Name Generators

[GeekDavid]

I dunno about anyone else, but I have a heck of a lot of problem with names. I'm not sure why, it's just something I struggle with.

Two of the resources I use to help me with that are:

Fantasy Name Generator

And...

Fantasy name generators. Names for all your fantasy characters.

I know the second one looks like it's mostly for MMORPGs, but scroll down to the bottom and you'll find several very handy different sort of name generators, including one for taverns that gives names like:

The Obedient Dragon Bar
The Fragile Panda Inn
The Light Goose Tavern
The Swift Root Inn
The Known Beard
The Clean Demon Bar
The Handy Dragonfruit Inn
The Ghost Bats
The Pink Barracuda Tavern
The Spectacular Oak Pub

 

[Motley]

I use them, usually the ones at Seventh Sanctum.

Writing fantasy, I need a constant supply of names that sound like names but aren't really names. I do a lot of reloading until I find ones that make my character sit up and declare, 'Yes, that's me.'

 

[Ireth]

Oooh, those are fun. The Known Beard made me giggle.

 

[GeekDavid]

I use them, usually the ones at Seventh Sanctum.

Writing fantasy, I need a constant supply of names that sound like names but aren't really names. I do a lot of reloading until I find ones that make my character sit up and declare, 'Yes, that's me.'

Exactly what I do. One just says to me, "I'll fit," and I go with it.

 

[Edankyn]

Thanks a bunch for the post; these are great resources. I particularly enjoy how they allow name generation based upon a theme which adds some nice consistency when naming people from similar regions.

 

[GeekDavid]

Thanks a bunch for the post; these are great resources. I particularly enjoy how they allow name generation based upon a theme which adds some nice consistency when naming people from similar regions.

My pleasure. There are actually a bunch more out there on the web, these are just the two I find most useful.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I write urban fantasy, so I have a leg up, but when I turn my limited attention to our epic fantasy, I go old school - a major metropolitan phone book. Those things are gold mines! Just mess with the wording and you get the best fantast names out there. I also keep our names super simple. I hate fantasy names that require an pronunciation guide in the back of the book to understand.

 

[Motley]

I hate fantasy names that require an pronunciation guide in the back of the book to understand.

Oh, I agree complete. Save us from oddly-placed apostrophes too.

There's a big difference between Jly'nymik'ia and Broc, for example, who happens to be the main character in one of my novels.

 

[Lunaairis]

Chaotic shiny has a bunch of good name gens too.

 

[GeekDavid]

Chaotic shiny has a bunch of good name gens too.

Linky, sil vous plait?

 

[deilaitha]

Oh, I agree complete. Save us from oddly-placed apostrophes too.

Uh-oh....I have a character named Je'kahla. And the same culture she's in has a deity named Darhlav'j. The 'j(e)', affixed to a name, generally means 'of' or 'from.' The apostrophe designates that it is this affix as opposed to simply the letters.

Now I'm worried that it's too awkward. Granted, those are the only two frequently used names in my book.

My personal preference is to make up my own names. Sometimes I will just call a character by a 'temp' name until I think of one that is just right. In one WIP, I have a linguistic system set up for the cultures, along with with a rather limited lexicon. I use this to come up with names. I base them very loosely on an actual culture.

In my other WIP, I have one culture whose names are largely of Semitic derivation, while the other has a variety of names from Helenistic or Romance derivations.

I like my names to actually mean something--rather than just a name I picked out. However--I have been known to pick a name just because it felt right and sounded good, rather than meaning something.

Other times I just use English words. My favorite name from that category? Ordnance.

However, the name generator thing is pretty cool. I especially liked the tavern names.

 

[Edankyn]

Uh-oh....I have a character named Je'kahla

I don't think Je'kahla presents difficulty in pronunciation. I'd pronounce it as [Jay-kah-la] which is a very simple three syllable name. When I think of oddly placed apostrophes I think of names like N'fau or Ae'eithk. Any time that an apostrophe doesn't fit between the breaks in syllables or induces weird sound combinations it annoys me. Otherwise, if they are used on a relatively scarce basis I like the flavor they bring. Darhlav'j is a situation where I'm not really sold on the effectiveness of the apostrophe, but that's just one opinion.

 

[Edankyn]

Chaotic shiny has a bunch of good name gens too.

Linky, sil vous plait?

Chaotic Shiny - Writing and RPG-Related Generators

 

[GeekDavid]

If you think apostrophes are bad, how would you pronounce the name !Xabbu from Tad Williams' Otherland series?

 

[GeekDavid]

Chaotic Shiny - Writing and RPG-Related Generators

Merci boucoup.

 

[Edankyn]

Merci boucoup.

*merci beaucoup

 

[GeekDavid]

*merci beaucoup

It's been decades since I took French.

 

[Ireth]

If you think apostrophes are bad, how would you pronounce the name !Xabbu from Tad Williams' Otherland series?

I'd pronounce the ! as a click, which is how it is with various African languages. The X would have a Z sound, I would think.

 

[Lunaairis]

Oh sorry I forgot to paste the link XD

 

[Edankyn]

I'd pronounce the ! as a click, which is how it is with various African languages. The X would have a Z sound, I would think.

I was actually thinking the X would be pronounced like a Z but I didn't know what to make of the !. Trying to say it with a click is difficult for me, but it's better than anything I could think of.