Last names?

[KavithaisPadfoot]

Hey, I know I'm not as active as I want to be in this group, but I was wondering how y'all come up with the names for your characters. I don't have any problems with first names, but I can never think of last names. How do you guys come up with 'em?

[KavithaisPadfoot]

Thanks for the website, it'll help =]

[Carly (a witty fool) K.]

I have trouble with them too...pick a letter at random and look through the phone book...BAM! Interesting name!

[KavithaisPadfoot]

That's a good idea! Thanks!!

[Tova C.E]

I have a really hard time coming up with names... I don't want names that sound special in any way, but I don't want to name every single character Sarah or Daniel either :P

[Lexi Lane]

Get a character naming sourcebook, located in the writing reference section. :) They're categorized by origin and then, next to each name, they have the meaning according to that origination. Some also have surnames.

Here's the one I own that is amazing but comes really cheap-if bought on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Digest-Character-Naming-Sourcebook/dp...

That has a few neat surnames at the beginning of each section.

And, also, besides origination matters, have a name that really suit's your character's personality. As in, anyone who read the name can already understand some personality traits.

[Sora]

I always have issues with this because I'm also synesthetic and I need the names to be the right color, too...*groan*

But you can actually have a lot more fun with last names, because people won't look at them too closely. You obviously have to consider your character's family and ethnicity-are they rich or poor? what country are they from? A lot of times names will correspond to professions, or you'll be able to get away with translating names from a foreign language into English or vice versa.