Post by Tesla Ranger on Jan 20, 2016 18:07:23 GMT
This keeps coming up as a common challenge for DMs but it's always been a part of DMing that I've enjoyed. I love coming up with names for things and it might take me a couple of seconds to do so at the table but it isn't anything I've found particularly difficult or onerous. That might just be due to the circumstances of my group but I figured it wouldn't hurt to take a look at it. So I've been considering how I come up with names for the past few days and figured I'd post what I think I find helpful in case it's useful for others.
- Nicknames are practical.
It isn't necessary to come up with a full character name for -every- single NPC. Often times (particularly if I just need to distinguish between similar NPCs in combat) it's useful to use a nickname. I try to use nicknames that are self-evident. For instance, if there's an orc with one eye and another with a snarltooth then they might become "Blinky" and "Bitey" in reference to those identifying traits. Or, if it's just a quick encounter, I'll make up a nickname that refers to the particular mini that's on the mat. It's useful shorthand and my players haven't had any difficulty picking it up. In either case, a nickname always describes some physical/visual aspect of the character. Nicknames are quick, on-the-spot names for minor NPCs but should that NPC become more then it might be appropriate for him/her/it to stop and go "Hey! I have a name! Call me Ishmael!"
- Names are descriptions.
An ideal name is like a truncated description of that individual. Caste names like Smith, Porter, or Foster are obvious examples of this but even given names are meant to describe or evoke something about that character. Every real world name has meant something specific at some point in history even if the meanings have become lost to time today. The function of a name is to describe the individual. A birth name is unlikely to refer to a physical attribute and may more reflect aspects of character/personality. The key aspect, the holy grail of all naming, is that it should be easy/natural to associate the name with the character.
- Cultures are critical
Culture plays a huge role in determining names. I would argue it's even more important than the individual's race. A dwarf raised with a human family will probably have a human culture "style" name. Europeanish cultures tend to assign at least two names (given and surname) and are more likely to associate a name with an occupation (Potter, Tyler/Tailor, Baker, etc). It seems to me as though Islamic cultures tend to re-use names of holy figures so a setting patterned off Indonesia or the Middle East might have a dozen names that everyone is using. Asian, or at least Japanese, names seem like they have a more poetic bend. Feminine names tend to be floral (hence they end in "ko") and Male names tend to refer to (predominately masculine) aspects of personality.
- Names mutate over time.
Like any part of language, names don't stay the same over time. Forester becomes Foster, Tailor becomes Tyler, William becomes Will or Bill, etc. I would assume mutation would be more wide spread in populations that tend to lack in education but culture certainly has a roll to play too. The bottom line is that names can, and should, change. It's perfectly acceptable to take a "normal" name like Bob and change it up a bit (Cob, Rob, Sob, Boc, Bod, Bot, etc). The overall sound might/should stay similar but this gives a lot of flexibility in coming up with names while maintaining an association.
- Names should be identifiable and memorable
Tolkien and a few other notably sadistic fantasy authors are well known for compiling names that are mouthfuls. If a name is difficult to say, it's difficult to remember. Names that are longer than 8-12 characters tend to be impractical for frequent use. Likewise, names that are less than 4-6 characters tend to be easy to mix up or confuse with other nouns. And names that are syllabically complicated are just flat annoying.
- Shortcuts
EBoN is a terribly useful piece of software for coming up with names (or lists of them) if that's how you prefer to operate. I've never used a list of pre-generated names at the table but I use name generators like EBoN frequently when writing my notes. I don't always wind up using the name on the generator but it's a good place to start.
Another tack is to come up with a word you think describes a person/group/thing and then pipe it through Google Translate into various languages to see what pops out. I've gotten some pretty good names that way, particularly if I'm trying to evoke a certain linguistic style.
When making up names on the fly I often make use of a "mental intermediary" to create names with association that might not be obvious. For instance, a character shows up that reminds me of Buffy. Buffy reminds me of Willow. So maybe I'll call the NPC Willow or maybe I'll call it Tara. Or maybe I'll mutate it a little bit and come up with Willara or something.
I guess the only other thing I'd suggest is that you don't have to wait until you're at the table to practice naming things. You can name stuff you use daily, or just people you see walking around. Practice helps get your brain ready to spin up a good name on little to no notice. I'd be interested to hear any other tricks anyone else has come with it.
- Nicknames are practical.
It isn't necessary to come up with a full character name for -every- single NPC. Often times (particularly if I just need to distinguish between similar NPCs in combat) it's useful to use a nickname. I try to use nicknames that are self-evident. For instance, if there's an orc with one eye and another with a snarltooth then they might become "Blinky" and "Bitey" in reference to those identifying traits. Or, if it's just a quick encounter, I'll make up a nickname that refers to the particular mini that's on the mat. It's useful shorthand and my players haven't had any difficulty picking it up. In either case, a nickname always describes some physical/visual aspect of the character. Nicknames are quick, on-the-spot names for minor NPCs but should that NPC become more then it might be appropriate for him/her/it to stop and go "Hey! I have a name! Call me Ishmael!"
- Names are descriptions.
An ideal name is like a truncated description of that individual. Caste names like Smith, Porter, or Foster are obvious examples of this but even given names are meant to describe or evoke something about that character. Every real world name has meant something specific at some point in history even if the meanings have become lost to time today. The function of a name is to describe the individual. A birth name is unlikely to refer to a physical attribute and may more reflect aspects of character/personality. The key aspect, the holy grail of all naming, is that it should be easy/natural to associate the name with the character.
- Cultures are critical
Culture plays a huge role in determining names. I would argue it's even more important than the individual's race. A dwarf raised with a human family will probably have a human culture "style" name. Europeanish cultures tend to assign at least two names (given and surname) and are more likely to associate a name with an occupation (Potter, Tyler/Tailor, Baker, etc). It seems to me as though Islamic cultures tend to re-use names of holy figures so a setting patterned off Indonesia or the Middle East might have a dozen names that everyone is using. Asian, or at least Japanese, names seem like they have a more poetic bend. Feminine names tend to be floral (hence they end in "ko") and Male names tend to refer to (predominately masculine) aspects of personality.
- Names mutate over time.
Like any part of language, names don't stay the same over time. Forester becomes Foster, Tailor becomes Tyler, William becomes Will or Bill, etc. I would assume mutation would be more wide spread in populations that tend to lack in education but culture certainly has a roll to play too. The bottom line is that names can, and should, change. It's perfectly acceptable to take a "normal" name like Bob and change it up a bit (Cob, Rob, Sob, Boc, Bod, Bot, etc). The overall sound might/should stay similar but this gives a lot of flexibility in coming up with names while maintaining an association.
- Names should be identifiable and memorable
Tolkien and a few other notably sadistic fantasy authors are well known for compiling names that are mouthfuls. If a name is difficult to say, it's difficult to remember. Names that are longer than 8-12 characters tend to be impractical for frequent use. Likewise, names that are less than 4-6 characters tend to be easy to mix up or confuse with other nouns. And names that are syllabically complicated are just flat annoying.
- Shortcuts
EBoN is a terribly useful piece of software for coming up with names (or lists of them) if that's how you prefer to operate. I've never used a list of pre-generated names at the table but I use name generators like EBoN frequently when writing my notes. I don't always wind up using the name on the generator but it's a good place to start.
Another tack is to come up with a word you think describes a person/group/thing and then pipe it through Google Translate into various languages to see what pops out. I've gotten some pretty good names that way, particularly if I'm trying to evoke a certain linguistic style.
When making up names on the fly I often make use of a "mental intermediary" to create names with association that might not be obvious. For instance, a character shows up that reminds me of Buffy. Buffy reminds me of Willow. So maybe I'll call the NPC Willow or maybe I'll call it Tara. Or maybe I'll mutate it a little bit and come up with Willara or something.
I guess the only other thing I'd suggest is that you don't have to wait until you're at the table to practice naming things. You can name stuff you use daily, or just people you see walking around. Practice helps get your brain ready to spin up a good name on little to no notice. I'd be interested to hear any other tricks anyone else has come with it.
