Quick resources for creating names

One of my favorite parts of writing is coming up with character names. There’s just something about naming a character that also makes them come alive. I wanted to take a moment to share three of my best resources for naming inspiration.

Fantasy Name Generator is an incredible naming resource. There are over 1100 name generators, as well as many description generators, guides and various tools. You can also submit a name too. This website offers names based on fantasy species and it also has a vast finder for place names, such as caverns, waterfalls, asylums, and steampunk houses. Don’t forget to check out the ‘other names’ page for things you might need named in your stories like artifacts, thrones, or hackers.

Babble has a baby name section on their parenting website. This site offers searches using genders, meaning, origin, trending, or alphabet. If available, it also includes famous namesakes and themes.

Behind the Name provides the etymology and history of first names, including other facts such as popularity. A fun part of their website includes a random name generator and allows you criteria options, including a opportunity to generate a life story.

Of course, there’s always Google too. Do you have a favorite resource for naming a person, place, or thing in your stories? Feel free to share in the comments!