Softonic

Character Name Generator

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Naming a main character, a villain, ten party members for your tabletop session, or a hundred extras for a city scene in a novel can stall a writing session for hours. This generator draws ready-to-use names from three curated pools: fantasy, sci-fi and modern. Pick a genre, set how many names you want (5 to 30) and hit regenerate until one clicks. The pools are English-language names, so the output suits English-speaking settings and international fantasy stories.

How to generate character names

  1. 1

    Pick a genre

    Choose fantasy for epic and mythic-sounding names, sci-fi for clipped futurespeak and code-style call signs, or modern for everyday full names.

  2. 2

    Set the count

    Choose between 5 and 30 names per draw, handy for a party, an NPC list or a whole cast.

  3. 3

    Generate and regenerate

    Each draw shuffles the pool, so keep hitting the button until a name fits the character.

  4. 4

    Copy the names you like

    Each name is selectable with one click, ready to paste into your manuscript, campaign notes or character sheet.

What each genre sounds like

Fantasy leans on epic and mythic-sounding given names: Aeliana, Thorin, Lysandra, Kael, Seraphina, Eldric, Isolde, Caspian, Nerys, Draven, Ophelia, Roderick, Elara, Magnus, Selene, Theron.

Sci-fi mixes clipped syllables with surnames and call-sign style names: Zara-7, Cyrus Vex, Nova Kade, Orion Stark, Lyra Cipher, Axel Voss, Echo Sinclair, Rhea Vanta, Kian Nox, Vega Ryn, Astra Merrick, Theo Quasar, Indra Hale, Jax Fallon.

Modern draws on common full names across backgrounds: Elena Martinez, James Whitfield, Sophie Chen, Marcus Reilly, Aisha Powell, Owen Carver, Mia Hartley, Dominic Shaw, Clara Voss, Ethan Blake, Zoey Park, Ryan Nash.

Tips for naming in fiction

  • Avoid names that alliterate with major characters’ names unless it is intentional. Readers conflate Bran/Bron/Ben.
  • Vary syllable count across a main cast. If four characters all have two-syllable names, the fifth with three syllables feels distinct.
  • Match the naming to worldbuilding. A farm boy should not have a royal name unless that is a plot point.
  • Read names aloud. If you can’t pronounce a name easily, neither can the audiobook narrator, or the reader’s inner voice.
  • Check Google for your final names. Some will turn out to be real people, brands or infamous figures you don’t want to evoke.
  • For RPG campaigns, draw 20 NPC names at once so you can reuse them without effort as players wander off your plot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Names themselves are not copyrightable. The tool generates suggestions, not protected content. Use any output freely in novels, games, scripts or RPG supplements.

The three pools are curated English-language names. The interface labels are translated to your language, but the names themselves keep their English spelling, which makes them a natural fit for English-language writing and international fantasy or sci-fi settings.

Not from this tool. It offers three genres only: fantasy, sci-fi and modern, with fixed pools and no culture, era or gender filters. For authentic historical or cultural names, consult a dedicated name source or a native-speaker advisor.

Not directly, but drawing 20 names from the sci-fi or modern pool (which include full names) lets you assemble your own lists. Pair it with a separate genealogy tool for structure.

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