Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, I tackle one of the most fun—and challenging—aspects of crafting a fantasy world: naming your characters. Whether you’re conjuring a brave hero, a sinister villain, or a mysterious supporting character, the right name can add depth, cultural significance, and storytelling power to your narrative.

Join me as we explore tips and tricks for creating names that resonate, fit seamlessly into your world, and leave a lasting impression on readers. From linguistic inspiration and cultural cues to avoiding common pitfalls (looking at you, overly complicated spellings), this episode is packed with practical advice for fantasy authors looking to bring their characters to life—one meaningful name at a time.

Email your show feedback and/or advice prompts to fantasywritingforbarbarians@gmail.com or join our Discord. You can find the first discussion prompt we referenced on the show right here.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.