Picking a good character name

GrabtharsHammer

Human names are easy enough, and one can always google the culture they are feeling.


Hear is just a small list of tools (that I have found) for non-human. What are yours?

Elves:

http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/vortexshadow/names.html


Drow:

http://drowcampaign.roleplaynexus.com/drowlanguage.html

Some of mine: Kel'drin, Shri'tana, Dil'ithra, Zar'zyne


Gnome:

http://fantasynamegenerators.com/dnd-gnome-names.php#.VF6kMPldUk0


Half pint: (Halfling)

http://fantasynamegenerators.com/dnd-halfling-names.php#.VF6lSfldUk0


Dwarves: (The other pint)

http://dwarf.namegeneratorfun.com/


Orcish:

http://fantasynamegenerators.com/orc_names.php#.VF6k2PldUk0

JuliusBorisov

A wonderful coverage, thanks for sharing!

I also use http://abarothsworld.com/roleplay.htm - here you can generate dwarven, elven and orcish names

And, of course, we have http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article5.asp?x=dnd/dx20010202b - Character Name Generator from the WoTC

Jarrakul

These days, I tend to use baby name sites for everyone but elves. Do a culture search, filter by gender, and take a wander through some names. http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/ is the one I generally use. Warning, though, as it likes making sound.

Nonnahswriter

Two of my favorite name-generators are Seventh Sanctum and Behind the Name. Sanctum's not just for characters either, but offers lots of world-building tools like magic spells, kingdoms, fantastical species, and even tavern names!

Elrandir

I self-create 99.9999% of all my character's names. (occasionally I'll use a name generator when I'm feeling particularly out of it.) I've always had a relatively good sense of phonics, languages, and cultural naming differences, so I just come up with my own names. I do tend to draw inspiration from various printed sources on names. What's truly interesting is trying to identify someone else's naming source. For instance, orcs have several different "styles" of naming traditions, depending on the series.

Examples:

Lord of the Rings: Ratbag, Snotlout

World of Warcraft: Bloodtusk, Doomaxe

The Elder Scrolls: Org-g'thar, Shal-gra-muzgob

I personally tend towards The Elder Scroll's method of naming things (specifically orcs) as I have more experience with it, but I find it interesting to see where others draw their inspiration from.

deltago

I am generally lazy and just recycle names I like.

However, if I am looking to create an unique name, I take a common word and twist it sounds around until it becomes unrecognizable but still phonetically coherent.

For example the last name I created was Oafle derived from waffle.

jackjack

My recent favorite is Flashtender, my Gnome Illusionist/Thief.

kcwise

One quick way to create a name is to use a common name from our world and then just change a letter or two. Jason could become Jasyn or Jasin for instance. Throw in the popular random apostrophe and you get Ja'syn. It works with last names too. Replacing more than one letter or adding another small word to the name can yield interesting results as well. Fatesyn, Jasember, Warsin.

Another way is to draw the names from descriptive words. So, for example, if I had a valiant mage who was fond of conjuring I would start with Valiant Conjurer and then fiddle a bit to get Valiar Conjurmorn.

Just making things up out of thin air is fun too.

wubble

kcwise said:

One quick way to create a name is to use a common name from our world and then just change a letter or two. Jason could become Jasyn or Jasin for instance. Throw in the popular random apostrophe and you get Ja'syn. It works with last names too. Replacing more than one letter or adding another small word to the name can yield interesting results as well. Fatesyn, Jasember, Warsin.

Another way is to draw the names from descriptive words. So, for example, if I had a valiant mage who was fond of conjuring I would start with Valiant Conjurer and then fiddle a bit to get Valiar Conjurmorn.

Just making things up out of thin air is fun too.

I often use the names of characters similar to my roleplaying from books I have read.

Redrake

I never used name generators, except perhaps for NWN 1&2 when I felt bored. Building character names is quite easy IMO. I also never use character names from books (but I did find out that some of the characters I invented were already imagined by some author).
I do use names from other older games. I find that the names from Lords of Midnight (one of the best games ever created) are quite good to be used in IE games. Same for the names used in Majesty and Heroes of Might&Magic (2 or 3, it matters little).

Aureol

Like Elrandir, I generally make all my names myself; it just doesn't feel like my character if I don't. Some names are just whatever sounds cool (Dmirio and Rahamas), but others have meaning (Sulsaris - sol (sun) saris (sear or sword), Lavinia (lavendar)). Usually, if I hit a road-block, I'll go for the latter method; pick a few things that describe the nature of my character and corrupt the words into names.

Son_of_Imoen

A favourite name-generator of mine is the Everchanging Book of Names:

http://ebon.pyorre.net/

It's a program that generates names from one of 12 cultures to choose from, ranging from several Tolkien languages to Finnish, Latin and Arthurian cultures among others. There's an option to choose what letter the name should start with. A downside is, there's extensive help in the Windows Help format which isn't part of Windows Vista or later, but you can download it from Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=91

Another favourite way of mine to find a name, is using the search function of the Encyclopedia Mythica to find gods, goddesses and other mythical characters that have traits I intend my character to have, such as the vengeful goddess Sakhmet giving her name to my most recent BG:EE Charname who's a female Avenger:

http://www.pantheon.org/

Aerich

I like to use names that fit the roleplaying theme of the character, and are easily identifiable for me in the feedback window as the action takes place. If 'Sneaky Sam' is taking damage, I know immediately that I have a problem, because he's the thief in the back row - I don't have to think which name belongs to which character. Sorcerors may be Electra, Ember, etc.

I also sometimes use superhero names (e.g. Colossus, Nightcrawler) and names of fictional, historical or mythological entities (e.g. Leonidas, Artemis).

Skatan

Aureol said:

(snip)
.. pick a few things that describe the nature of my character and corrupt the words into names.

^- This.

I like making words or phrases into names, basing the name on the RP perspective of my intended char:

Ava Rice (avarice, duh!): a F/T or kit thief, NE, with a greed for gold and power way beyond the normal adventurer.
Ace Anine (asinine, duh again!): a complete nitwit, CN ofc and completely wtihout wisdom. Can't really take a single logical decision. Relies heavily on the judgement and counceling from the likes of Jaheira.
Cad Rake (each word has it's own meaning, both associated with rogue-like behaviour): My ûber-charming blade, a master of everything (in his own eyes, and quite a few ladies as well) yet also deceitful and scheeming. I believe "Cad" is used exaclty the same for "Cad Bane", a character in the star wars clone wars, though I did come up with it before I saw that show.
Slaizen Dice (slice and dice): a half-orc F/T focusing on dualweilding sword and dagger.
ser Penthe Poysonne: My assassin/mage's alias, meaning of course Serpent Poison. It's his alias and his focus is on poison and vemons. His magery is mostly to augment his thief skills and, in my RP, for brewing pots, potions and poisons etc. He has an unhealthy obsession for snakes and serpents and I imagine him having a french accent.

Elrandir

@Skatan It's funny you should mention that ser Penthe Poysonne has a french accent, because as soon as I saw the name I thought of the french word for fish; Poisson. =p

Skatan

Haha, @Elrandir, I had no idea it meant fish! That's so funny. Maybe he should be fishmonger instead of a potion brewer then

Elrandir

@Skatan Well maybe that can be your IWD version of him then. =p #Easthavenhumour

Skatan

That's hilarious! I wish I had an equally funny and snappy comeback, alas I don't.

dunbar

There are name generators??? Nothing so sophisticated for me - I just pick the name of a wild animal whose traits I feel most represent my character and then if I want it feel a bit 'exotic' I translate it into either French or Afrikaans.