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Poll: How do you choose names for your characters?

I chose "pick them randomly" but that is not how it always works. It really depends on what I'm writing. Sometimes I search through name databases for unusual names with strong meanings that I feel would relate with the character or genre. And then sometimes its just whatever name pops into my head as I'm writing (almost as if the story itself is telling me what the names should be). And usually, I use the uncommon spelling of names as well to make it a little more unique.

I almost picked 1, 2, 4, and 5. There weren't multiple options, though, so I went for the last one.

I usually attempt to craft a name that reflects the sound of the language I'm using for where that character is from, while trying to make the name sound like a certain word/concept/onomatopoeia, probably in Latin or Greek, that most readers have internalized without knowing. That's the ideal. Usually I have to settle for either looking cool or sounding cool, not both.

Well, I have a character named after a musical term; one after a number (Seinfeld reference/ironic reasons); a few after musicians (parts of their names, not the whole thing); one after a character I tried writing before, but backwards; and I always slip in some form of the name Thomas whenever I can.

So, I picked the random option

I also recently named a very bitter character something I knew he would hate.

A lot of the time, between all characters both major and minor, I'll just give them any name I can if I don't have one already in mind, knowing that I can always change it later if I find a more suitable one.

I could never chose a name from the bible--not being familair with the characters in that particular book.

I know the names Adam and Eve...and Ruth for some reason but, draw a blank at anything/everything else.

Latin and Greek or even basic country talk confuses me, my characters all have simple short names...Brad, Tod, Jane, Ana etc.

When I read a story with hard to pronounce names I just substitute an easier one and go with that, concentrate more on the story and hope that the writer--doesn't assign a quiz at the end of the story or wants to have a philosophical (sp?) discussion. (as one such writer here is fond of doing).

He's quite popular here and I guess he was disappointed that
I wasn't up to par with doing that.

I agree.

If I can't pronounce the name or it's spelled weird it throws the story off balance for me.

The most memorable characters are the ones who have good easy to pronounce names that the reader can either identify with or relate to in some way or even just like because, it sounds well when said out loud and fits the character.

Sometimes, when the writer tries to impress me with the character's name the story turns out to be a real dud; and I am reluctant to read any other work by that writer which might have been good.

1. Mostly. I try to match something from a similar culture, and also timeframe. (No one in biblical times was actually called John)

I'm going against the grain and think names help make teh character. Luke Skywalker sounds so much better than Mark Hamil.

In fact i tend to obsess slightly, and i always google / wiki my character names to make sure no one else has used them before.

I do a mix of many of these, except maybe the combine two names, and use your own name thing. I certainly make sure it fits the correct time frame and or area.

Luke Skywalker also sounds a lot better than Luke Starkiller which he was originally going to be named. (and Luke of course is taken from a form of Lucus) -- taken from wookieepedia but also found in other places.

I haven't really wrote anything. For boys I love the name Gabriel Micheal Smith it has a ring to me.Though I my nephew's middle name is Micheal and that's how I thought of that Smith is just random. Sometimes I I thought of using Christan.I also thought of naming one of my charters Fox. Girls names I use Emily,Sarah, and Jessica they're randomly chosen out of friends. So my names are all over the place.

I guess I should go with randomly chosen.

Depends... at times I'll use an online name meaning place to get a good name... or pick a name and look for alternates of that name. Other times, I'll type random letters and then pick the name from that ( kwekurnc jdjrhkasud - Kerwick Jeraksand? hmmm...not bad....)

In all honestly half the time I just pull them out of thin air the other half of the time I look at credit reels from movies and TV pick a first name let the list move down a bit more pick a last name.

fantasy i make up names. or use a database to do it for me for 'background' names.
but other genres i like my names to mean things, even if it's only me who knows that they mean.
i guess even in fantasy my names have a meaning to me. i love having symbolism that nobody else can decipher.

Sometimes when I'm scraping for a name I'll grab one of the DVD boxes on my desk and look at the names of those involved.

SoundinkMusic, how about Aunty Jesamine? Just came to me.

For most of my stories, I use names of people I know, old girlfriends. In a sci-fi I've been writing forever, I named my main character Alaan, which is my middle name with an added 'A'. In another idea, the name Enkar-En for an alien came to me and wouldn't leave.
I don't like giving heroes "heroic" names because when they're born they don't know they're heroes, does that make sense? Leave that stuff to romance writers lol. Last names are important if you're creating a cultural personality. I'm always careful with last names.

Character names usually just pop into my head as I am doing a very basic plot line.
If it is just a minor character that might be in a scene or two then I usually look around the room and see what I can see.