Alternate Earth Nations

[garrowolf]

I am working on an alternate earth setting and I need some ideas for alternate names for current nations such as the US and such.

Any ideas?

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Do you have any particular part of the world/culture/language in mind? Are you looking for big important countries, or little ones? Serious or tongue-in-cheek? Obvious integration with/proximity to real world locales?


central Asia:
(People's Republic of) Tsinistan

Europe:
(Democratic Republic of) Kurkhalovia
(The Atlandic Republic) Atland
(Kingdom of) Cressia

Africa:
(Republic of) Transzambezi

South America/south Atlantic:
(Union of the Verdivean States) Verdivea

Pacific:
(Federated Island States of) Paranesia
(Kingdom of Greater) Walker Island

 

[ssampier]

Depending on what you're aiming for, fantasy or modern. For my fantasy version of earth, I like to modify existing names, using the same root or origin. Ancient or archaic names can work, too.

Ex. In my world Gothic raiders are called Eothic.

If I was to do a fantasy version of the real world:

U.K. = Albion
America = Therika, North Therika, South Therika, United Republic of Therika
Mexico = Mexisa
Europe = Evropa
Spain/Portugal = Iberia
Africa = Facria
Scandinavia = Thule
Egypt = Ptolos
China = Inach

That should get you started.

 

[On Puget Sound]

I have used a devolved world (current nations broken up into smaller ones, like Wales and Galicia or Texas and Cascadia).

 

[garrowolf]

I like all of these.
ssampler: where did you get these names? Especially interested in the on for America.
I don't want it to be goofy. I want to be able to do sort of a future cold war mixed with horror setting. I want one of the bad guy nations to be using Cthulhu-tech. I haven't figured out what nation I want to be doing this. I want it to have a very alternate history feel to it and not a parody feel. Things could have gone differently type thing.
Any other ideas? I wouldn't mind referencing the alternate nations from another setting (assuming it's not a video game or movie that would sue me if I published). Something from a scifi novel or something would be great as well.
thanks guys!

 

[1Mac]

Damnation Decade by Green Ronin is decidedly goofy, but the alt-history names for various analog real-world nations are pretty good (though Americo is probably too goofy for your tastes). It has the advantage of being a modern setting, so the country names might fit your setting better.

Both 7th Sea and Ars Magica are both alt-European settings with alternate country names. You can download the 4th edition of Ars Magica for free from Atlas Games' site.

 

[El Mahdi]

deleted

 

[ssampier]

I like all of these.
ssampler: where did you get these names? Especially interested in the on for America.
I don't want it to be goofy. I want to be able to do sort of a future cold war mixed with horror setting. I want one of the bad guy nations to be using Cthulhu-tech. I haven't figured out what nation I want to be doing this. I want it to have a very alternate history feel to it and not a parody feel. Things could have gone differently type thing.
Any other ideas? I wouldn't mind referencing the alternate nations from another setting (assuming it's not a video game or movie that would sue me if I published). Something from a scifi novel or something would be great as well.
thanks guys!

Where? One, Wikipedia and Google are your friend. It really doesn't matter if it's historically accurate or not.

Two, some names are anagrams (the letters are rearranged).

The rest are modified from an imaginary root word. America is the easiest to explain. I took the word America, changed the first two letters to Th, leaving Therica. Why Th? It just looked cool. I didn't like the look of Therica. I changed the c to a k, since in English, they have a similar sound.

I thought to myself, "Hmm United States of Therika" looks too modern to me. The U.S. is really a Republic system of government, so I will change the name, "United Republic of Therika." Voila!

Of course, don't feel too hung up on existing nations or titles. If the French or Italians decide to rule the world at some point in history, we'd have far more countries with, well, French and Italian names. Locals do have a habit of renaming areas after the victors are gone (such as Bombay to Mumbai).

 

[TerraDave]

I ran an alternate earth D&D game for many years.

The link will give you region names, from there you can get countries and smaller regions.

World of Terra Viejo