Fantasy names for Real World nations

[Gez]

See also these previous threads: <1> & <2>

Especially 1.

 

[johnsemlak]

The Erde campaign setting has a lot of inspiration for such sames.

Here's a few possiblities for Russia:

Rus, Rossia (pronoiced Ros-SI-ya), Torassia (a name of a setting in Monkeygod's Tsar Rising module), Moscovia, Suzdal, Vologda

 

[Tonguez]

Britain/British -- Alba
France/French-- Castile
Spain/Spanish -- Iberia
Germany/Germans-- Gotenland
Italy/Italians-- Palmora, Velancia and Romula
Norway/Norse -- Oustheim
Russia/Russians-- Dravoi principalities, Khrzghk*
Africa/Africans -- Kush
Japan/Japanese-- Nihongi
China/Chinese-- Khitai
India/Indians -- Pagani
Arabia/Arabians -- Parsi

Khrzghk* I always liked those vowel-less place names from central asia (thanks Khryzbekistan (sp))

 

[Nifft]

Here are names from my campaign setting (just from the part of Earth that my players have seen, though):

Nation, Citizen (Real-World Language)
Luxoria (mainland and , Luxorian (French)
Alianza del Mar (Glacia, Urracca, Arboleroja, Isle de Juventud), Libertine (Spanish)
Terra dei Padroni, Ferrone (Italian)
Aeirheim, Aervolk (Germanic/Nordic roots, not fully fleshed out)

... those are the human nations that the PCs generally know about. There are some Dwarven and Elven lands which they're not allowed to enter.

-- N

 

[Gez]

France/French-- Castile

Well, there's a Castille in Spain... Some French region names, (with inhabitants in parenthesis):
Picardie (picard m, picarde f)
Charente (charentais m, charentaise f)
Limousin (limousin m, limousine f -- and yep, that's the origin of the name of limousine cars)
Bourgogne (bourgon m bourgonne f)
Ardennes (ardennais m ardennaise f)

And an oddity:
Ile de France (francilien m francilienne f). Literally, it means Island of France, and looking at a map, you'd have trouble considering it an island... The whole country is actually named after this region, rather than the other way around.

For old-style variations, you can replace all -ais by -ois (frex, ardennois), Bourgogne can becomme Burgonde, etc.
Use this link to find where those regions actually are.

(thanks Khryzbekistan (sp))

Did you mean Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan ?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

In foreign languages, Germany is usually to refered by the various "root" cultures. In Finland, they use "Saxa" or "Sachsa" (I don`t know exactly) for the Saxon roots, in France they use "Allemagne" for the Alleman roots. (English obviously the Germans). We call our country "Deutschland" (well, actually "Bundesrepublik Deutschland" ), which is based on the teuton roots (I think).

 

[countgray]

Scotland used to be known as Caledonia in roman times.
France: Gaul, Gallica
Scandinavia or northern Germany was known as Thule.
Switzerland was named Helvetica

Check out old historical atlases of europe from the roman era.

Also check out Michael Moorcock's Hawkmoon series.

 

[SpringPlum]

Jacqueline Carey did a really good job of changing nations' names in her Kushiel series but you can still tell what real nation she was alluding to. Some examples of the names she used:

France: Terre d'Ange
England: Alba
Ireland: Eire
Greece: Hellas
Egypt: Menekhet
Spain: Aragonia
Italy: Caerdicca Unitas
--Rome: Tiberium
--Venice: La Serenissima

 

[Voadam]

Britain/British = Anglund
France/French = Gaul
Spain/Spanish = Hispania/Iberia
Germany/Germans = ?
Italy/Italians = Romany
Norway/Norse = Norlund, Norslund
Russia/Russians = Kiev
Africa/Africans = ?
Japan/Japanese = Nippon
China/Chinese = Middle Kingdom
India/Indians = the Raj
Arabia/Arabians = Rabia

 

[The Lemon Merchant]

Here's what I used in my campaign world (link in the sig)

British Isles - Britannia

• Ireland - Hybernia
• Wales - Cymru
• Scotland - Kingdom of Caladonia & Caladonian Highlands
• Britain - Albion

France - Galia

Of course in my campaign world France is not a united kingdom and is broken up into 6 regions; Aquitaine & Gascony, Breton & Armorica, Burgundy, Flanders & Hainaut, the Holy See (Avignon) and France.​

Spain - Iberia

Like France, the Iberian pennisula has not been united under one king yet, thus the following kingdoms exist; Aragon, Castile & Leon, Navarre, Portugal and Granada​

Central Europe - Central Eurpoa includes The Empire (fromerly the Holy Roman Empire), Bavaria & Ostland, Bohemia & Moravia, The Cantons, and Holtwould & The Wuldgraftdums
Italy - Italia & Roman Republic
Northern Europe - Northern Europa is made up of Danmark, Isaland, Kalvala, Karelia, Lapland, Norge and Sverge
Russia - Principalities of Rus
Africa -
Japan -
China -
India -
Arabia - Most of Mediterranian Africa is included in our Arabia (based on it's religious affiliation). The whole is known as the Levant (I know not entirely accurate). I kept the original names, though a lot of old empires didn't go away (i.e. Mesopotamia, Arabia, Persia, Kingdom of Antioch and the Ottoman Empire are all alive and well)