"In which, I help you write a fanfic for The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Legacies."
I do not own the characters, plots, or information given from the TVD Universe.
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This is an issue for almost every writer. And if you don't have this issue, more power to you. But for those who do, naming a character can become quite a complicated and strenuous task.
What do I want to name my character? What letter do I want it to start with? Should it be short and sweet? Long and sophisticated? What about its origin? Did it originate in Scotland? China? What kind of meaning should it have?
Those are only a few questions I ask myself when choosing a name for an OC, and that's before I even get to the root of who my character is and who I want them to be.
Now, there are some important things to consider when it comes time for a name. Your character's ethnicity, or resemblance to their faceclaim. Have they lived in Mystic Falls or New Orleans their entire lives? If not, where are they from? Were they born in the 21st century? If not, what century? All of these questions will play a huge part in your OC's name.
Here's an example.
In my story Pretty Little Monster, the main character is a Mikaelson sibling. She is born in the late 900s in the New World by parents who previously lived in Scandinavia. So when deciding on a name, I searched names popular or used in this time period to match the already canon characters. I also looked at the Mikaelson family's names for spelling. That should also match, so your OC's name doesn't look out of place when listed with the others.
With all of this considered, I eventually decided on the name – Erika.
See how it fits?
Same goes for another one of my characters. She was born and raised in New Orleans, having family who lived there for generations. Most family names in New Orleans, or Louisiana in general, are French in origin, so I used that as my starting point. Eventually, I came up with – Lorelei Benoit (Lore-e-lie Ben-wa).
If your character's name doesn't fit or is too flamboyant, a reader may be turned off and never give your story a second look. I know this is s trend. Everyone wants their character's name to be unique and fun. But, it may make it hard for someone to read.
For example, I see the name Ophelia all the time. I know why its popular, and why people use it, but I personally click off all stories that have this as their character's name. It's overused and hardly ever fits the actual OC. (No offense to anyone who has used this name.)
Another thing I see is people using their faceclaims's name for their character's name. That is an automatic turn off for me. It brings me out of the story and makes me think of the OC as the actor or actress the writer wants them to look like, instead of the OC they are supposed to be. This happened a lot when it comes to Nina Dobrev and Adelaide Kane.
Just – don't do it. Like, at all.
I know I didn't give any examples as to what you could name your characters, but there are just so many in the world and I don't have that kind of time. Also, everyone has their own preference. It's ultimately your decision, and yours alone.
If you don't know where to look for name lists, I suggest googling what you want. Almost every time, a few dozen lists should pop up. Say you want names from 1800s in France. Just type in your search engine "French names from the 1800s" and nine times out of ten you'll find what you're looking for.
