If you spend time in art communities, fan fiction or roleplay servers, you'll see "OC" everywhere: "my OC," "OC art," "OC x canon," "draw your OC in this outfit." Here's what it means, where it comes from and how people use it.
OC meaning: original character
OC stands for "original character." An OC is a character you invent yourself rather than one taken from an existing book, game, show or film. Artists draw them, writers build stories around them, roleplayers play as them, and streamers turn them into avatars.
An OC can be anything: a human, an animal, a robot, a monster or a talking teapot. What makes it an OC isn't the species or the style. It's that you created it.
Where the term comes from
"OC" grew out of fan communities. When people wrote fan fiction or drew fan art, they needed a way to say "this character isn't from the original series, I made them up." Labels like "OC" (and the polite warning "OC, do not steal") became common on art sites, forums and later social media. Today the term is used far beyond fandom, for any character someone has designed themselves.
Types of OCs
- Fully original OCs exist in a world you invented. They have no connection to any existing story.
- Fan characters (fancharacters) are original characters that live inside an existing world. For example, a new student at a famous fictional school, or a new member of a well-known team. The character is yours; the world isn't.
- Self-insert OCs are based on the creator, often an idealized or fictionalized version of themselves.
- Sonas are characters that represent the creator, like an avatar. People often make a sona as an animal, a fantasy creature or an anime-style version of themselves.
- Persona OCs are made for streaming or social media. VTubers and PNGTubers use an original character as their on-screen identity.
Common OC terms
- OC x canon: a pairing (usually romantic) between someone's OC and a character from an existing series.
- OC x OC: a pairing between two original characters, often from two different creators.
- Reference sheet (ref sheet): an image showing what an OC looks like from several angles, with colors and key details, so other artists can draw them accurately.
- OC template: a list of questions or fields (name, age, personality, backstory) used to develop a character. See our OC template and question list.
- Mary Sue / Gary Stu: a character who is unrealistically perfect, good at everything and loved by everyone. It's usually used as criticism.
- Adopt / adoptable: a character design that an artist sells or gives away for someone else to own and develop.
- "DNI" or "do not steal": a note asking others not to copy or reuse the character.
Why people create OCs
- Creative freedom. With an OC, you decide everything: looks, personality, history and fate.
- Practice. Designing an OC is a great way to practice drawing, writing and worldbuilding.
- Identity. Many people use an OC to express parts of themselves they don't usually show.
- Community. OC art trades, collaborations and "draw your OC as..." challenges are a big part of online art culture.
- Storytelling. Writers use OCs as the heart of their stories, comics and games.
How to make your own OC
You don't need to be an artist to make an OC. Start with an idea (our list of 100 OC ideas can help), then answer a few questions: what does your character want, what are they afraid of, and what makes them different? Our step-by-step guide on how to make an OC covers the rest.
If you'd like to see your character right away, describe them in the Character Creator and it will draw your OC and write a profile. Or roll a random one with the OC Generator.
Other meanings of OC
Depending on where you see it, "OC" can mean something else entirely:
- Orange County: a county in Southern California. "The OC" is also the name of a 2000s TV drama set there.
- Original content: on forums like Reddit, "OC" marks a post, photo or meme the poster made themselves.
- Overclocking: in PC gaming, "OC" means running a processor or graphics card faster than its default speed.
- OC spray: short for oleoresin capsicum, the active ingredient in pepper spray.
- Officer commanding: a military title in some countries.
If the context is art, writing, anime, fandom or roleplay, though, OC almost always means original character.
FAQ
What does OC mean in art?
In art, OC means "original character": a character the artist created rather than one from an existing series. "OC art" is artwork of an original character.
What does OC mean on TikTok and Instagram?
On social media, OC usually means original character too, especially in art, animation and roleplay posts. On meme pages, it can also mean "original content."
Is an OC the same as a self-insert?
Not always. A self-insert is an OC based on the creator. Many OCs have nothing to do with the person who made them.
Can an OC be from an existing anime or game world?
Yes. An original character placed in an existing world is usually called a fan character. The character is original, even though the setting belongs to someone else.
Who owns an OC?
Generally, the person who created the character. If you make an OC inside someone else's world, the character's design and personality are yours, but the world, names and other characters still belong to their owners.
