Where do YOU steal your names from?

[Psion]

The appendices of GRRM's Song of Ice & Fire books.

We used to use the Silmarrillion and LotR appendices.

They worked for a while. Nowadays, they're too recognizable in some circles.

 

[dnabre]

Steal!?! Never! I always return my NPC's name after use *nods*

 

[Hypersmurf]

Check you bulk mail or junk mail folders - there are some great names on those.

In the first EN World Cooperative Dungeon from CMG, that's where the NPC Definite D. Multifarious got his name from

Well, the Iliad had a character called Paris...

Man, Homer was such a hack

-Hyp.

 

[Vymair]

Generally, I come up with a basic theme for an area or race and match old historical names to them. For example, in a recent campaign, humans were Arthurian influences, Dwarves used Tolkien, Hobgoblins were Hungarian names, Celestial was Ancient Greek, etc.

Then I used various historical or fantasy oriented sites for list of the types of names I'm looking for.

 

[Ao the Overkitty]

For my Firefly game, I actually went onto IMDB and made a name list from the cast and characters of Deadwood, to start. I mix and match to get some nice variation, but they all have that nice western feel. I've also gone and snagged names from Western movies using the same method.

I also do a lot of searches for name lists from specific regions, if I want the name to have meaning. I steal from mythology and religion a lot.

 

[The_lurkeR]

I use The Onomastikon; no better resource have I found.

Wow, that is a great site!
*bookmarked*

 

[Agback]

E.R. Eddison.

James Branch Cabell

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

First, I collect them. I steal them from anywhere and everywhere, randomly generate them, whatever - but they all get written down. Every once in a great while I compile a "hotlist" of names to use.

Second, I have about 6 pages, single-spaced, no formatting, of printout that came from a name generator about 10 years ago or more. I immediately forgot/lost the link of where it came from but I have kept that list and use it extensively. The settings wound up giving it large sections of Italian-ish names/words. Nonetheless, it is PRICELESS as a resource and I jealously hoard it.

Third, I make them up. Some times it's easier than others but I honestly don't have the great difficulty that many people seem to have of just pulling names out of thin air. Not saying it's always a snap but it's never a major frustration for me if I don't have access to my personal lists.

 

[hagor]

I often write down names from scientific publications and articles (as a "professional" scientific researcher you have to keep up to date with other people's research as well). Some have a very nice ring to it!
I also have made other lists from various sources (names from books, films, etc.)

Now, if only I could remember to take the lists to the gaming table... Then I wouldn't have to improvise (usually quite poorly) when I have to come up with a name for an unimportant NPC in an instant...

Hagor

 

[Presto2112]

A lot of times, I just make 'em up! I'm on my third PC in my current campaign. My first two names I just invented, Rinzari (gnome), and Elmuentheryn (or Elm for short) the elf druid.

Other times I modify and intentionally misspell actuall Real World names. My current character, Jerrel, is just a really-mucked-up version of "Gerald".