What name should I pick if I haven't worked out his personality yet?

Go with a name that has several strong forms: Alexander, Dmitry, Mikhail. Later you'll decide which one is "him," the serious one or the soft one.

Can a character have a double name or go by first and last name?

Sure, but decide ahead of time how people address him in chat. Otherwise he'll be "Jean-Paul" one minute and "Jean" the next, and the character will start to blur.

How do I come up with a name for a fantasy hero?

Change the ending of a familiar name or combine two roots: Kirian, Orian, Therian. It sounds unusual but reads easily.

Does an anime hero need a Japanese name?

Not necessarily. A Japanese name sets the genre right away, but a guy with a Russian name in an anime setting works too, especially if it's part of his story.

Can I change a character's name later?

Yes, when you edit the character. If you've been chatting for a while, work the change into the plot: for example, the hero finally tells you his real name.

Male Character Names: 100 Ideas by Personality

A name is a distance

In chat, a name works like a relationship thermometer. While he's Alexander to you, you're keeping your distance. Once he's Sasha, you're closer. One day you'll write "Sash, come on, what's wrong" and that'll be a scene of its own.

It works the other way too. If, after a week of pet names, the hero suddenly calls you by your full name, no explanation needed: something happened. So pick a name that has somewhere to go.

Five groups by personality

Steady and calmMikhail, Ivan, Nikita, Andrei, Grigory, Matvei, Stepan, Timofei, Fyodor, Ilya. Rounded sounds and easy pet forms: Misha, Vanya, Styopa.
Cocky and quickMax, Kirill, Roma, Mark, Vlad, Gera, Timur, Yan, Danya, Erik. Short, with the punch on one syllable: the name of a guy who answers before he thinks.
Cool, smart, sardonicArkady, Lev, Vsevolod, Dmitry, Arseny, Gleb, Konstantin, Veniamin, Leonid, Eduard. Long full forms with an intellectual air.
Gentle and romanticAlexei, Daniil, Pavel, Yaroslav, Saveliy, Yelisei, Miron, Svyatoslav, Luka, Anton. Soft consonants and warm diminutives: Lyosha, Yarik, Savva.

Names for a Male Character: 100 Ideas and How to Check One Fits

A name is a distance

Five groups by personality

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Five groups by era and genre

How a name sounds in chat

The three-message test

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A name is a distance

Five groups by personality

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