27 replies to this topic

[Sharess]

http://www.elvish.org/elm/names.html
Has few links which were quite good -- Don't let the name fool you, it linked a Common name dB also.

http://www.chriswetherell.com/elf/
I thought I had seen a direct translator in my travels, this is it.

http://www.barrowdow...leearthname.asp
Is quite interesting also. Gives Elven, Hobbit, Dwarven, Orcish and Adûnaic (?) names.

[Zandilar]

Heya,

Since I'm here, I may as well mention it...

The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting has a list of common first names and surnames on page 12, for pretty much all races and all the major regions. It wouldn't be good to overuse the table, but it does give you an idea of what names sound like in the various regions.

I might also add that the FRCS is a good resource for most aspiring mod makers, because it has a very good overview of the Realms, providing history and flavour for the various regions. Current game year is 1372 DR, the BG saga occurs during 1369 DR.

[khay]

Generators:

• Seventh Sanctum
  
• The Cave
  
• EPOSIC Roleplaying
  
• The Demonweb
  
• Tails Pro Productions

Have fun!

[kingkiller]

Another useful tip for names is to pronounce it first, then write it down how think it would be spelled. This can be better than bashing on the keyboard, saying that's the name, and just making up a pronounciation for it even if anybody else who looks at the name can't see where you got that pronounciation.

That's all I have to say.

Signing off,

Kingkiller

[Rastor]

The name can be either given or defined by the actions. Most individuals in Sigil do not go by their true name as anyone that discovers it can control the individual.

[Mr Ennigma]

Myself I'll sometimes use anagrams (rearrange the letters in a word). Can't recall a character name I've used it for recently but I do recall a Ravenloft domain whose name I used it to create.
Insanity to Synintia

[crazyhybrid9999]

whats a good goblin name

[Lady LeFay]

I tend to let my character's action/story give credence to their name.

And dig through literature and babyname databases.

[Alandrea]

I tend to pick a letter and then use whatever comes to mind and rolls off the tongue. Probably not a good way to do it for most people but it works pretty well for me.

T ... Tamphora

[Chevar]

I tend to pick a letter and then use whatever comes to mind and rolls off the tongue. Probably not a good way to do it for most people but it works pretty well for me.

T ... Tamphora

The problem with doing that is the way the human mind works. there is the natural tendency to do word associations, sound patterns while making the name.. and some twisted pests like myself will look to see what words went into it..

Word association; Tamp(on)Hora(-a+e)

Sound Pattern; Tame-flora

If you can do it it's a great method, but always check for words that will be easily picked out. one of the characters in my novel falls into both categories.. but he's has the name for too long to change it..

Word association; Sad-A-Car

Then again as long you can pronounce it you're ahead of the game..stay away from names that are way out there, like in some novels I've read with names like "arijeaxarim"....

Edited by Chevar, 31 August 2004 - 11:02 PM.

[Deva]

I usually think up a 3/4 letter nickname first, then elaborate it. for example..

'Seg' - 'Segro' - 'Segroath' - 'Segroatha'

Again, not a particularly good strategy, but it seems to work.

[Deva]

it also has to fit the char class Mysteria the well-known barbarian

Or...

THE ALL POWERFUL, OMNI-POTENT, LEGENDARY ARCHMAGE...

Durk.

[Lady LeFay]

you can also use words and flip them around Dracula Alucard Vecna Ancev
note: this only works for some words Mage Egam looks strange Edwin Niwde is scary

I used that method before, though mostly for silly things like the Minuibi race I created.

Damien = Neimad, a rather rough sounding name, not too impossible to prounce.

But in the case of Palindrones such as Kilik and Eve, if possible, I scrambled them instead.

For example:
K i l i k

can be Likki, Kikil, Liikk, or Likil. Note: Scramble works best if there's 4 letters or more.

in my case, I would chose Likki, and a more 'asiatic' prounecation (Lee-KEY rather then Lick-ki as it somes approx.) for a character.

Edwin... hm, Deiwn, Wedin, Widne, Weind, Diwen, Nedwi, Dewin, etc.