Fantasy Gaming Names

[Mallus]

One is Rhiannon Fleetwood, one of my first PbP characters here on Enworld.

This inspires me to play a character named The Chain, or maybe Tusk...

 

[Doug McCrae]

Though "Madison the Barbarian" or "Madison the Destroyer" have a certain undeniable charm to them... well, to me anyway.

I think you're right, Madison the Barbarian is a great name.

Arsely Keister-Bottom, Lord Bum.
Lord Lack-A-Day.
Lady Bumtussle.
Lord Rags.
Lady Snogbottom.
Sir Bellewhether.

Shakespearian!

 

[Theroc]

This inspires me to play a character named The Chain, or maybe Tusk...

Haha. Yeah, I decided just to roll with that, since it fit her Half-even heritage(Father was a ranger), and I really like the name Rhiannon for some reason.

Tusk could be an awesome name for a Gorebrute Shifter(or I guess a Longtooth shifter with the Gorebrute Charge feat, for 4E.) Or someone else with a charge-style attack, IMO anyway.

 

[Dragonhelm]

I just want to know why isn't there more John Smiths in gaming?

You should pick up a copy of 7th Son: Descent, or listen to the 7th Son podcast trilogy.

In this story, there are seven clones, all named John Michael Smith. As they traveled on in life, they began taking on more individualistic names:

1. Michael
2. Dr. Mike
3. Father Thomas
4. Jay (Formerly Jonathan)
5. Jack
6. Kilroy 2.0
7. John

Each of their personalities is slightly different, too, though there are notable similarities. Good stuff.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Naming a level one guy Fistandantilus Bloodstalker of the Black Swamp or Grawlgakthon the Ultimate Destructor isn't that appealing - why would he possibly be known by such a pretentious title when he's got no achievements and has never travelled? I'm exaggerating, obviously. I know some people wind up with what I'd call pretentious names for their level one guys because they're trying to differentiate them. I get that.

Sometimes its about presenting an image to the world...a bluff. Chamoflage.

Check out the names of rappers or metal musicians- 2 groups known for colorful stage names- who are just starting out.

Other times, a name like "Bloodstalker of the Black Swamp" might be a family or cultural name. A Native American friend of mine has an uncle named "Whitekiller." AFAIK, he didn't earn the moniker. In addition, names like "Smith" "Cooper" and "Tanner" all derived from professions...the same could be happening in the Black Swamps, where "Bloodstalker" was a particular job within a tribe, and the PC's family was associated with it for so many generations that it became the family name.

And then there was Terry Pratchett's take on Dwarven names- how "Axebiter" and the like were just names chosen when Dwarves "left the mines" to seek their fortunes as adventurers.

As for Wizards named John?

Don't forget Tim the Enchanter...and this guy:
Looking For Group » Page 3

 

[Dragonhelm]

One is Rhiannon Fleetwood, one of my first PbP characters here on Enworld.

We had a character named Brother Mannheim years ago. The player had a hard time figuring out a name since he was new, loved Mannheim Steamroller, so we stole it.

Personally, I think there's a disconnect if you use real-world names in fantasy. We are trained to think in terms of escaping the real world, heading into a world of fantasy where even the names are fantastical.

For example, I knew a guy once who used his own name in every one of his character's names. So you had Brother Jim, Jim the Flim-Flam Man, etc. Those types of names take you out of the moment.

When you hear a name like Paladian Dragonhelm, you get into the groove of the story. That has the feel of a fantasy name.

Now, you can combine real-world and fantasy to some degree. Paladian's older brother was John Dragonhelm. That still worked out.

Another thing you can do is to take a real world name, and change the spelling. For example, there's a Dragonlance character named Aran Tallbow. Familiar first name, but spelled differently.

I think it all boils down to mood and tone. Go with a name that suits your character in your world, whether it's fantasy, sci-fi, or what have you.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Naming a level one guy Fistandantilus Bloodstalker of the Black Swamp or Grawlgakthon the Ultimate Destructor isn't that appealing - why would he possibly be known by such a pretentious title when he's got no achievements and has never travelled?

Not to mention that taking on a name like Fistandantilus, one of the greatest archmages of Dragonlance, is a bit pretentious anyway. I get that people sometimes want to name their characters after other characters they enjoy, but names like Fistandantilus can also take you out of the moment.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

I cannot stand real world names in my games.

I will kill the character and, if necessary, the player because it's too easy for the game's banter ("so you're really sorcerer called John?") to break the verisimilitude.

There are plenty of name generators around and I would much rather they were used... unless the result has apostrophes. So I would broaden the rule to be no real world names or names that sound like R A Salvatore would use in one of his "novels" or, worse yet, names that one of R A Salvatore's fanbois would use in their fan fiction.

Glad I'm not in your game. I actually HAD a John the Sorcerer. He was an ornery and stubborn farmer, who one day found he could throw fireballs, and decided to be an adventurer due to them getting all the gold and elf skirts.

Personally, I have a bigger problem with stupid or obtusely long names on human characters. So you were a simple town guard named Ratholanious Talekanian? And nobody thought to give you a nickname?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Glad I'm not in your game. I actually HAD a John the Sorcerer. He was an ornery and stubborn farmer, who one day found he could throw fireballs, and decided to be an adventurer due to them getting all the gold and elf skirts.

I can see him grousing over a few beers in the tavern with his buddies, the day before he figures out he has the power...

"Ah, look at them yo-yos- that's the way you do it!
Lob some fireballs and scoop up GP
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin', elf chicks for free

Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta plow the...the northern 40
Clear the fields, feed the stock
We gotta take our stuff to market
We gotta move these freakin' rocks!

See the little hobbit with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little hobbit got his own palantir
That little hobbit he's a millionaire

We gotta plow the...the northern 40
Clear the fields, feed the stock
We gotta take our stuff to market
We gotta move these freakin' rocks!

I shoulda learned to play with power
I shoulda learned to throw them bolts...
Look at that mama, she was slayin' all them Chimera
Man we could have some fun
And he's up there, what's that? Cthonic noises?
Bangin' on the earth-bones like a chimpanzee
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin', elf chicks for free

We gotta plow the...the northern 40
Clear the fields, feed the stock
We gotta take our stuff to market
We gotta move these freakin' rocks!, Lord

Ah, look at them yo-yos- that's the way you do it!
Lob some fireballs and scoop up GP
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin', elf chicks for free"

Personally, I have a bigger problem with stupid or obtusely long names on human characters. So you were a simple town guard named Ratholanious Talekanian? And nobody thought to give you a nickname?

A good buddy of mine has a longish name that actually lends itself to nicknames. He refuses to answer to nicknames in general.

He has nicknames, don't misunderstand, but don't call him by any.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Names should fit the setting. Really peculiar names (relative to the setting) need a really good backstory.