Organisation Names

[UndertakerSheep]

I need some awesome names for organisations in my campaign, mostly for the different branches within the Celestial Empire of Elvenkind. I can't decide on what language to use. The continents are based on Irish words that describe their location, and so I was thinking on using the same method to come up with names for the different organisations. These names tend to be rather long tho.

I like names such as the Fell Court, the Iron Circle and the Vost Miraj. I think they owe their success because they are simple to pronounce and remember due to their length.

What does the playground think? Do you generally prefer short and simple names over longer, more complicated names? A lot of real world organisations seem to have rather long names.

Some names I came up with as example:
Ciorcail rúnda
marcaíocht Gaoth
draíochta Chéad

Eventho these names tie in to the setting, I feel like they are too complicated. Any tips or ideas?

[Rhynn]

Some names I came up with as example:
Ciorcail rúnda
marcaíocht Gaoth
draíochta Chéad

Eventho these names tie in to the setting, I feel like they are too complicated. Any tips or ideas?

I don't think most players would remember those, unless they're Irish speakers. Unfamiliar sounds don't generally stick well in our heads. If they're reading them... well, the spellings are unusual enough compared to English that they probably won't learn them that way, either.

Definitely go with the first set of examples - simple Adjective Noun names or short sounds that are spelled intuitively. I think my players would remember Vost Miraj very easily, but would never remember Ciorcail rúnda (much less spell it right).

Irish, in particular, is really thorny for English-speakers (and non-English-speakers for that matter!). Cathbhadh or Cathbad (pronounced "Cavath")? Conchubar or Connor? And so on...

[UndertakerSheep]

Names such as Thoir, Iarthar and Réalta managed to really stick with my players. They're based on Irish, but they're nice and short at the same time. I think I'll forget about that method for a while, unless I stumble upon other similar words.

I prefer using Adjective Noun words for organisations, but I've used so many over the years they're starting to sound and feel cheesy. I'm having particular trouble with naming the branches within the Celestial Empire. I'm completely at a loss on what to call the military/expansion, the outriders/rangers, secret service and the magic council branches.

If anyone has any ideas to get my creative juices going in the right direction, that would be awesome.

[laeZ1]

Some names of secret organizations in my campaign:

Spoiler

Show

The Harlequin Court (The Jesters)
The Spoiled Dove Society (The SDS)
The Dragon Slayer Society (The DSS)
The Council of Midnight
The Silver Lion's Brigade

As far as tips go, and this is for all names (Important NPCs, Cities, Countries, Continants, Homebrew Gods, etc), say it often. Use the same phrase, and the entire title of the org or god. My players wont be able to say "Thuban" without thinking "Thuban, god of lies, deciet, and betrayel", because that's always how he's refered to. It helps the players feel more in character if they don't have to ask what things are called all of the time.

[Slipperychicken]

Ciorcail rúnda
marcaíocht Gaoth
draíochta Chéad

If I were a player in a game which used these names, I would never remember them. I'd just nickname them for the first piece of description which sticks. Like "redcloaks", "elf-plotters", "heretics", "skull-heads", "sketchy dudes", or "cultists". Or if one of the names sounded like another word ("draiochta chead" might turn into "dracula cheese", for example), I'd call them that.

Of course, I don't speak Irish, but exclusively speak the only language which matters: English .

I advice you use the language which the gaming table speaks most fluently, because that's the one they're going to remember. At the very least, have a layman's translation of the organization's name (like "Society of Enlightenment", "followers of [person]", or "Defenders/Holy Knights of [insert ideal, creed, or nation here]").


As for parts of organizations, they usually get named for their function. You might have a Department of War, the Department/Ministry of the Treasury, or the Special Operations unit, the Department of Magical Affairs, the Council for the Appropriate Use of Magic, the Frontier Defense Forces. Things like that. You can always take inspiration from real governments and their names for things.

[Rhynn]

If I were a player in a game which used these names, I would never remember them. I'd just nickname them for the first piece of description which sticks. Like "redcloaks", "elf-plotters", "heretics", "skull-heads", "sketchy dudes", or "cultists". Or if one of the names sounded like another word ("draiochta chead" might turn into "dracula cheese", for example), I'd call them that.

This is what my players do, and whit about the same degree of reverence as "dracula cheese." They find something that they can get their tongue around better, and use that. For ever. Seriously. For years.

*sob*