Names in Writing

In the best literature, names are meaningful.  Harry Potter character names are very well researched and profound.  Here is a link to what J.K. Rowling, herself, says about the names and what they mean.  According to the site, Harry Potter's name seems ordinary, but yet Harry is the name of kings.  The name of his nemesis, Draco Malfoy, means Dragon of bad faith.  Remus Lupin's name was based on the Roman myth of one of a set of twins raised by a wolf, last name a derivative of wolf.  The list goes on.  Other writers often use similarly symbolic and meaningful names.  Jane Eyre's name has multiple connotations, of plainness, of air spirits, of being an heir to a fortune.  Rochester's name means rocky crags, indicative of his hard and harsh manners.  Her favorite teacher is Ms. Temple, with obvious meanings.  Her best friend, Ms. Burns burns with a fever.  St. John, one of those who try to court her, is as self-righteous as his name may suggest.  Several other authors add significance through their naming, to varying degrees.  It may be something you want to consider.

Another thing to remember when choosing what to call the characters is that whatever the narrative calls the characters should be consistent.  To switch around from title to first name to last name can be very confusing.  It's almost as confusing to  use similar-sounding names.  If two to three of the main characters have the same first initial, the reader will start to get confused.  These are all things to consider as you name and title your characters.