Naming my Races...

[Androxine Vortex]

I just started a new project (one I am very excited about!) and in the story there are no humans. All the races are different types of animals (with a little anthrophomorphic help) I want to come up with different names for my species and I don't want to just name them, "Wolf" or "Lizard."

For example, I was thinking of naming the different bird-like species, Avian, because avian means "bird-like." But I'm not sure what to name my other species. Here's some that I plan on including:

Reptile Family - Lizards, Snakes, Frogs/Toads,

Beast Family - Bull, Wolf, Fox,



These are the main two. I plan on having other animals like elephants and boars but I think they should get their own individual names, just not sure what.

And there is also an alliance called the "Vile Ones" which is an alliance of creatures who have been cursed by their misuse of dark magic. This includes Rats, Squids, Insects, etc. But again I want to be able for the reader to distinguish which Vile One my MC would be fighting. If I said that he killed a Vile One, then the reader wouldn't know if it was the rat-type or a bug. Sort of like you wouldn't say that everything in the ocean is a fish, that wouldn't be very descriptive. So I also need some help coming up with names for the rats and squids and insects.

I realize this is a lot to ask but I enjoy everyone's input on this forum so I thought hey why not? Let's see what ideas they can come up with! So thanks in advance for any help you can give me =)

 

[Ireth]

For your beast-type creatures, maybe Therian or something similar could work. Therion in Greek means "wild beast."

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I also came across another problem. Each species has their own culture so the wolves are based off nordic. My reptilian race is influenced from Aztec culture but I just learned that in Warhammer fantasy there is an army you can play as called the lizardmen and they are a reptilian race based off of inca and Aztec culture. Both of or designs even have the leaders of the race large toad like creatures. I of course am not trying to copy but do you think this is just too similar?

 

[wordwalker]

You could also name them descriptively: Scales, Tuskers, The Pack, and so on. I remember one tale that called wolves "Singers. The ones with fur."

This works best if you're careful to be clear which each is, and have just enough species that people can keep straight which is which. It's great fun to name snakes as Stalkers, but only if it stays clear that they're the only ones sneaky enough to deserve the name.