Dear WotC - You suck at names.

[jasin]

The real problem is that there are 100 people with different ideas of what "good names" are. I'm not convinced you could get 100 people to agree that Tolkien came up with good names. At a Lord of the Rings convention, even.

With good reason. How do you like Tinwe Linto? How about Linwe Tinto? One of them might just be bearable, but as a pair... not even Tolkien can be excused.

 

[JustinM]

His names for the dwarves in The Hobbit absolutely drove me up the wall.

 

[Korgoth]

His names for the dwarves in The Hobbit absolutely drove me up the wall.

Prepare for incoming bunker buster:
He didn't make many/most of them up. They are drawn from the Dvergatal, the "Catalogue of Dwarfs" in the Poetic Edda (Viking mythology).

The point at which people say that the Vikings didn't invent good fantasy names is the point at which the conversation about naming implodes.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

Prepare for incoming bunker buster:
He didn't make many/most of them up. They are drawn from the Dvergatal, the "Catalogue of Dwarfs" in the Poetic Edda (Viking mythology).

The point at which people say that the Vikings didn't invent good fantasy names is the point at which the conversation about naming implodes.

I would think the point is more that Tolkien chose poorly from the assortment provided to him.

 

[Desdichado]

I've always liked the name "Blibdoolpoolp." Say it with me, "Blibdoolpoolp." Doesn't it just hit the right note of silly, aquatic and alien?

Mostly just the silly. Although if you really lke Blibdoolpoolp, then I DARE you to tell me that Yan-C-Bin is a good name. Seriously. I double DOG dare you, skipping a few steps there.

 

[Transit]

I would think the point is more that Tolkien chose poorly from the assortment provided to him.

He really didn't give himself much of a choice, it's a very strange and unpronounceable list of names. In addition to using it to name his dwarves, The Dvergatal is also where Tolkien found the name "Gandalf."

If anyone's interested, here it is:

Then gathered together the gods for council,
the holy hosts, and held converse:
who the deep-dwelling dwarfs was to make
of Brimir's blood and Blain's bones.

Mótsognir rose, mightest ruler
of the kin of dwarfs, but Durin next;
molded many manlike bodies
the dwarfs under erath, as Durin bade them.

Nýi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, Althjóf, Dvalin,
Nár and Náin, Níping, Dáin,
Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nóri,
Án and Onar, Ái, Mjóthvitnir.

Veig and Gandálf, Vindálf, Thráin,
Thekk and Thorin, Thrór, Vit, and Lit,
Nár and Regin, Nýráth and Ráthsvith;
now is reckoned the roster of dwarfs.

Fíli, Kíli, Fundin, Náli,
Heptifíli, Hanar, Svíur,
Frár, Hornbori, Fræg and Lóni,
Aurvang, Jari, Eikinskjaldi.

The dwarfs I tell now in Dvalin's host,
down to Lofar- for listening wights-
they who hied them from halls of stone
over sedgy shores to sandy plains.

There was Draupnir and Dólgthrasir,
Hár and Haugspori, Hlévang, Gloi,
Skirvir, Virvir, Skafith, Ái,
Álf and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi,

Fjalar and Frosti, Finn and Ginnar.
Will ever be known, while earth doth last,
the line of dwarfs to Lofar down.

Anyone feel like naming their next character "Mjóthvitnir"?

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

He really didn't give himself much of a choice, it's a very strange and unpronounceable list of names. In addition to using it to name his dwarves, The Dvergatal is also where Tolkien found the name "Gandalf."

If anyone's interested, here it is:

​

Anyone feel like naming their next character "Mjóthvitnir"?

I stand corrected.

Tolkien chose poorly in his choice of sources.

 

[Desdichado]

Is it OK if we now have the predicted explosion? Now that two folks have claimed that Old Norse is a poor source for fantasy names?

 

[Cam Banks]

Anyone feel like naming their next character "Mjóthvitnir"?

Personally, I like Mjóthvitnirfane and Hrothgarwyld. Let's use those names instead. Teh awesome!

Cheers,
Cam

 

[jolt]

As "The Hobbit" was written as a children's novel I have no problem with the names presented there. I do find the amount of seriousness and indignation in a thread under the category of Humor to be amusing however. In that light, I guess it achieved it's goal.

jolt