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I'm in a campaign that's taking a detour to a region based on medieval China. I'm going to be starting a character native to the region, and it's likely she'll be a druid.
I know next to squat about Chinese names. I'm looking for something (a) evocative of the culture, (b) more easily pronounced than any rude false cognates, (c) appropriate for a high-forest druid.
Help?
Chinese names follow a structured naming pattern. I think if you look it up on Wikipedia it will give you some good names. Perhaps what you're looking for it more appropriate as a title or epithet? The problem is getting the Chinese translation. I managed to find the meanings of some Chinese symbols by googling for images. There are online translation sites to (Babelfish for one) that as long as you can download the language pack will translate back and forth.
I'm looking for something (a) evocative of the culture, (b) more easily pronounced than any rude false cognates, (c) appropriate for a high-forest druid.
I wouldn't worry about something being unrealistic when it comes to Chinese names. I have had many students with odd names. Some unique ones have been Tarzan, Monkey, Pudding, Buzz Lightyear, and Shrek. I have had so many Apples and Nemos that I have lost count.
I would just pick something you like in English and find a simple translation for it. I would just translate the words directly. You will end up with a two or three syllable/character name that will sound real enough and should satisfy your three requirements.
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I know next to squat about Chinese names. I'm looking for something (a) evocative of the culture, (b) more easily pronounced than any rude false cognates, (c) appropriate for a high-forest druid.
A useful list of Chinese names and naming conventions.
Girls are traditionally given names with meanings associated with grace, beauty and gentleness such as huan - beautiful, mei - enchanting, hu - flower, -ting - graceful, feng - phoenix, ring or yin - silver, although this custom is becoming less common.
Sample name elements; (pick two)
Hong - red
Hua - flower
Lian - lotus
Li - beautiful
Mei - beautiful
De - virtuous
Hua - magnificant
Qin/Chin - musical instrument
Qing - blue
Min - sensitive
Shu - good
Wan - beautiful
Xia - cloud
Xiao - small
Ying - flower
Zhi - ambitious
Yue - moon
Yin Yue - silver moon, Li Feng - beautiful phoenix, Qing Hua - blue flower, Xia Lian - cloud lotus, etc.
Then just pick a last name from the list on the site, or, when I can't find the Onamastikon (it vanishes every now and then), I go breeze over some news stories about Chinese officials and pick a name that appeals to me. (Or go to the CIA World Factbook and look at the names listed under current parliamentary leaders and such.)
Once you've picked a surname or family name, say Chen, that name goes first. So Chen Yin Xue could be the name of the druidess, Chen being her family name, and Yin Xue being her personal name.
Ha! I actually played a kickass Barbarian Druid once in a Chinese style campaign. His name was Hei Lang (The Black Wolf). Good times. He was such a badass!
Ha! I actually played a kickass Barbarian Druid once in a Chinese style campaign.Hi, Nic. I was hoping you might stop by this thread. What kind of name would you recommend, using terms like world-, nature-, or life- agent?
The five agencies are always winners for a character in touch with nature:
Huo - fire
Jin - metal
Shui - water
Mu - wood
Tu - earth
Maybe mix em with an animal
Lang - wolf
Hu - tiger
Xing - eagle
Xiong - bear
Ma - horse
Long - dragon
Hou - monkey
She - snake
Colors are always fun too:
Hong - red
Hei - black
Huang - yellow
Lan - blue
Lu - green
Yin - silver
Maybe some other feature of nature:
Shu - tree
Shi - stone
Jiang - river
Hai - ocean
Tian - sky
Yun - cloud
Ying - shadow
Xue - snow
Yu - rain (a similar sound is Jade)
Those are some suggestions for ya off hand Chris.
BLACK WOLF FOEVA SUCKAS! He was really cool, he fought unarmed all the time (egads I love Improved Unarmed Strike). He was trying to wrestle control of his tribe back from his brother (now an insidious were-tiger!). Oh, their battles! They clashed three times before I finally broke him over my knee and hurled him from a cliff...he'll be back! If I ever play that character again!
Hmm.
I have a friend named Jin Li. Does that mean beautiful metal, or is there some other complication? I suppose I could just ask her.
Oh it could mean lots and lots of things. Li is one of the most common sounds in Chinese. It is a surname, it also means strength, rites, propriety, and lots more.
Jin also means many things: Gold, metal, a catty, close, tight, etc.
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Contributor
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Hmm.
I have a friend named Jin Li. Does that mean beautiful metal, or is there some other complication? I suppose I could just ask her.
I imagine it depends on the characters used to spell her name. IIRC, Chinese has like 30,000 (thirty THOUSAND) different characters.
Also, what Nick said, because he knows better than me.
Also, this thread just keeps getting better and better. ^_^