Repeating Character Names

[cherrystark]

Have you guys ever fallen into the trap of repeating character names across multiple stories? So, the back story - I am trying to write a dystopian sci-fi novel while writing a sci-fi serial. While working on the novel, I noticed that the MC's two children's names were Alex and Cassie. Those are also the names of two characters in my series. I then noticed tonight that the love interest in the novel is named Lily, which is the name I was thinking about naming the daughter of my two MCs in the sci-fi serial.

The stories don't exist in the same universe but it's kind of annoying. I don't want those names to be a part of my "brand" as a writer but I'm honestly stuck. I want to abandon the name "Lily" and give them both new names. I just don't know what to pick. Any suggestions?

[CloudyMagpie]

how about a name randomization tool?
just punch in your settings and generate until you find something you like. or browse for specific themes, origins, etc

I like behindthename.com but I'm sure there are other websites with similar uses
These are the ones I got on my first round.

[darthmongoose]

An approach I sometimes like to take is when I'm giving minor characters names, I'll realise I've named a lot of people very Anglophone sounding names like Emily, Dave, Matthew, Lucy etc. and I'll look up lists of common names from other countries or cultures, especially ones that would be common in the setting. So in contemporary Britain, we have a lot of South Asian people, so I'd maybe switch out at least one of those Anglophone names for a common South Asian name, like Zainab, and we have a lot of Polish immigrants too, so swap out for a common Polish name like Mikolaj. Now instead of Emily, Dave, Matthew, Lucy, it might be Zainab, Dave, Mikolaj, Lucy, both adding flavour and drastically reducing the likelihood of repeated names.

[VibrantFox]

aside from randomizers and behind the name i tend to just dive right into baby naming sites like nameberry or momjunction to find ideas so instances of repeat names tend to be far and few between

[LostKelp]

I use naming lists too, but it ended up leading to a disproportionate number of people with names starting with A. What can I say? I'm lazy and name lists are long.

[moontokkym]

I write very disparate genres (1french future scifi, 1 japanese urban fantasy and 1 dark fantasy) so very few japanese characters are going to be called Alexandre Kierzkowski and there aren't many people in a sci fi going to be called Imiris of Felyr.

I do kind of like it when there are little nods to the author's previous works in the names though, stupid example but a good illustration of what I'm talking about: Fairy Tail's protagonist is named Natsu (meaning Summer) because the author's previous antagonist was called Haru (Spring). Not exactly the same name but nods like that are cool. Or if your previous work had an arsonist character named Sarah and then in your next work there was a baker that always burns her bread named Sarah.

Also a fun way to get a variety of names for your world (if it's generally modern-ish and you'd expect people to have names that exist) is to look up cast lists for reality TV shows. Some people have really pretty and unique names and if it's a more diversely casted show you can get a good amont of different name origins from places you might not have thought to look. You also can get a sense of what names are common vs uncommon if you're looking at a show not from your own culture (like from looking at Korean reality shows, I know that Jieun is a relatively common girl's name in Korea, so would be considered a bit like Jane or Joan would be to english audiences.)

[Kelheor]

The name sites are super useful, as are generators, but if I am completely lost, there can be two other ways. First is smashing that keyboard and trying to get something cohesivene out of it. Second is "do the same, but different".
Alex is short for Alexander. So you can go with Xander.
Cassie, short for Cassandra, can be simply changed Sandra, or swap a couple of letters - to Carrie. And so on until the name is completely different.
Lily is a flower, so anything flowery/plant like Rose/Heather

[Katzalcoatl]

Not yet. Fewf. The series I am working on have very different naming systems.

One is medieval fantasy. Thinking of a name has me scratching my head. I try to find unique names and for the main cast I try to give a deeper meaning to their names.

The other series is way easier it is a satire of videogames so it is pretty easy to name people. If I ever run out of ideas I just use tag names. I did however recycle the name and character design of one character I decided to remove from my medieval fantasy story. I really liked the character. Personality did change but hey we all make tough decisions for our stories.

[cherrystark]

Alex was an easy "fix" in the nov3l. He goes by both Alex and Alexei. I haven't found a good name for his sister, Cassie, yet.

[Katzalcoatl]

Cassandra or Kassandra both work nickname cassy/kassy.

[Katzalcoatl]

If you don't want Cassandra here is a list of names similar to cassandra: https://www.bestlittlebaby.com/similar-names/similar-sound/girl/cassandra

[Kelheor]

Just as well could be Catherine ^^ (works good if they are Slavs too, judging by Alexei's name)

[cherrystark]

I do like Cassandra that's why I named my MC's mom that in my serial! Haha

[cherrystark]

Catherine is a good idea for the daughter. Their dad, the MC, goes by both Mikhail and the anglicized Michael.

[NickRowler]

I like using those baby names sites to help with brainstorming names. Sometimes I gets stuck with "I want an M- name for a girl" and so I will just scroll through the M names and find something I like. A lot of those sites also allow you to search by meanings of name.

Forebears is a useful site if you are looking for more international names.

I also think for names like Alex, you could find easy alternatives like Alec or Ajax. And for Cassie, maybe Casandra, Cassidy, or Catie.

[Katzalcoatl]

Then I shall snatch the name Casidee from the previous list.

[powerplantanimations]

This happens to me ALL THE TIME lmao. For me, I honestly just accepted it. In three of my stories planned PLUS my current one, there's a character named "Dee". I don't... I don't know how that happened. I also noticed a cat named Lily in my story. It's similar to this major character, Lilith.

THAT SAID, I think it's cool to give some representation towards people who have common names.

If you don't want to embrace it then I recommend staying away from generators and handpick names by looking at their meanings. Maybe use it as a way to foreshadow events or maybe add a little irony. I remember reading about the SEGA Sammy CEO being killed by a Yakuza leader in real life. I forget their names, but when you translate them, it's like.... TOO coincidental. I since then, I've been doubling down on names.

[Hayka]

well, I can't really relate to this, because I'm kinda obsessed with names. I want a character's name to have meaning and I suggest doing that, because there are a lot of cool stuff I found on baby name sites pretending to be a pregnant lady
here's a list I found

Atilla Nadha: if you stich the names together, you'll get Anadha which in Telugu means orphan
Novan: a wordplay on No.1 and No One; she's a math geek.
Wynter: a mage that specializes in fire magic, in contrast to her name
Sonny: kinda Sunny but not, a good name to depict a character that looks cheerful but has a lot of dark personality traits.
Naya Mitaki is a word play on Nayami Taki, as you know already from the other thread.
Rosalind Dokita: Rosalind as in Rosalind Franklin, an assistant of James Watson who helped him discover the structure of DNA (tho she didn't get credited because Watson was sexist 0w0) Dokita in an African language means DOCTOR, and the name fits the doctor character
Taran: A mage in a long-running fantasy series that runs away from magic academy to go on her own adventure, taken from Taran Matharu, the author of Summoner series.

I kinda just write names when I see them anywhere. I remembered Taran because I thought the author's name was pretty damn cool. That guy looked so cute holding his lil novel in his hands.
And even Hayka in a Persian language means "calm and soothing with a mysterious vibe"

[TheLemmaLlama]

I'm kinda obsessed with names.

Same, though I just like coming up with cromulent words and naming people after things people aren't usually named after (e.g. Myrrh, one of the things that was given to baby Jesus (iirc?) or Helix, the shape of DNA strands)
Also coming up with non-standard lenthenings/shortenings of names (Sander instead of Alex for Alexander, Hades being short for Haydle, etc)

I also used to love going on baby name sites, but it's usually to check the alleged meaning of the names of characters I've already named; it usually doesn't influence my decision that much, I just get a kick out of it XD

(But yeah, I've never really bumped into much trouble with repeating names, though having characters with same/related names across work as a reference is a cool idea I might consider now :P)

[Hayka]

Sander instead of Alex for Alexander

eyyy that sounds pretty cool.

one of the things that was given to baby Jesus

it's a JOJO REFERENCE...lesgoooo

same/related names across work as a reference is a cool idea

having a multiverse does sound pretty cool

I also used to love going on baby name sites

I think I visit those baby sites more than any normal parent would xD