So, basically, how do you name side characters? I get that you should give the main characters meaningful names, but finding suitable names for all of my characters is distracting and time-consuming. Then again, I want the names to fit because I can't be sure I won't use some characters again later.
How can I quickly come up with a name for a side character that feels right enough for me to keep it and move on?
In my opinion, there are three types of side characters:
Last point. It is a useful tool employed by DM's and writers to write down a list of names for throwaway/one-occurrence characters, and when you use them to cross them off and write down who they are.
My experience has been to concentrate on the story - first and foremost. That is what drives the success or failure of any kind of fiction. So, as you create each new character, if a name fails to materialize immediately, you might try labeling the first unnamed character as "AAA," the second as "BBB," and so on. This will temporarily identify each unnamed character on paper and within your mind. Then, following a few rewrites and further development of your character(s), appropriate names should pop into your head, and you can replace each label with a name that makes you happy.
I recommend a book or a website designed for naming a baby. I have found them very useful, especially for minor characters.
To me it depends on how important I think this side character would be. If it's a shop owner, worker, a throw away character for a one line in a battle, or the human roadblock stopping my character for that scene I may not give them a full name but a generic first name for the region my characters are in. My regions are loosely based off of actual countries so I can think what sounds like it would be from there.
Otherwise if a name must be given I will ether choose something random like Male%%% speaks to Female@! or use a baby registry that contains names selectable via country of origin and choose the name based off the first letter to pop into my head.
Then I put these into my mastery list of characters with details on who they are and what they were doing to jog my memory of this scene. Like:
Guard Emily - Refused heroes entry into the city. Guard Male## - Smuggled in heroes on May 14, 1312 for a bribe into city of Rapid Falls.
I also highlight over the bogus names in both the master list & the actual draft story so I can easily spot them for editing later.
You can use places like:
Baby registries like http://www.babynology.com/
Random Name generators like - https://www.mithrilandmages.com/utilities/Modern.php
Or some writing programs under options have a random name generator equipped with them.
For side characters I try to get along with a common name or without a name; sometimes people can be referenced by their profession only, sometimes by a feature or habit.
Example: There is "the bird-watcher" who can be seen every day in a park and who has witnessed something. Later in the story, they can be referenced again as the bird-watcher which should work because it's memorable. They might tell us what they saw and then leave the story. There is no need to use a name for the person here.
If I have to or want to use a name, I will go for common names but make sure there are not too many similar sounding ones in the same story. You should avoid to have persons called Ann, Annika and Annabelle all in the same story. In the end, I do not think too long about naming my side characters, I decide quickly and am happy with it.
Not necessarily a recommendation for you, but a clever idea Anthony Trollope could get away with. His barrister is Mr Chaffanbrass. His generic farmer is Greenacres. The classy London doctor is Sir Omicron Pie. His rival potential prime ministers are Mr Brock (e.g. badger) and Lord de Terrier.
