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Archpaladin Zousha
2015-06-16, 12:52 AM
I've got a character I'm working on, and I want to give him a cool name. He's for the Pathfinder Campaign Setting.

This character is a Kellid, a human ethnicity with overtones of various barbarian peoples like the Germanic and Celtic tribes of Europe. More simplistically, they're the "Conan the Barbarian" people of the setting, Robert E. Howard's Cimmerians and his version of the Picts with Bran Mak Morn being major inspirations for them according to the developers.

Here's what the setting books say about Kellid naming conventions:

"Kellid names often sound brusque and harsh, with guttural sounds and hard consonants. Usually consisting of no more than two syllables, Kellid names are brief by necessity. In the unforgiving and violent wastes of the North, the half-second it takes to bark a Kellid name can often mean the difference between survival and death. Kellids make little use of second names within their own communities, though renowned figures can earn descriptive titles befitting their deeds and accomplishments. Traditionally, Kellid children are unnamed until they survive their first winter" (People of the North 6).

The catch is that I'm interested in using a name from Celtic mythology that sounds nothing like what's described above: Belenus, a Celtic god of light associated with the Beltane spring celebration.

What I want to do is take the name "Belenus" and Kellidize it, if you will, make it more harsh and quick to say, while still being somewhat recognizable as its root form.

Any suggestions?

Karl Aegis
2015-06-16, 06:49 AM
I believe the name you are looking for is "Bennis".

Brother Oni
2015-06-16, 07:09 AM
I believe the name you are looking for is "Bennis".

I'd personally go for a harder ending sound.

Some quick etymology checking indicates that 'bel' means 'bright', so the name should include that.

Bellik?
Belgar?
Belro?

AxeAlex
2015-06-16, 08:23 AM
Belnus, Belrus, Belkus, Belnur
ou
Belnos, Belros, Belkos, Belnor

Or any other variants.

Karl Aegis
2015-06-16, 08:42 AM
They call him "Belnk"

Maybe Belns.

Steampunkette
2015-06-16, 09:10 AM
B, P, and V all have a similar vocal structure.

Valkan
Pelgen
Bolgar

Or bring it down to a single syllable.

Volk.
Besc.
Pelt.

You could shift Beltane into a surname, as well. I think Kellids have those.

Maglubiyet
2015-06-16, 09:21 AM
Balgh

Blenz

Quild
2015-06-16, 10:02 AM
There is a not very well defined link between Belenus and Grannus. They may be the same entity.

If it's more the entity that the name itself that interests you, maybe you could have something more "kellid" with Grannus. And if you don't want it to rhyme with Uranus, you can go with the Celtic name "Grannos" rather than the latin name.

Bard1cKnowledge
2015-06-16, 03:43 PM
Belkar, and that's all I got

Jay R
2015-06-16, 09:37 PM
Belkar, and that's all I got

I think we're done here.

FabulousFizban
2015-06-18, 07:37 PM
Guts Brohard

GungHo
2015-06-19, 08:33 AM
Dave Ryder

Gracht Grabmaw
2015-06-19, 10:20 AM
Make it a brawler and call him Bellator.

Steampunkette
2015-06-19, 02:28 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFHlJ2voJHY

Tentreto
2015-06-19, 02:42 PM
I'd go for Belet, or Bellet? One of those depending on pronounciation.

Princess
2015-06-21, 11:43 PM
Guts Brohard

Guts Brohard is now my favorite name ever. I shall play him in my next game.

veti
2015-06-21, 11:59 PM
Belt Anus.

Has to be said with a totally straight face, obviously. Just dare them to make something of it.