Articles
Vex on names, worlds, characters, and the craft behind all three.
Vex has traveled through more fictional worlds than most people have imagined. She has collected names from every genre, every mythology, every corner of invented history. Here is everything she knows about why names matter, how to choose them, and what the best storytellers have always understood about the relationship between a character and what they're called.
Why Character Names Matter More Than Most Writers Think
The name is the first thing a reader encounters about a character -- and it shapes everything that follows. Here's the science and craft behind why.
The Linguistics of Fantasy Names: What Makes a Name Sound Like It Belongs
Why does "Arwen" feel elvish and "Grond" feel orcish? The phonetic principles behind names that feel authentic to their world.
The Art of the Villain Name: What Makes a Name Feel Truly Threatening
From Sauron to Voldemort to Hannibal Lecter -- what the masters of fiction understood about naming their antagonists.
Mining Mythology for Character Names: A World Tour of the Best Sources
Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Celtic, Slavic -- the richest naming traditions in human history and how to use them well.
D&D Character Names: A Complete Guide for Every Race and Class
Naming conventions, cultural traditions, and Vex's recommendations for every major race in the game -- from humans to tieflings.
Naming Characters in Science Fiction: Rules for Aliens, AI, and the Far Future
Why sci-fi naming is harder than fantasy naming -- and the specific techniques that make futuristic names feel real rather than random.
How to Name a Protagonist: The Name That Has to Carry Everything
The hero's name works differently from every other name in the story. Here's what that means in practice.
Historical Fiction Naming: How to Choose Names That Feel Authentic to an Era
The research approach, the common mistakes, and how to avoid the anachronism trap that undermines so many historical stories.
Names as Worldbuilding: How Your Character Names Reveal the World They Live In
The names in a story are a map of its culture, history, and power structures -- whether the author planned it that way or not.
When Characters Change Their Names: The Narrative Power of Renaming
From Anakin to Darth Vader, from Saul to Paul -- what a name change signals and how to use it as a storytelling tool.