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View Full Version : A request of assistance in naming charicters/npcs



Purple Cloak
2008-11-07, 08:19 AM
As implyed by the thread name, I'm awful at thinking of names for my NPCs and I can only plagerise so many before I run out of refrences.

So I guess what I'm asking is whether anyone knows of a random name generator or somwhere that has a large list of names?

Or alternitively some advise for accumulating them.

Thank you.

Guinea Anubis
2008-11-07, 08:23 AM
I started a thread like this before. check it out (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93208)

Purple Cloak
2008-11-07, 08:26 AM
Exelent that even saves me the effort of waiting, thanks. :smallbiggrin:

valadil
2008-11-07, 09:54 AM
Googling for random name generator usually works well. I like picking from several so I don't get names with the same patterns.

Whenever I start a new game I fill a note card with names from a generator. That card gets attached to my DM screen and I cross off names as I use 'em. It works great. This next game I'm also experimenting with cards for male names, female names, surnames, titles, small towns, and taverns as well as disposition and personality cards (I'm trying to make my NPCs into caricatures rather than full blown characters and to do so I'm focusing on 1 or 2 traits at a time, hence the cards).

Kris Strife
2008-11-07, 10:38 AM
I have the same problem with NPCs, towns, kingdoms, etc. I just use Bob as a placeholder name. (Yes, that is a Titan AE reference) I usually just type random letters on a key board.

paddyfool
2008-11-07, 10:39 AM
Here you can find not just names but stats & pics for a host of level 1 commoners: http://www.tailsteak.com/archive.php?num=469. Handy, no?

Ravyn
2008-11-07, 07:58 PM
If you need more, I wrote about naming people here (http://exchangeofrealities.today.com/2008/11/03/the-naming-of-characters/) and places here (http://exchangeofrealities.today.com/2008/11/04/names-and-geography/); there's also Kate Monk’s Onomastikon (http://www.gaminggeeks.org/Resources/KateMonk/), one of my favorite online sources for naming people.

I depend mostly on a name book, then go to the Onomastikon, then start stringing together syllables.

Thurbane
2008-11-07, 10:05 PM
Name Resources: For those who have trouble naming their rogues, villians and heroes (http://www.enworld.org/forum/plots-places/203309-name-resources-those-who-have-trouble-naming-their-rogues-villians-heroes.html)

Yet Another Fantasy NAme Generator (http://hamete.org/cgi-bin/yafnagen)

Dogmantra
2008-11-08, 08:38 AM
There's also the Rinkworks fantasy name generator (http://www.rinkworks.com/namegen/) which lets you choose from different templates and even make your own.

Purple Cloak
2008-11-09, 02:59 PM
Ah, more great advise/useful sources, thanks guys, I'll bookmark all of these for when I make my next campaign.

Sam de Cheese
2008-11-10, 01:34 PM
I used to have this problem, but I found a totally easy and foolproof solution: get an LotR map and name it after one of the lesser-know places, i.e, don't call them Gondor, Rohan, Mordor, anything that even the casual fan would probably know about.

RTGoodman
2008-11-10, 01:37 PM
Also, because a LOT of fantasy name generators tend to pop out stupid, nigh-unpronounceable names, I like to use THIS (http://www.babycenter.com/baby-names) baby name generator that lets you search by cultural origin (Native American, Latin, Irish, etc.), number of syllables, and such.

Skjaldbakka
2008-11-10, 03:28 PM
I use www.behindthename.com

It has a name generator that pulls names from a database, as opposed to mising up letters to make a name. It also lets you search for names by meaning. aka - names that mean fire, or are associated with fire

Another thing that I will do is I will pick a few key adjectives that describe the character, and then hit up an online thesaurus and get a handful of synonyms for those adjectives, and then hit up an online translator, and translate those words into a bunch of different languages, until I see something that looks nameworthy.

I had a dwarven defender named Befest Stallachtstung once, for example.
I also have a LARP character whose backstory was full of misunderstandings, the kind of situations where one might see "this isn't what it looks like".

His name?

Vassis Auseiht

Hawriel
2008-11-10, 04:33 PM
Friend of mine was looking for Native American names online. He found a history/cutleral sight for native Americans. They wanted peaple to creat an account and pay a small fee to use the sight. The primary reason was listed on there web page. "Do you want to learn more about your haritage? Or are you a gamer who wants to look up names for RPGs?"

I like going to book stores. I recomend dropping in on a book store or library and seeing what name books they have in the writing sections. Not only will you find some nice books with names and there meanings behind them. You will find some good books about writing that may help you create stories for your games.

Totally Guy
2008-11-11, 09:43 AM
I've been stealing my names from the back of the 4E play tester list at the back of the Player Handbook.:smalltongue: