Names carry so much weight for characters, especially women where the stereotypes can feel like quicksand. My rule is simple: avoid the obvious. No more 'Luna' for the mysterious girl, no 'Bella' for the beautiful one. I pick names that actively work against type. A fierce warrior named 'Clara' feels more grounded than 'Raven'. A brilliant scientist called 'Mabel' subverts expectations. I check the Social Security name database for the year she'd be born—realism anchors even the wildest fantasy.
Sound matters more than we admit. Harsh consonants for stubborn characters, soft vowels for gentle ones, but sometimes inverting that creates friction. I say the full name out loud with dialogue. 'Detective Eleanor Vance' has a different rhythm than 'Ellie Vance' and tells you who's speaking. The nickname potential is crucial too—what her friends call her versus her enemies, versus what she calls herself. That triangulates personality better than any backstory paragraph.