Need a good character name for the hero of your latest short story? Or maybe your fantasy series has rival clans of assassins, and the families need some awesome last names. Coming up with good character names can be hard, but no worries! Here are four creative last name generators for the writer in all of us–I’ve used several of these character naming methods myself, and I thought you might like to try them, too. 🙂
Last name generator #1: Google maps
A few years ago, I was on a road trip through Texas and noticed something–the map was FULL of great name ideas! Zoom in anywhere on Google maps, and you’ll find it’s a pretty reliable last name generator (or it will at least help you get the creative juices flowing!)
Here are some last name ideas from the maps of…
New York: Norwich, Watkins, Pulaski
California: Fillmore, Gosford, Del Rey, Kerman
If you’re looking to mix and match more unusual syllables, you can also browse the maps of other countries.
Bonus trivia: The Sterling aunts all share names with real-life towns in Texas: Odessa, Abilene, Edna, Elsa, and Tulia.
Last name generator #2: Name registries and ancestry sites
If you are writing a story set in a certain location or year, try looking up historical registers of the most common last names at that time. These are especially helpful if you’re into historical fiction or like to imagine these families of old.
Here are some sources that I’ve had good luck with:
- Blog posts at ancestry sites like ancestry.com or ancestry.ca
- Passenger lists from ships: Here’s a list of passengers who arrived in Canada in 1891
- Parish registers from old church communities
Last name generator #3: Name meanings
Honestly, this one could be a post in itself. Many cultures developed surnames that described some aspect of a person, e.g. the family profession, where they lived, or what they looked like.
Toponymic surnames are last names that describe where a family lived. Examples:
Douglas (“black stream”)
Ford (by a river ford)
Du Lac (“of the lake”)
Delmont (“from the mountain”)
Occupational last names come from what the family did for a profession:
Examples:
Cooper, Smith, Miller, Baker, Archer
Clarke (a clerk)
Mueller (a miller, but German ^_^ )
Schulze (constable)
Weber (weaver)
Cabrera (goatherd)
And there are also descriptive names:
Bains, Blanc, White (“fair-haired”)
Reed (“red” — someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion)
If you’re writing a fantasy story, you can generate a good last name for your character by thinking about what they are known for. Do wolves cower before them? Maybe they belong to the Wolfsbane family. Do they have piercing gray eyes? Perhaps they’re a Silverthorn!
Last name generator #4: Literal random name generator sites
I know, I know–this almost seems too straightforward! But there are literal sites where you can hit a button and see what last name idea the algorithm generates for you. Have fun and see what you come up with!
https://www.name-generator.org.uk/last/
https://www.randomlists.com/last-names
https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/italian_names.php
Conclusion
Choosing a good last name for your characters can be daunting, but it can actually be a lot of fun! It’s a great chance to describe your character some more and think about their backstory. Let me know in the comments if you try any of these last name generators–I’d love to hear what you come up with!
Yours in cool last names,
Emily
Other posts you might like:
Instagram Name Ideas for Book Lovers. Choose a name for yourself!
Fantasy Writing Prompts: 10 Fantasy Story Ideas
The Sterling Aunts’ Guide to Shapeshifter Names
This was a great read and I enjoyed every bit of it. I personally didn’t know of “Last name Generators” which of course is totally useful and makes sense