I used to be bad about using the same names repeatedly, so I set up a file of first names for both sexes, then note the date I last used each to avoid repetition.
Since I tend to do my stories in bits and pieces over time, and the final version sometimes veers far away from where I initially thought it was going, I don't name my characters until the story is finished. I just use placeholders like G1 [Girl 1], G2, B1, etc., then backfill their identities, trying to match them with their personas. For example, to me someone named Caitlyn sounds like the mean girl who'd bully poor meek Amy. Your mileage may vary.
If there's a specific time the story is based in, I try to match the names to the era. For example, I recently posted a story about school bullying set in 2005, so I looked up 'Popular Girl's Names 1990' to get an idea of what the protagonists should be named. |