I’ve talked before about some of the main resources I use to make up character names. But sometimes I still need a little help, particularly if I’m looking for names that evoke a particular “feel.” Such as, for instance, Regency names, which usually have a particular flavor to them.

So, if I’m feeling stuck, I sometimes hop over to Stuff and Nonsense, which has a
Thrushbrae, Torringnish, Shillgree Green, Penimere Sands, Sagehollow, Prestbottom Cottage, and Wycliffe. (Also, really randomly: Bees.)

As you can see, the names exactly as they’re generated are kind of hit or miss and sometimes the same words keep popping up, but just running through a bunch of them is sometimes enough to get me moving in the direction of the sound that I’m looking for, because they all do have that Regency sound (with the possible exception of Bees).

(I also have to say that I just get a hoot out of messing around with the Gothic romance title generator. The Wind of Deceit, The Vampire of Doubt, Of Love and Ghosts, The Shades of Moongate Manor, Bride of Defiance, Moonswept Traitor . . . I could play with that all day.)