You can't think of a name for a detective?

Answer 1

Be creative!

The name you choose has to be original and special, but here are some guidelines...

If you want a name for a detective character, old-fashioned first names might be the best for this purpose, as people associate detectives with that era. Think along the lines of Nancy, Paige or Elaine for a girl, and Samuel, Spencer or Victor for a boy. But make sure it doesn't sound too drab - it has to be lively enough for your purposes and to get people to relate to the character.

For last names, ordinary names are sometimes best (think of "Sherlock Holmes": there couldn't be a more boring last name, but it works), or if you think that will sound too dull, think of a name of a household object (rafter), spice (coriander), plant (evergreen) or colour (scarlet) and use that as their last name. This gives it a memorable touch. You can apply the trick of using an object name for first names, too.

Further tips:

• Sometimes in a story it is a normal person who becomes a detective, especially in 'child detective' stories. If this is the case, maybe a perfectly normal name will be the best choice
• To add mystery to a name, add a middle initial to give it that mysterious touch
• Have a random flick through a baby names book or website - the perfect name might just jump out at you
• Make sure the name sounds right. If it sounds the tiniest bit odd to you, it's guaranteed it will sound even odder to everyone else
• A cool trick to use is to use a common surname as a first name, but be careful as this can sound corny if used in the wrong way

Remember, it is really the character not the name that will make a detective character a hit. Whatever name you choose, make sure the story is interesting and unique; you can't expect people to like a detective just because of their name.