Crafting a character is one of the key elements in writing a novel. Most authors usually have a personality in mind for a character long before they begin piecing the story together. Once that personality is in place a writer faces the daunting task of naming their character. Sometimes a run-of-the-mill name will do the trick, but more often than not you need a name that will encompass not only the character's identifying traits but the time period they live in.