Descriptive vs. Proper Setting Names (i.e. "Forgotten Realms" vs. "Greyhawk")

[Kaodi]

I may get called on having a terrible thread name again, but I feel that this is an accurate depiction of my question.

I am wondering whether, when naming a setting, it is better to give the setting a unique name that in some sense describes the flavour or the core conceit of the setting, or whether it is better to use the proper name of the world (or the focus of the world) depicted.

Examples of what I might consider descriptively named settings: Forgotten Realms, World of Darkness, Planescape, Birthright, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, Ghostwalk.

And properly named settings: Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eberron, Golarion, Kingdoms of Kalamar, Ravenloft, Nerath, Mystara.

Both groups have some really iconic names in them, of course, but I was wondering if one approach might be, on average, better. I am playing around in my mind with an idea for a setting that sort of boiled up when I was thinking about how 5e works (or, if I were to doggedly stand upon my own arguments, 7e) . So far most of the names I have been brainstorming have been descriptive, but there is a bit of an issue in putting one together that flows nicely, because the name I first thought of is shared by a recent game and also a recent unrelated movie. If by some completely insane stretch of the imagination I were ever to publish (even if just posting my ideas for anyone to use) , I would think that cound be problematic from a branding perspective. So that is sort of when I decided I ought to ask the question first before continuing.

Sadly I am not sure if my core conceit is original for a setting. It sort of cribs off a modern trend in fiction in an explicit but more limited way.

 

[jonesy]

I don't think it matters that much. But I do think Forgotten Realms is a horrible name for the setting. Apparently they called it that because they were the forgotten realms of Earth's past. Where in the setting does that ever come up? It's like a meta name. Should have called it Abeir-Toril or Faerun.

And Mystara was called The Known World, because it focused on a certain part of the world, so it's got both a descriptive and a proper name.

 

[Stormonu]

It depends on what you are trying to emphasize.

"World of Greyhawk" is a background sandboxy setting. There's no metaplot going on, it "just a place".

"Forgotten Realms" is similar; the world is in many ways an ancient parallel to our own. In some ways, FR tries to convey the depth, the sense that this place is so detailed it could exist - but doesn't - sort of feel.

"Birthright" is trying to sell the fact you are a ruler. "Dark Sun" is attempting to convey the oppressing wasteland characters toil under.

"Planescape" attempts to convey that this is about traveling the planes. The name implies adventures that span known (and unknown) reality.

"Dragonlance" is more about the dragons, though the lance represents the "War of the Lance" - the epic struggle.

"Ravenloft" is the oddity - it got named for the module that started it.

So the question is, what are you trying to convey with your setting? Is it "just a backdrop" to put everyone in? Going with a name significant to the world may be more appropriate. Is there a grand backstory or overarcing plot? If so, then it would be a good idea to hint at that instead.

 

[Kaodi]

So the question is, what are you trying to convey with your setting? Is it "just a backdrop" to put everyone in? Going with a name significant to the world may be more appropriate. Is there a grand backstory or overarcing plot? If so, then it would be a good idea to hint at that instead.

I would say that it is a "backdrop with a grand backstory" . The core conceit of the setting has to do with how the world "works" , which is tied up completely with how the "backstory" developed. I have trying to think of a name that is relatively simple, sounds good, and conveys the core conceit. I think the setting name closest to this style would be Spelljammer, with Planescape running behind that.

 

[Mark CMG]

My setting of choice is Grymvald which probably answers the OP.

 

[Cor Azer]

I tend to go with thematic names for my campaigns or names dealing with the McGuffin, which then tend to get attached to my settings - I don't frequently run multiple campaigns in the same homebrew settings.

Examples:
The Legend of Aerilis
The Coming Night
The Shadow Mosaic
Strands of Fate
Koukonsogur: The Twilight Sagas
Holdfasts and Hollows
Odd Jobs, Inc.
Heart of Stone