jozef (polish for Joseph)

Bennie

David

Krzystof (polish for Christopher)

Tomasz (polish for Thomas)

Darek or Darien

Mike

Okay, so nobody ever uses the name Bob, so I'm going to have to suggest that.

You know, Bobby-->Bob.

Love it!

Or Allen, best name ever... so cute.

Tigerlilly

Adrianna

Ashlyn

Helena

Imogen

Della - Marie

Aly, Sandry, Kris.....