McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Last Names

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Thaumaturge02:
An irksome task.  I have no problem coming up with first names for my characters...it's last names that are a pain.  Anyone have any advice, techniques, resources that they use for this task?

LizW65:
Check the phone book!  Lots of good names in there. ;D  When you have the right name for a character you'll know...it'll just "feel" right and can even help with characterization.  Also, don't be afraid to borrow names from people you know--they can't be copyrighted.

Alilisa:
I've always just taken and combined first names, or even used things from nature, combining things together. But like Liz said, using the phone book is a great way too.  Even going to historical sites is good, there are many old, old names you can "dig up", or cemeteries, etc.  There are lots of ways to come up with names, but I know what you mean. I love the unusual types of names, so mine always come up really strange looking.

jeno:
http://surnames.behindthename.com/

Snowleopard:
Some names I make up from scratch and some I look up in a baby name book.
Stop laughing. ::)  It has unusual names and gives the meaning behind them.
For some of the more major characters I usually try to give them a name that has meaning to me
if for no one else.

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