Poorly thought out names in Fantasy/Sci-fi

[VirgilCaine]

Every person who writes a story and names the dragon "Draco" [Dragonheart, among others, IIRC]. Thank you for showing you have no imagination at all, people.

Tatooine -> It's the name of the city where the desert scenes of Episode IV were shot...

When I read of that, it wasn't established whether the place was named for the planet or vice versa.

Luke Skywalker -> So you're hiding your worst foe's son from him. Here's a genius idea! Give it to his brother to take care and (here's the catch) don't change his last name!!!! Why not have him be Luke Lars (after Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru)

Given, it wouldn't have been hard to change his name, but think of the chances that someone would encounter the kid...there's only two things Tatooine is known for--ti's pilots, and it being Jabba's home. Other than that, there's not anything to recommend it.

And people ask me why I can't stand most anime.

Thank you! FInally! Someone who AGREES with me!

*wolf is still laughing over Urasis Dragon*

I didn't get that for like five minutes...terrible...

 

[WayneLigon]

Although, you're version of "Luck as falls...attack positions" is better than what my friends and I thought it sounded like.

Man, it sounds like a lot of y'all need some hearing tests.

Anyways, he would say Aldoras doesn't sound like a human city. Human cities should be like, "Greyfalls", "Windhaven", "Northfork", "Yellow Fields"....simple names peasants come up with that basically describe what the area or town is about.

And he doesn't think there are some extremely weird names for American towns and cities? We ripped off a lot of those names from languages and places all over the globe. Lots of others do that same. Maybe 'Aldoras' means 'Waymeet' in Elvish, or Gnomish. Maybe it's the surname of the woman who founded the place. Maybe it's the name of a fruit that grows nearby. There are a thousand possibilities.

THere's only one novel series I've ever read that consistantly had names like he's suggesting: Phyllis Ann Karr's Frostflower and Windbourne, and Frostflower and Thorn. Towns were named things like Three-Bridges and All Roads West.

 

[zyzzyr]

How can you talk about bad Star Wars names and not mention Porkins?

Remember him, the fat X-Wing pilot? Porkins, get it?

ha.

 

[FireLance]

Every person who writes a story and names the dragon "Draco" [Dragonheart, among others, IIRC]. Thank you for showing you have no imagination at all, people.

I dunno, I imagine the (in-setting) naming of the dragon would go something like this...

Human: And how may we address you, O mighty dragon?

Dragon: My name, in the tongue of dragons, is [long, complicated sound involving much hissing, growling and tongue-twisting].

Human: (long pause) Would you mind if we just called you Draco?

 

[Fajitas]

But what makes some of my players think Amn is okay, but Aldoras isn't?

Y'know, on the subject of Amn, we had a memorable D&D game once in which our poor PCs were defending a keep about to be attacked in force by the Amnish army. It was a dire and serious situation, six against thousands, and we all just kept giggling our socks off 'cause, well, it ain't very far between "Amnish Army" and "Amish Army".

Finally, when we couldn't stand it anymore, the GM raised his hand for silence, cleared his throat, and announced, "It is henceforth the Amnite Army."

Things have been much better since then.

And, yeah, someone should be deported for Count Dooku. Nothing with a double O in it sounds scary.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I was always fond of the naming conventions Robert Rodriguez used for characters in Desperado.

Steve Buscemi plays Buscemi. Cristos was played by Cristos. The guy who shrugs a lot is Shrug. Bucho's right-hand man is Right-Hand.

I'm not sure if that's better or worse than sitcoms where a comedian plays the lead role... a character who happens to have the same name as him or herself.

Drew Carey, Jerry Seinfeld... are they worried someone will say "Harry", and there'll be a long pause, and then "Oh, that's my character, right?"

Bleh.

-Hyp.

 

[danzig138]

Everyone knows that when it comes to naming things in a fantasy world, Tolkien is King.

Gimli? This does not strike fear into the heart. Legolas Greenleaf? So began years of bad elven names. Frodo Baggins? Sounds like a plant to me.
That said, Count Dooku really, really sucks as a name. Jar Jar Binks is right behind it. Those are the two worst the come immediately to mind.

 

[danzig138]

'Urasis Dragon'

Most certainly a name that should never be spoken

 

[danzig138]

a burly brawler who was supposed to be a really tough SOB, was named "Rupert Rainbow."

I might be scared of a dude named Rupert Rainbow: sounds like someone with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.

 

[Dirigible]

Or he's really lazy, in an obscure sort of way. But I like to think it's a theme.

Naah. I prefer to think of him as lazy. God, but Artur Paendrag makes my teeth grit every time I read it...