Tips For Avoiding Clichés In Book Writing

Character Names

Avoid using the generic names you hear every day, if possible. Now, this piece of advice is completely opinionated, and you can use whatever character name you want. My only advise is that, if you want people to really remember your character, give them a unique or uncommon name; I don't mean something you can't understand or gives you a headache trying to pronounce, just something you haven't seen often.

Another tip to creating names for characters would he a nickname. Think of Stiles (from Teen Wolf, if you haven't seen it) and his nickname; Stiles is not his real name, but not once have they said his real name on the show.

Or maybe some of youare more familiar with Mike and Like from Limitless. He refuses to let you know their real names I nil the very end. Try doing something like that: calling a character by their nickname the whole time, very rarely revealing little hints, just enough to keep everyone interested and curious what the real name could be.

Here's a list of Guy, Girl, and Potential Last Names that might help...

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Boy Names

Archer
Asher
Aiden
Adrian
Aaron
Alaric
Austin
Axle
Alec
Ace
Beck
Barry
Braden
Brandon
Bennett
Cole
Cyrus
Cameron
Cassius
Clark
Chase
Cade/Kade
Cody
Caleb
Carson
Cain/Kain
Damien
Dallas
David
Dash
Daniel
Drew
Declan
Ethan
Eli/Eligh
Elijah
Everett
Flynn
Felix
Finley
Garrett
Gavin
Gale
Griffin
Grayson
Hayden
Heath
Hunter
Ian
Ivan
Jones
Jason
Jay
Jasper
Julian
Jackson
Joan/Jone
Killian
Kieran
Kristopher
Keith
Kasen
Kai
Keon
Leo
Lyle
Lloyd
Layden
Laylen
Leo
Logan
Linus
Levi
Lincoln
Landon
Myles
Marcus
Major
Mike
Magnus
Neo
Norman
Nile
Nicholas (Nick/Nico)
Octavian
Oliver
Price
Payton
Russel
River
Ren
Robin
Ross
Roy
Ronan
Roman
Ryder
Raymond (Ray)
Reed
Reece
Ryan
Raiden
Ridian/Rydian
Raith
Rylan
Radley
Sean/Shawn
Sam
Shane
Sawyer
Spencer
Silas
Trip
Tyler*
Teller
Thaddeus (Deus)
Travis
Tristan
Theo
Thrain
Wyatt
Will
Wes
Wylie
West
Yuri
Xavier

Girl Names

Amanda
Ashley
Allison
Avon
April
Ava
Anna
Amelia
Arden
Aurora
Alyssa
Addison
Amara
Ausellia
Andrea
Bailey
Becca
Claire
Cloe
Cleo
Charity
Carmen
Claudia
Carol
Carmella
Camella
Cornelia
Clementine
Clove
Clover
Cynthia
Diana
Drew
Della
Delilah
Dahlia
Eva
Eve
Erika
Emile
Elena
Emery
Ember
Eleanor
Elora
Fiona
Fauna
Fay
Fray
Freya
Faith
Felicity
Farryn
Guenevier
Genevieve
Gina
Gemma
Harper
Haven
Harley
Heaven
Holland
Hazel
Heidi
Iris
Ivory
Ira
Jean
Jade
Jamie
Jasmine
Jazelle
Janelle
Joyce
Jem
Jen
Josie
Josephine
Kaitlyn/Caitlyn
Karen
Kara
Kaia
Kayla
Kora
Kota
Kimi
Kiki
Kristy
Kirsten
Kira
Khalea
Lavender
Laura
Leah
Lydia
Lillian (Lilly)
Lana
Leilani
Lacey
Lori
Lorelei
Loraine (Raine)
Maya
Mia
Megan
Madison
Miley
Macie
Molly
May
Morgan
Malia
Melissa
Marina
Maki (Japanese)
Nicole
Nixie
Naomi
Neveah
Octavia
Olive
Payton
Prairie
Paisley
Raine
Riley
Raven
Rosetta (Rose/Rosie/Roe)
Rebecca
Robin
Reyna
Reena
Renee
Stacey
Sarah
Stella
Sharon
Sherry
Sage
Sadie
Sutton
Sydney
Sapphire
Sophia (Sofie; Phea)
Selena
Scarlet
Samantha (Sam)
Storm
Tessa
Tamara
Thea
Thalia
Tayla
Tracy
Violet
Vera
Viera
Winona/Wynona
Wren
Willow
Whitney
Zoey/Zoe/Zoë (Z/Zo)
Zara
Zaria

Last Names

Mallow
Shepherd
Luck
Grey
Jones
Birkin
Muller
Lawrence
Archer
Bane
Heart
Hart
Kurt
Maxwell
Fox
Lockwood
Allen
Cameron
Carter
Beckingham
Ross
Rose
Cross
Arrow
Grayson
Ellison
Wilson
Michaelson
Nelson
Beck
Night
Holley
Kim
Jackson
Sanders
McKinnon
Addison
Kingston
Jordan
Spencer
Axel
Infantino
Smith
Hartwell
Caldwell
Calder
Hunters
West
Collins
Storm
Harper
Colman/Coleman
Gearhart
Preston*
Finnegan
Cooper
Cavanaugh
Delancy
Delaney
Hale
Stelinski
Gilmore
Gilmer
Dallas
Stewart
Simmons
Leal
Neal
Ellis
Griffin
Monroe
Singer
Reed
Shin
Larson
Sych
Pierce
Hanks
Piers
Brooks
Boyle
Dean
Kane
Blake
Marty
Hoffaker
Atherton
Clark
Petro
Lynch
Kaylock
Graves
Frye
Lynton
King
Bartlett
Kenway
Owen
Brewster
Otto
Morris
Sandlow
Walsh
Ferrara
Sharon
Russell
Calvert
Clancy
Kelly
Soap
Turk
Princeton
Price
Cortez
Cortex
Lowry
Melendez
Griffith
Levine
Monroe
Laszlo
Topsham