The Art of Naming

[ShadowViper]

Tips? Tricks? Advice?

Coming up with cool names for things has always given me a bit of a problem.

So with that in mind, I'd like to create sort of a database for naming.

[veekie]

Personally if I need a name on the fly I just take any two words appropriate to the character, mash them together and then take away about half the letters. Somehow it works out.

[whitetyger009]

http://www.fourteenminutes.com/fun/names/

http://www.meaning-of-names.com/search/

both of these sites work for generating random names.  each have their own pros and cons.  the first site throws a list of random names at you and you can pick from the list.  its good if you just need something now.  the second site lets you search for names by meaning for boys or girls.  again it throws a list of names that match the meaning at you from many different cultures.

[sirpercival]

Serendipity has a lot of nice name and other generators, though it seems the site has changed since last time I was there...

Squid.org has very powerful stuff.

[Braininthejar]

Take a random foreign word, spell backwards.

[Pencil]

You can also make some fun for yourself out of it.I sometimes name them after important(fictional or not) persons.One time a mighty wizard was name prospero for example.My players didnt know the name so it was a little insider for myself

[altpersona]

iv been known to Ghettofy a regular name.

take a normal name and change a couple letters.

andrew becomes alsew or artrew or andris ...

[Arz]

Personally if I need a name on the fly I just take any two words appropriate to the character, mash them together and then take away about half the letters. Somehow it works out.

Often do similar, though I word-mash from the oldest(becauses its bestest) thesaurus I own. Modern dictionaries and resources are too abreviated.

Though in historical games I like to pull names from credible resources AKA battle fatality lists or well researched books(The Frontiersman).

[RobbyPants]

I don't have a set method. I'm usually okay with it on my own, although I have tried several tricks people have listed (foreign words or slightly modifying an existing name). I'll also sometimes use very "normal" names, depending on if I want the NPC to seem "normal" or more fantastical.

When it comes to naming places, I seem to have a knack. I've had several people compliment me on the names of cities and geographical features... except for those times when I draw a blank and just use a color word instead (Blue River, Black Swap, etc). Now I wish I knew how I did it so I could give useful advice!

[ShadowViper]

Thank you all for the offered suggestions, advice and links.

They're greatly appreciated! Please keep them coming. 

[Unbeliever]

There are some good websites out there where people compile lists based on various settings -- often Tolkien's -- so you can use that as a rubric. 

One list that I always keep coming back to, after years and years (gods I'm getting old), is the little page of names from the Birthright box set.  They are pretty good just period, a little different from the standard fantasy ones but not all that different.  And, their cultures have ready analogues, so you know what sorts of names they are.

[Halinn]

For more modern names, I'm like to take a random RPG book and pick one from the list of playtesters.

[Risada]

I have some names I created by myself, but most of the time I steal from games I have played... some of them not very known 

[Talore]

I keep a few dictionaries of foreign languages on hand, and there is a lot more of the internet. I tend to draw from Nordic languages where they don't intersect with English, as I just like how they sound. You can really go to any language your players don't know, then switch around sounds to that they're changed a bit from the original and a bit more friendly to the English tongue. You can look for the word equivelant of what you're naming in a different language, or just roam around until something cool sounding pops up. I never really have a problem

[littha]

For naming things in a campaign setting I usually decide on an obscure real language per area and just translate across. It does not work too well with Latin as it is fairly easy to spot but I have used Gaelic Irish before now (not that many people can read/speak that) which worked pretty well.

[kurashu]

I just beat my face into the keyboard and pick a bit. That's how I got Kurashu.

[Saxavarius]

Im a fan of http://www.seventhsanctum.com/; lots of generators to suit any need, even a few that are just funny

[caelic]

I just beat my face into the keyboard and pick a bit. That's how I got Kurashu.

Amazing!  That's also how I got the name of my dwarf barbarian, I9utr45tf!

[ShadowViper]

Thank you all for the continued advice!

I find that I am someone who learns better when I have a good example to go off of. Once I have a good solid example I can start working from that and really get the wheels spinning. Really the only thing I've done with languages so far was just use the nordic word for warrior(kriger) as the name for a barbarian for an MMO. Language technique examples would be most helpful.

I'd even consider setting this up as a Handbook, but not really sure how to go about it. Besides, this thread itself serves the purpose of compiling a database of awesome suggestions and links!     

[Halinn]

Language technique examples would be most helpful.

Find a word describing either the class or your character. Google translate into various languages, until you find something that you like the sound of. I like Icelandic for barbarian types, personally.