Initialize **char array with known size in C

I want to initialize an array of strings such that the object is the type **char.

I know that I can do this via:

char **my_array = malloc( 3 * sizeof(char*));
for (int i = 0; i < (3); i++) {
   my_array[i] = malloc(10 * sizeof(char));
}

sprintf(my_array[0], "first");
sprintf(my_array[1], "second");
sprintf(my_array[2], "third");

But it seems really cumbersome, especially because the strings are set before I compile. Is there a way to get (specifically a char ** type) with syntax more like:

char ** my_array = {"first", "second", "third"};

So that I have the property: printf(my_array[0]); returns first?

>Solution :

Assuming the strings are fixed, you want an array of const char *:

const char *my_array[] = {"first", "second", "third"};