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Prometheus
2007-10-22, 09:03 PM
Many people use real world names for their characters (Cassandra, Jacob etc) and English phrases for their nations (Hope Peak, Rivermoon etc) but I find the names that are obscure, pseudolatin, or gibberish especially interesting. What creative names have you used?

PCs
Sherudon - halfling thief
Raidon - homosexual sorcerer
Harlan - hedonistic bard
Toghon - overambitious monk
Rarbak - headstrong minotaur barbarian
Treglor - impulsive fighter
Celestia - OCD pixie
Rajal - weretiger monk
Lyriel - decietful arcane trickster
Aislyn - morally grey vampiress
Zee - paranoid half-goblin

NPCs
Mief - genie nomad leader
Strombach - noble centaur
Veraflora - superstitious dryad
Thurston - troll desperate for help
Sariah - manipulative sorceress queen
Farduk - imperialistic desert King
Halburon - genocidal cleric
Arkanos - elitist sorcerer
Bezier - human wizard in love with elf
Vorjitsu - cunning efreeti
Brasteroff - crime lord
Idor - loyal thug
Ixxine - enslaved bodyguard covered in deadly traps
Captain Caret - strict guard captain
Torsha - savage goblin trapper
Goris -vengeful cyclobian psychic warrior
Lazerus - wizard who sees his death
Izereggle - elderly reclusive noble
Sizirik - aged war veteran

Places
Raulknorf - peace-loving dwarven town
Nezerviah - mystic nomad encampment
Morj-Gar-Hum - imperialistic giant fortress
Khedvort - gold mines worked by kobolds
Indocaribia - merchant archipelago
Brasteroff City (also NPC) - gambling metropolis
Lasalam - peaceful elven village
Hultang - Dwarven tollpoint
Doonrapt - goblin reservation
Talariel - aristocratic real estate
Flumrum - deep underground gnomes
Riozak - constantly burning fire elven carnival
Hazeraba - spiritual gnolls
Akhaller - religous and imperialistic
House Teardant - human farmland
House Makivo - poor city of conscripts
House Sizirik (also NPC) - soldier fortress

Azerian Kelimon
2007-10-22, 09:14 PM
The forum name. Translated from an ancient language known as Thyreeiel, it means "Master Of Valor". After his darkest hour, however, he changed it to Kelrain, which transforms it into "Master Of Self".

DraPrime
2007-10-22, 09:20 PM
I have a name that I often use depending on the race/class of my character. All druid characters of mine have been called "Brelsan" after the first character that I ever played, who just happened to be a druid. Most human characters get "Vrast." It makes things simple, and sometimes I combine two of my already existing names so that no one says "Dan, is it that hard to not make a druid called Brelsan?"

Weirdlet
2007-10-22, 09:34 PM
I had a pretty-boy sorcerer called "Aden", which is a Hebrew name for 'adorned'

Sucrose
2007-10-22, 10:02 PM
I'm rather fond of extensive use of freetranslation.com for words that embody the character, then smashing the resultant words together in a linear accelerator, and seeing what pops out, along with occasionally just messing with a single word so it sounds better. So far, I have

Rana Fahren- a cleric who functions more as a knight (Good & War domains)
Kras Eagley- Tiger Claw swordsage
Rauger Faulheit- arrogant, lazy battle sorcerer with a taste for personal combat
Orn Hauk- orcish duskblade

Nonah_Me
2007-10-22, 10:18 PM
I bought a book of 80,000 baby names from goodwill about three weeks ago. Whenever I feel that a name is too generic or blah sounding, I go look in that book. Usually I pick and choose from there if I don't have something in mind.

BardicDuelist
2007-10-22, 10:20 PM
My favorite character is named Sevar de Tel'Valun.

Sevar is losely based on the Latin word for "save." "De" means of in French. "Tel" is a prefex for Elven, which we use in our world to denote anything which is Elven. "Valun" is a made up word comprised of Vale and On, which is supposed to have the connotation of sunset and thus twilight. The name thus means "Savior of the Elven Twilight."

In our world, many elves were leaving the world, and many who remained were being corrupted by a scheme by Graz'zt. Sevar was the son of Graz'zt (and a Fey'ri). He was prophicied to either bring about the destruction of the elven race, or help it regain its former greatness. He ended up doing the latter when he defeated an aspect of Graz'zt and later Graz'zt himself.

Normally though, I just use names of characters changed slightly or backwards.

Revlio Queensman- an archer based on Green Arrow (Olliver Queen)
Faustian Marlow- Warlock who frequently makes pacts with devils and tries to fing loopholes.

....
2007-10-22, 10:27 PM
I use real names or names that derive from real names.

I hate when people just make up gibberish names (unless they're gnomes) that aren't pronucable, like Ulywenvvendyle or something.

My character names:

Asher Vane - cowardly wizard
Ashley Khan - evil master swordsman
Evard - evil dark-knight
Gideon - evil evoker
Zane - evil mastermind
Willam Darkbow - heroic elven ranger
Theradin Oakhunter - reclusive scholar
Alion - orphaned teenage monk
Cindel - spunky abjurer
Tassandra - succibus
Phaeton Ral - blind warrior

BardicDuelist
2007-10-22, 10:30 PM
I hate when people just make up gibberish names (unless they're gnomes) that aren't pronucable, like Ulywenvvendyle or something.



I enjoy Welsh mythology, thank you. :smallwink:
I know what you mean though. I try to spell things phonetically, at least.

pseudovere
2007-10-22, 11:01 PM
Heh...I have a notepad file where I go on random splurges of gibberish name generation.

Anyway, the used ones I can remember:

Austius(campaign continent)
Zaishi(benevolent overlord of doom)
Tajis(constantly diseased healer)
Valn(ADHD thief/illusionist)
Choth(evil yet dead megalomaniac wizard, historical figure)
Nierus(Choth's ex-capital city)
Basitus(most powerful city state)
Ithril(pyromaniac, ichthyphobic, chainsmoking fire mage "I'm not addicted to smoking, just burning things!")
Osner(head chairperson of mage city)
Anj(telekinetic spirit/human hybrid)
Ayara(violent chain fighter)
Protea(crazy shapeshifter person)

The Extinguisher
2007-10-22, 11:32 PM
I use a variety of name styles, depending on race and whatnot.

Amy Talin (Succubus Rogue)
Kain Surron (Human Paladin)
Zex (Demon)
Selindë Undomiél (Winged Elf Bard)
Hokégaro (Demon Barbarian)
Kaila Monastan (Human Paladin)
Enin Narrin (Human Necromancer)
Adrian Narrin (Human Gangster)
Axel (Human Fighter)
Zy (Ilithid Paladin)

For the most part, I just make it up as I go along.

Swooper
2007-10-23, 04:28 AM
I agree, I much prefer pseudo-gibberish/altered real world names over real world ones - helps set the mood for the game being in a fictional world and not just the Dark Ages of our own world. Unfortunately, my gaming group seems to disagree (in fact, I'm pretty much prohibited from making character names with 's in them...), and tend to use English, German or even Icelandic (because we're Icelandic) names. When I DM, though, I can use my own names all I like :smallbiggrin:

Names that I've used include:
Characters (PC or otherwise)
Kaspian MacMerlin (human noble transmuter)
Sarina Kalethidin (human sorceress)
Nwellymdar Jarfoot (gnome warlock - I like welsh names for gnomes..)
Valdimjar (gnome blaster wizard)
Mnelad Llenderis (Morrowind dark elf)

World bits:
Marathia (human kingdom, knights and castles type)
Saldea (another human kingdom, based on medieval Hungary)
Toris (human empire, sort of like Rome + Greece + Gondor)
Tesh-Kaljame (the ancient, now sunken, kingdom of the Seaborn)
Doranak (the dwarven communistic mountain kingdom)
Terenoc (large human kingdom)
Khalast (capitol of Marathia)
Kosh Tarrog (dwarven city)
Tarádrisz, Orosz, Kabádry, Mniryus, Dasria, Readai (Saldean cities)
Tyrans, Tarabon, Blackweald (Terenocan cities)
Filnios, Gorsas, Helestan (Torisian emperors)
etc.. for more, click the link in my sig.

The VP
2007-10-23, 04:50 AM
There are a couple of random name generators I use for random names, my favourite being the one found at Behind the Name (http://www.behindthename.com/random/). I'll also use a number of online dictionaries I've found to generate names that have some sort of meaning.

I have a tendency to occasionally use the same or similar names for my own characters; for example, there was a time where every character I played had a first name starting with 'M' and a last name starting with 'L' (although I don't remember why).

My important NPCs, cities, etc. have hand-picked names, depending on the particular thematic style of the area. Currently, I'm primarily using anglicized versions of Sanskrit words, with smatterings of Gaelic and Celtic influences.

World:
Adholoka (the name of the continent/setting)
Makara (largest city in the South)
Berghos (one of the largest cities in the North)

My PCNPCs (the party consisted of a swashbuckler, a cleric, and a half-cleric/half-swashbuckler, so they've picked up a few followers along the way to provide some much-needed diversity. They're not DMPCs as the party controls them, so they're PCNPCs):
Kunal
Szymon
Vientor

My deities:
Divi
Arnava
Dharana

Races (the last three are related to the deities, and are my world's equivalent of plane-touched):
Sidhe
Satvan
Sadhu
Divija
Arnavaja
Dharanija

xanaphia
2007-10-23, 04:58 AM
My PCs:
Xanaphia, lv 11 Stone Giant Cleric
Xanaphia, lv 3 elf cleric
Xanaphia, lv 6 Aasimar cleric
Eberk, lv 3 dwarf cleric
Bahn Hof (german for train station), lv 3 fighter/4 rouge

Other ideas: Characters in the Darkness series by Harry Turtledove

ForzaFiori
2007-10-23, 05:09 AM
i tend to use real names, but i find really obscure ones and/or i change them slightly.

my friend, on the other hand, names almost EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER "Remeroseron". No idea where he got the name, but it pops up everywhere.

Dhavaer
2007-10-23, 05:39 AM
Aerethi
Alaryas
Sorra
Cyridatriaera 'Ciri' Korothionna

Threeshades
2007-10-23, 05:56 AM
PCs
Pyrathien - Fire Genasi Rogue
Amykath - Elf Druid
Yixik - Kobold Cleric
Cor'ien - Earth Genasi Fighter
Shirraj - Catfolk Rogue

NPCs
Barnolg - Dwarf Barbarian/Fighter
Ri'ik - Homebrewed race "Dromeoid" Fighter/Ranger
Morskom - Half-Orc Town guard

Places
Lerinth - Small port town

I never got far with my self DMed campaign, thats why i had mor PCs than NPCs
Tho other names I thought up were Hungarian words:
PCs
Leigáz Vezérel

NPCs
Moho
Vad
Hiu

Fishy
2007-10-23, 05:57 AM
In Diablo II, I was once stumped for a name for an Assassin. (Stereotypical leather-clad-martial-arts-femme-fatalle class) For laughs, I called her Janet- but instead, I typoed. Since then, a number of my fantasy heroines have been called Jante.

The trick I use both for naming and playing characters is to associate them with an animal. Don't pick that as your familiar, or paint it on your shield, or even use that word anywhere in your character's description- keep it a secret, even, but definitely know what their 'spirit animal' is. Slam that into Google Translate in 7 or 8 different languages, mash parts of words together that saund right, and you're set. Monsieurs Avirro and Araignon are my favorite results for this one.

CrazedGoblin
2007-10-23, 06:07 AM
Gribble Boggrobble - goblin with issues
Jamesan Denday - crazy bard (like twoflower from the colour of magic)
Jabjab - Kua-Toa bard, crazy spear throwing bongo drummer

thats all i can think off right now hehe:smallbiggrin:

AslanCross
2007-10-23, 08:11 AM
I typically take words that I associate with the character concept and bash them with letters until they look like names.

For example, I was creating a warblade blackguard NPC villain.
Root word: Calamity ---> Calamor.
Eventually I felt the need to make the character female instead, since I couldn't find a way to add depth to the character while he was male.
Calamor --> Caellamore. This name supposedly means "Black Heaven," her original name was 'Caellabianca' or "White Heaven." She renamed herself after Scyllua Darkhope (FRCS Zhentarim) killed her master.

Caellamore's partner, a cleric of Bane:
Cataclysm --> Ataklos.

Other names of NPCs in the campaign:
Mort, a baker.
Rylene, a smith. I'm pretty sure I stole this name from another RPG.
Oanelen "O.F." Foxlock, a gnome wizard who runs the magic shop. Randomly generated using the Gnome table in Races of Stone.
Albrecht Garradine, a paladin and mentor figure.
Kadanara Kalvarri Garradine, Albrecht's swashbuckler wife.

Al'Lashvahazred, a wyrm blue dragon. I got this name by taking "Al'Hazred," (the name of the guy who wrote the Necronomicon in the Cthulhu mythos) since I wanted a Middle-eastern sound. I'd already decided his nickname was "Lash," so I just stuffed it in there.
Lash's half-dragon children:
-Zomorrodnegar (I believe this is an actual name from Arabian mythology)
-Kashaval
-Namarreen

Other names I've used:
-Argramsvotr, fire giant warlord
-Eirklaon Mal'Meret, female tiefling monk
-Terazel Ras'Algethi, aasimar paladin/duelist
-Viram Eldershade, a noble who is also a bard
-Melchizedek, Diablo II paladin (The name is Hebrew for "King of Righteousness)
-Sekiria, Diablo II assassin (Stole the name from the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040, where it was the name of a rock band)
-Antiochus, Diablo II necro (Name of several Greek kings)
-Enkyrios, the name of an intelligent evil sword. (It's Greek for "Lord")
-Therizon, an intelligent axiomatic greataxe (Greek for "Harvester")
-Chandrakali, a Naztharune Rakshasa. (Taken from the Hindi words for "Moon" and "Black").

Dullyanna
2007-10-23, 08:19 AM
Hmm... Aside from random, pseudo-foreign sounding stuff that leaks out of my brain, I usually steal something from old to middle English tales, i.e. Cai Hir, Bertilak, Congrevance, etc. All of those were from King Arthur alone. I don't have my flash drive with me, so I can't make a list of names I made without screwing 'em up.

Ravyn
2007-10-23, 09:55 PM
My personal best is Niev Tuyet--both of the names' sources mean "snow"--for an icy master spy.

I named one of my characters Tehane as a result of bad etymology (I wanted a name to do with bats, decided I'd switch "Chiroptera" to Japanese, realized about a month later I'd used the wrong wing).

Other PC names:
Amaya ("night rain"--rather standoffish information-gathering type) and Shizuyo ("quiet"--her ferret familiar)
Taraneh ("melody"--minstrel-girl who hears power at work as music and acts accordingly.)
Zilla ("shadow"--fixer, trickster, master of disguise)
Hoyt ("mind"--misunderstood genius researcher of a magical mineral)
Manar ("guiding light"--paladin with a focus on redemption)
Mitayo (borrowed from one of my stories, which in turn was borrowed from one of my favorite songs.)
Karasu ("crow"--the name ended up saying it all according to the local thematic associations. Not to be confused with crow-themed popular media.)
Kifeda ("only boy among girls"--when he was designed for that game, it described him perfectly.)

Icewalker
2007-10-24, 12:42 AM
ANAGRAMS!

(These are totally mine. No takey, except the first one, the rest are part of my campaign world.)

Risch Acamit (Charismatic)

Tevel Benon
Kleije G Mecyr (Clay-hey G Meh-seer)

Zeal
2007-10-24, 12:54 AM
Since I DM, all of the names I come up with are NPC names.

Improvised names that stuck:
Pwohnir
Oogaloog (A Horned Devil that has appeared in pretty much all of out games, in one form or another, mostly due to his name)
Vensurn

...there are more, no doubt, but those are all that come to mind

Edit: Oh, I've also got a few town names, most of them are just two words run together but I have a few that aren't, Alswerth being one of them.

Karma Guard
2007-10-24, 12:59 AM
Depends on the race. It really depends on the race.

For most races, I'll check the in-game culture and pick a name from the closest real-life analogue. If they have nonstandard (WINDFEATHER :B) type naming, I'll manage.

I'll admit, my current guy, a githyanki who goes by Nyss-k'kar, has a gibberish name (I mean, look at it! It has a hyphen and an apostrophe!). It even came from Seventh Sactum's Lovecraftian Name Generator. But it just feels right for him. Most of the names that generator spit are actually pretty githyanki if you use the ones that are sharp and harsh rather than gurgling. And are, you know. Pronounceable.

Other people in the same setting with Nyss:
-Rathtok, a Githzerai
-Myan-lilek, Nyss' mom.
-The Grand and Sublime Fortress of R'rikrek, Nyss' birthplace.
-Sawyer's Mill, a tiny Faerunian town.

I also have a Raptoran Bard that got stuck with the name Cricketsong Starfeather. Yes. He goes by Cricket.

As an aside, I like Seventh Sanctum so much. They have a hojillion generators of any type you'd ever need, and it's such a nice clean site, too. Here's (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php) the link.

Grimfist
2007-10-24, 01:11 AM
I have a tendency to play things such as half-orcs and goblins, so I like to go with a little formula:

First name: One or two syllables, sounds tough or a little exotic. Easy to say.
Last name: Choose an adjective/verb that describes your character, make it into a clan name.

I even managed to pull this off with a human character, by having him replace his last name with his moniker, Boarsbane. (See my sig- every character but one follows this naming convention, and Fawkes was... unique in many regards)

Dullyanna
2007-10-24, 06:57 AM
@Karma-yeah, gibberish generators are good for them githyankers. But I always thought that followers of Zerthimon took on more... melodic (Or at least less harsh)sounding names than Vlaakith's meatshields.

Khosan
2007-10-24, 07:19 AM
And remember, kids! If you can't spit while saying it, it's not a Githyanki!

OzymandiasVolt
2007-10-24, 07:22 AM
I had a pretty-boy sorcerer called "Aden", which is a Hebrew name for 'adorned'

Heh, my pretty-boy sorceror's name is Aidan, which is an Anglicized form of Aodhan, which is a pet form of Aodh, which means "fire". Linguistic divergence is interesting stuff.

Vilehelm
2007-10-24, 08:06 AM
Most of the names from characters are given to main characters in computer RPGs and online RPGs. Names are shamelessly ripped from various sources. The usual suspects are:

Anakore - Human Barbarian/Sorcerer (spellsword/swiftblade where available)
Eshgal Darkeye - Human Paladin/Favored Soul
Caranthir of the Infernal Light - CLeric/Wizard/Mystic Theurge
Shyrae - Human Ranger
Sigrlinn - Half-Elf Rogue
Heads-or-Tails - Human Rogue/Cleric of Tymora
Oskiel - Human Fighter
Hermrimr - Human Gish
Sfavrlami - Dwarf Fighter
Vilehelm - Half-Elf Bard
Nyblas - Halfling Paladin
Agis - Human Rogue/Fighter

Karma Guard
2007-10-24, 08:53 PM
@Karma-yeah, gibberish generators are good for them githyankers. But I always thought that followers of Zerthimon took on more... melodic (Or at least less harsh)sounding names than Vlaakith's meatshields.

Githzerai names can be pretty harsh too. They tend in the other direction of Lovecraftian, though. From the XPH:

Male: Dak, Duurth, Ferzth, Greth, Hurm, Kalla, Muurg, Nurm, Shrakk.
Female: Adaka, Adeya, Ella, Ezhelya, Immilzin, Izera, Uweya.

From fiction we have Dak'kon, Kel'lera, and Zhjaeve.

Planescape: Torment, tells us that the language is sharp and snappy; I'll have to dig up the way the game describes it.

As far as I can tell, just like everything else about the giths, they're two sides of the same coin. In this case, it's Lovecraftian Names. :V