How to choose a suitable name for our literary characters

Has it ever happened to you that you know a person, he introduces himself with his name and you think that that name does not suit him at all with his appearance? To me from time to time, honestly, and it's something that those of us who believe can avoid literary characters in novels, short stories or other literary creations.

In a literary creationUnlike in real life, we tend to have the work we want to write in mind at first, the setting, the time and the characteristics of certain characters. In real life, on the other hand, the first thing we choose for our children are the names and then, over the years, we gradually discover their personality traits. Taking this into account, it is advisable to have the definitive traits that will mark the course of the literary life of each character and then choose a name.

En Actualidad Literatura, we are going to give you a series of tips so that names of your literary characters They are attractive and reach the reader almost as much or more than the story that is told through them.

Tips for choosing the right name

• Do not choose a name for past loves, childhood / adolescence tastes ... Choose a name that appropriately represents the intention that character will carry in the literary story you are writing. For example, if it is a man with a strong, attractive personality and with work / business success, it is preferable to call him Héctor or Damián than Eustaquio or Gervasio (although for tastes, colors…).
• Not all names should be gimmicky or super weird. Sometimes we tend to look for names that are difficult to pronounce but which in turn tend to be quite remembered for their rarity, ... A single character in the novel can have a somewhat more peculiar name but not all characters should be like that, ... That way I would lose the originality.
• Common names are as valid as any other ... Why not call our character Ana or María? Maybe because they are quite common names? Don't despise them! A common name can determine the simplicity of the character.
• You don't have to "baptize" all your characters ... Some of your characters could be identified only by their nicknames or by their physical-personal characteristics: the stutterer, the lame, the pimp, etc.
• You can use the dictionary of names ... Just like some future dads search these dictionaries for names for their children, you as writers can do the same if you are short of ideas. Do not forget that a book is almost like a child that we have given life to ourselves ...

And now, what literary character do you remember above all by name? What do you think as a reader and writer that can be the primary keys to choosing a good literary name?