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I don't know if this has ever been discussed before, but where do you get names from? Especially for homebrew worlds.
I used to just make stuff up that I though sounded cool. These days I try to get real names or at least derive something froma real name or two. For instance, if I want a region with an Egyption flavor, I'll get some names out of mythology stories or history books. I also found a great sight (sponsored by the U.N. I think) where they have modern maps of different countries and regions, all in PDF format. I like to take names off these maps.
Anyway, does anyone else have better sources.
I have compiled lists of words from different languages:
Elvish (Tolkien's - from a website)
Gaelic
Finnish
Swedish
Then I patch them together, and tweak the spelling - so when I name a village near the confluence of three rivers - I name it Three Rivers - but in a tweaked version of the of the style of the cultural theme of the region. Swords get names like Dancing Light or Winter's Edge depending on their properties - but again in a sort of fantasy version of the culture the region's culture is based on.
Hope thats useful to you.
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Wherever. I like to do crazy stuff like frinstance if I know somebody read a lot of Moorcock, I insist that I've never read any Stormbringer. Then, I start naming people Theleb or Zarozinia or Glumoon etc...etc...etc...til they catch on I'm full of crap.
Also I scour the Bible in the places where there's a long list of "so-and-so begat so-and-so"--they got some really weird names there.
Finally, I like to take obscure medical terms and tweak them into a weird name.
Seventh Sanctum. I print out a two-three page list of names and keep 'em handy for quick NPC names. Sometimes I'll jumble syllables together if I don't like what's on my list.
I've found that I have far too many "S" names in my campaign, though.
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I also found a great sight (sponsored by the U.N. I think) where they have modern maps of different countries and regions, all in PDF format. I like to take names off these maps.
Anyway, does anyone else have better sources.
Post a link please, I am interested.
I pull names from mostly fantasy novels that I have read. I also try to stay uniform with region so no "Jos the Thunderers", "Therip' del'Castrines", and "Robert Galinhands" originating in the same town.I think I remember a while back that Saern had posted his naming protocol in a very informative link that had several other good suggestions in it and that I liked it. Printed it out for my own usage and filed it somewhere in my Piles O' D&D Stuff. If I can find it I will try to find it in the archives and post a link. Hopefully Saern shows up and ends my horribly futile search before my "bulldog" mode kicks in and I become obsessed with finding it at the cost of tearing the house apart.
FH
Whenever I randomly see or hear a name that I like, I write it down in a notebook that I carry in my ever-present carrier bag.
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Our gaming group has problems. I usually end up a.) going to a random name generator site, b.) naming a character after somebody I know, or c.) just making up something that sounds cool. One guy in our group has even more trouble. One time, he finally asked the DM to give his character a name for him. However, the DM was not listening, and asked for a chair in Spanglish. The unfortunate player ended up with a 5th-level fighter named Necesito Un Chair.
-Mr. Shiny
Seventh Sanctum. I print out a two-three page list of names and keep 'em handy for quick NPC names. Sometimes I'll jumble syllables together if I don't like what's on my list.
I've found that I have far too many "S" names in my campaign, though.
With me, I have a weakness for "K" sounds, but I know what you mean... I don't know what it is, but... Kabruzz, Kayina, Q'uil Maya, Kalem and Koloth just seem to trip off the tongue. Thankfully the players haven't caught on yet..
I use a variety of sources for inspiration for NPC and character names, including mythology, literature and whatever bottle of wine (works great if you aren't drinking Yellow Tail) happens to be on the table... For my personal characters, I always try to find a name that is evocative of their concept, relying on foreign languages, homonyms & mythological or religious references to create a name which sounds original yet familiar. Trehn (pronounced Train) Elaison is my cleric of Farlanghn (travel) and Aspera L'Unastrell was an elf Cleric/Wizard/Mystic Theurge Astrologer, for instance...
I usually think of a language or culture in the real world, and then correspond it with one of my fantasy ones, and then anyone/anywhere from that culture is named either with a real name or a made-up name that has the same feel.
For example one of my main empires is like medieaval europe (knighst etc) but the language sounds like a sort of mix of Hebrew and Turkish/Arabic languages, so a person from there might be called Yitzhak or Jemal or have a made up name like Ghoja or Azhul. Like Heath said the bible is handy for these guys.
For Elves I just use the age old technique "make up a name that sounds like a princess with lots if "th" and "elle" sounds in it" eg. Allarielle, Katharion, etc. Lame I know but I've never had a player want to be an Elf so it hasn't been too much of an issue.
Dwarves I use medieaval/dark ages Germanic sounding names. The Siegfried saga and the Song of Roland are handy for that. I just tweak em a bit, for example there is a duergar wizard in the current adventure called Kron Hagenog.
I try to use descriptive names if I can for places and swords and stuff, but I go the asian route rather than a european one, so a magic sword might be called "Three Storm's Fury" rather than something like "Foe Slayer." I just think it sounds more exotic.
I draw from similar inspirations like several above posters. George RR Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire is also wonderful- many characters, medieval sound to them, various cultures. He likes to take a common name and tweak it to sound archaic (or D&D-ish): Tommen, Gregor, Eddard, Davos (Tom, Greg, Edward, Dave). Neat idea'r.
I have compiled lists of words from different languages:
Elvish (Tolkien's - from a website)
Gaelic
Finnish
SwedishThen I patch them together, and tweak the spelling - so when I name a village near the confluence of three rivers - I name it Three Rivers - but in a tweaked version of the of the style of the cultural theme of the region. Swords get names like Dancing Light or Winter's Edge depending on their properties - but again in a sort of fantasy version of the culture the region's culture is based on.
Hope thats useful to you.
Hehee, coming across those Finnish names is always funny, like in that Finnish Village in one of the computer games, was it Icewind Dale? or 2?
Then again, I do the same thing. Welsh and Gaelic are nice languages, and I have also used Bulgarian. In recognizable language calling a dark forest Dark Forest sounds silly, but change it into Bulgarian and it sounds cooler.
I'm really, really particular about "cool" names. I usually end up sitting there at character creation in games between 20 and 30 minutes just typing random stuff until I get a name I really like. When trying to think of names for lots of places or for people though, it turns into too much of a hassle (And doesn't turn out as well.) Here are some sites you might find interesting:
Sacred Texts Archive
One of my favorite sites I found at random (I like reading a bunch of old stories just because sometimes.) It's got almost every kind of religious/creation/ancient texts you can think of.
Medieval Sourcebook
A link to the Medieval Sourcebook -- Everything dealing with the medieval time frame.
Icelandic Sagas
Link to the Icelandic Sagas Heathansson was talking about (although you can find them in the Sacred Texts Archive too).
Behind the Name Random Name Generator
And this is the random name generator I use a lot. It actually has quite a number of different cultures/peoples you can choose from (and some random humorous ones, too).
Hope that helps.
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Behind the Name Random Name Generator
And this is the random name generator I use a lot. It actually has quite a number of different cultures/peoples you can choose from (and some random humorous ones, too).
That's the same random name generator I use. I have used it to come up with Shadowrun names because... well, I don't know. BUT IT WORKED! I also use it for Celtic-themed characters and campaigns. It's a good site.
On another note, I know a guy from Sweden, who now lives in the states, who uses random Swedish phrases as verbal spell components. He once cast 'fireball' by saying "The leg of the table, it stands uon the floor!" in Swedish.
-Mr. Shiny