Naruzeldamaster
Maester
Yeah, even fantasy cultures run out of names eventually, so they might just call their kid sarah or wayne.
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English names in a fantasy novel
- Thread starter Adalind
- Start date
Finchbearer
Istar
I just love the fact that in Dune, epic sprawling cerebral sci-fi, the chosen one is called Paul. There’s also Duncan Idaho.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
Phonetically, I dont think its a stretch to think a far away culture might come up with sounds like Sam and Tom, and use them for names. But...fantasy names don't run out. No need to be lazy.
Using real world names in some places can pull one out of the story. For the most part, they are unlikely in far away cultures.
Using real world names in some places can pull one out of the story. For the most part, they are unlikely in far away cultures.
D. Gray Warrior
Sage
I think some resemblance to English names are inevitable since humans can only produce so many sounds and arrange syllables is so many ways.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a character named "Ben", since /b/, /e/, and /n/ are pretty common sounds in many languages, and the consonant+vowel+consonant arrangement is pretty common for syllables.
So, that doesn't necessarily mean it's short for "Benjamin," in that world.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a character named "Ben", since /b/, /e/, and /n/ are pretty common sounds in many languages, and the consonant+vowel+consonant arrangement is pretty common for syllables.
So, that doesn't necessarily mean it's short for "Benjamin," in that world.
Naruzeldamaster
Maester
I think it's more of a setting thing personally, and a culture thing, in universe I mean. Never mind how long the cultures have been around (in universe) and how modernized it is both in setting and culture.
I'm not sure what setting OP is writing in, but in something like 'fantasy steam punk Europe with magic and dragons' I wouldn't be THAT thrown to see some modern European names thrown in.
Names to me are like Swears, though they have a different use than them. I won't be writing a Zelda or Skyrim story and having a 'bob' or 'jill' because it doesn't fit the setting. But in something like Harry Potter a character who was born/raised in the non magic world would have a 'regular' name and it wouldn't throw me.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
Great, says the muse for Jill, Guess I'm not needed here. 
xena
Sage
I won't care at all if the story is good.
DreamerI think names are not a problem in any case, as long as they are not long and complicated to read.
Josh2Write
Banned
Elaine and Edward are both older names, so having them in a fantasy setting already feels natural.
Naruzeldamaster
Maester
So if the main villain is named Sir Fart, the second wind you won't be thrown?
After all, it's the silent ones that are the most deadly...
What I'm finding fascinating is that we're tying "normal" and "regular" with English-sounding names.
And yes, in the new trilogy we're working on, we have the Carandi Family; Arik, Caianna, Deamon, Tyrell, and Briar. I'm finding that, with their culture, threading the needle between Actually English and Could Be English is a comfortable setting.
And yes, in the new trilogy we're working on, we have the Carandi Family; Arik, Caianna, Deamon, Tyrell, and Briar. I'm finding that, with their culture, threading the needle between Actually English and Could Be English is a comfortable setting.
Prince of Spires
Istar
One thing I try to keep in mind when coming up with a name for a main character is that I will be typing it a lot. And that's fine if you have a Bob or an Arik, but if my protagonist is called SplorkFlorkl, then first I will start feeling silly typing it after the first page, and second being that long and weird will become annoying to type very quickly. Same with a name like Az'rAhgT'ch. Were there 2 or 3 capitals in there? Where did the appostrophy go again?
Yes, ease of typing might not be the most literary of reasons for a name, but it sure makes life a lot easier if you plan on typing something a billion times.
Another thing to keep in mind is the Tiffany problem, which is that some historically correct things can still feel wrong to an audience. Such as the name Tiffany. Which stems either from the 1200's (for the French version) or the 1600's (for the English version), but which feels like a modern name to most people and so would feel out of place in a medieval setting.
So pick a name that feels right and like it belongs and that is easy enough to type, and go with that.
Yes, ease of typing might not be the most literary of reasons for a name, but it sure makes life a lot easier if you plan on typing something a billion times.
Another thing to keep in mind is the Tiffany problem, which is that some historically correct things can still feel wrong to an audience. Such as the name Tiffany. Which stems either from the 1200's (for the French version) or the 1600's (for the English version), but which feels like a modern name to most people and so would feel out of place in a medieval setting.
So pick a name that feels right and like it belongs and that is easy enough to type, and go with that.
Alt Codes~ Mistakes were made. Actually had to replace a new keyboard for lack of a ten-key.
Damn the 80's.
Karlin
Sage
You are limited by the alphabet you use. Can you write clicking sounds? Or a tonal system?
Naruzeldamaster
Maester
Personally I'm considering all 'modern' names, when I use them. Though as English is my native tongue ye, I have a preference for those. One could also argue that we're doing this cause it's an English speaking forum.
I have a couple of characters with French and Chinese sounding names, but they're still fantasy based because they're made up.
Sometimes I will go the silly route and translate a random word into that language and use that as a name. Though I mostly only do that if it fits the character.
Yes. Don't let my wife see me type this, but yes. I even know the right symbols to use. I have hax. I married a linguist.
I wouldn't call that silly. You have the sound and the flavor of your world, so that's actually a good place to start. The names Caianna and Deamon came from that part of my brain and they're still holding strong. So does their family name, Carandi, which replaces one I stole from an Independence, Missouri white pages in the early 90's, but someone published first. It's okay. I only sat on it for 30 years. No problem.
The name was "Dameron."
Naruzeldamaster
Maester
It really depends on the word I use. And the world my characters live in.
My DND Dwarf is a tall dwarf (who I may never get to use cause I can't find a group lol) and his name is Japanese for short. Part of the bit is that he's still a fair bit shorter than most human races, he's just tall for dwarfs. He has a pickaxe that doubles as a samurai sword when he removes the sheath.
Though it isn't directly translated from real world languages. One of my characters names is Eolas, and depending on which elf species you ask, translates to A/many Century or Blacksmith. Which works, because he's a few centuries old and he's a blacksmith lol
Main character from Hound and Fox is a Kitsune who has immense talent for magic despite her lack of tails(Kitsune with more than one tail are considerably powerful compared to those with just one) and her name is literally just 'magic' in Japanese.
The Male lead roleplays as a spy (including but not limited to, humming his own theme, ala Kronk) when he's robbing stuff, and his name is literally Spy Man in French.
I don't use the 'technique' often because if you use it for every character in the story it starts to feel 'lazy' (at least for me) but when it works it works. It works good for theming but I wouldn't recommend doing it for EVERY character in the book.
TheKillerBs
Maester
In MTG's OG plane Dominaria, you've got humans named Liliana, Jared, and Kristina side by side with others like Urza and Jaya. And then there's Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar. I'd say don't sweat the names too hard.
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