: Re: Inventing names for Sci-Fi characters How can I invent names for fictional characters in a future-setting Sci-Fi story so they won't be connected to any existing culture? I considered the following

@Annie587

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Disclaimer: I've written two non-fiction books. I'm presently struggling through my first novel, which does not include aliens. So I'm speaking here more as a reader than as a writer.

As Tannalein says, I'd avoid making names that are unpronouncable. One could make a logical argument that an alien race would have an alien system for making sounds, and so may well have names that humans can't pronounce. But even if it's arguably more realistic, it makes the story hard to read. The trick is to make them strange but pronouncable.

On the other extreme, of course, you don't want your aliens to be named Fred and Sally. You could borrow from other languages, but if a reader has even a general familiarity with that language, it will be just as odd. Better to invent something.

My suggestion would be to invent at least the rough outline for a system. You don't have to invent a complete language, just sketch out a few general rules.

Like: Invent an alphabet, preferably including at least a couple of sounds that are not common English (assuming you're writing in English). Like include a sound "xh" or "jb". Don't make it too bizarre or it violates my advice about pronouncability, but make it odd.

Think about the pattern of vowels and consonants. Like if one alien is named "Tolon", another named "Fiemar" sounds plausible. But "Tolon" and "Frangmatuplen" don't look the same, because the vowel/consonant pattern is too different.

Think about length. Having one alien named "Tal" and another from the same plantet/race/whatever named "Brumaxnologoran Frambar Huvangtran" would seem distinctly odd.

Many human languages have a pattern to the names, like many names end in "son" or start with "Mc". Maybe have your aliens have a few common endings for their names. You don't need to explain what it's supposed to mean, just do it. You might even work something relevant to the plot into the names, like the elite all have names that end "-axlon" while the mechanics all end "-tanak" and the warriors all end "-brufarl" or whatever. But I wouldn't go out of my way to work something like that into the plot. If it falls out naturally, cool. But don't force it.

In general, whatever system you come up with, it isn't necessary to explain it to your readers unless it matters to the plot. Personally I always like science fiction stories where there's a lot of "background" that isn't fully explained. It gives the feel that this is a real world with a history, instead of a simplistic cartoon created just to sustain this one story.

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