A PC by any other name...

[Dannyalcatraz]

I've seen several threads here about naming PCs or NPCs, and I've noticed that many DMs dislike names from the real world, feeling that they somehow detract from the game.

I most respectfully disagree, and here's why:

1) Names from cultures foreign to the players can still sound "fantasy."

Example: a bunch of people playing D&D in South Texas are unlikely to encounter someone named Vehanen Mikinen (a real world Finnish MD), and yet that name could be quite "playable."

2) Some common names have connotations that have built up over time that are very difficult (not impossible) to capture with a name created ex nihilo.

Example: "Johnny" conjures up a sense of commonness, chummyness, a neighborhood guy. Thus, my PC Johnny Bones (Ftr/Th) sounds like a nice, garden variety street tough- which he was. That connotation would not have been as strong in a PC named "Krandir Bones."

After all, Tolkein gave us Samwise "Sam" Gangee as well as Gandalf, didn't he?

 

[Crothian]

Real world names are some of the best names. I have two book specifically about real world names that I use.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Even pretty typical names make fine fantasy names like William or Jacob. In fact I like actual real world names as much as made up names, when I DM I'd say NPCs are split about 50/50 between the two, minor and major NPCs a like.

 

[Eternalknight]

I am of the same opinion, I love real-world (or variations on real-world) names.

http://www.20000-names.com/

One of the best DM resources on the 'net.

 

[Woas]

Another thing, thats sort of on topic of names, is how every PC and NPC must have a unique name. I've read "DM tips" here and there on the internet that mention having a huge list of names that you check off as you use. It's weird to think that every person has a unique name. I mean, how many Johns, Sarahs, Mikes and Meagans, etc. are out there today? Maybe the assumption is that the PCs only interact with but a fraction of the NPCs that actually populate a world, but still it seems far fetched.

I agree though, a lot of real-world names are fine.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

I think there is a line of commonsense here that most people take when it comes to naming. Certain "real-world" names that are formal and/or uncommon are fine in a fantasy setting and are good to encourage. However, there are some obvious times when real-world names simply don't fit:

Player: My new character's going to be an elf and ummm... I'm going to call him Mike.
DM: And do you feel Mike is a good name for an elf?
Player: I don't know, I'm struggling to come up with something elvish so I thought...
DM: Stop thinking and go back to struggling! There's no damn way I'm having an elf called Mike in my game.
Player: but...
DM: No!

My players know how I feel about names so they're normally pretty good. In my new Age of Worms game to commence in the new year, the players names are mostly real world:
Sir Nathan Perrin (I prefer Nathaniel but the player's adamant)
Sir Marlon Brent (ho-hum, a little bit too stock standard for me)
Galandor and his familiar Glimmer (Absolutely love these!)
"Freedom" - this is OK although nobody knows that her real name is Clare.
and
Brother Arnanbadullus (or Brother Arnie for short)
I know with allowing Brother Arnie I'm making a mistake. A real big mistake. In fact, I'm thinking of having a word to the player. If I hear even one stupid Austrian accent... that's it. We're talking a fall from a great height.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[shilsen]

Another thing, thats sort of on topic of names, is how every PC and NPC must have a unique name. I've read "DM tips" here and there on the internet that mention having a huge list of names that you check off as you use. It's weird to think that every person has a unique name. I mean, how many Johns, Sarahs, Mikes and Meagans, etc. are out there today? Maybe the assumption is that the PCs only interact with but a fraction of the NPCs that actually populate a world, but still it seems far fetched.

I think I'm the only DM out of all the ones I've encountered who has the same name show up for more than one NPC. Just as for you, it always strained my credulity to have a world where everyone came up with new names.

 

[EdL]

Every Dwarf I've ever played, save one, has been named Bjorn. (The odd one out was named Bjarni ) And I often use real names for characters. I try not to use ones that are too common, but a Jim or Bob can always work in a pinch. If not for most non-humans, anyway. And, of course, 'foreign' names work fine. (I've use the names of the 'girls' from the Swedish pop group ABBA, Agnetha and Anni-Frid, a couple of times and no one has noticed. Even though they know I'm a big ABBA fan. )

 

[CaptainCalico]

I use real world names 99% of the time too. Since my homebrew world has distinct cultures I try to be consistent with using names from deignated real-world cultures, in order to be internally consistent. So all the elves have Celtic names, all the gnomes have Slavic, the humans are French, and so on. My players picked up on it right away, and now I can drop clues by simply mentioning a name and they go "oh, a __________"

I also reuse NPC names all the time, especialy when dealing with historical figures. One of my players was tickled to learn that his PC's parents had names him after an ancient king who is now revered as a saint. Little things like that add depth to the campaign, and they don't take much effort.

 

[Kurotowa]

The names in a fantasy game should be fantasy names. This does not mean made up names with lots of "L"s in them. This means names that are not standard modern american (or your home country) names. Simply by being outside the norm they evoke an exotic and otherworldly atmosphere. In recent games I've had names taken from: norse, mongolian, swiss, old english, russian, and roman. All of them have had a fantastic ring to them fitting for a fantasy game. Similarly, I use names like Jesse and Brad in modern earth games.