I suck at making up names.
I need names for various countries/realms, and a leader or two for each:
As noted, this is a very specific to the setting kind of thing and, by no means, universal. I would say the only measure of "good" naming conventions is a matter of consistency within the campaign world. Something that the PCs can remember and will use is also not to be underestimated.
That in mind, as per my own World of Orea, things go a bit like this (and/or made up on the spot for a few that I haven't given much thought to):
Kobolds: no central kingdom/world. Particularly large communities, who might sport a "king" and everything, might name their caverns/mines in simple descriptive terms...probably making them sound grander than they are, translating from their own tongue to things like, "Kingdom of a Thousand Shiny Stones", "Hall of the Great King Goldwater." Individual names, I have always felt, are short (no more than 2 syllable) simple, possibly vulgar or stupid, animal-noise sounding names: Yip, Yarp, Burpy, Gurl, Growul, Whiner, Yak, Gak, Bruk, Blort, etc. [Yes, I use the original scaled-doggy-faced-rat-tailed kobolds in my world].
Lizardfolk: again, no central kingdom, but tribal territories. As such, tribes are generally named (by non-lizardmen) by the swamps or jungles they typically live in. The language, obviously, contains a lot of reptile/snake like sounds that would be able to be sounded by a reptilian mouth/throat/tongue. So, a lot of soft "ih's" and "ah's" and, of course, lots of hissing "S's" and "th." Anyone who has heard an alligator knows that gutteral gurgling "g's" or a croc's airing "h" sound they make. So names will contain those sounds, predominantly. Lizardmen will name themselves as some descriptive trait, skill, or notable deed: Ssist'lss, Thah, Iggggurl'aht, translating as "Spotted- or Dot-scales", "Claw", and "Great Spear Hunter", respectively. Lizardmen of authority/position, usually take on the title of their position as their name: Hss'aht, "Great Leader" or Thihs'gggg "Magic Maker" ("Shaman").
Halflings: As a PC race, as well as their nature, Halflings do have large settlements though no political regions/worldly "kingdoms" of their own. Halflings in my world are, essentially hobbits. More fit and toned in form, but the same rural/pastoral sensibilities and appreciations of home and hearth. So, typical place and personal names include or reflect elements and creatures of that sort of nature and/or human/similar to human sounding "normal [fantasy]" names. One to three syllables are the norm with liberal use of vowels a, e, and i. Halfling communities in my world include: Goldendale, the Free Hollows, and Heatherheathe. Family names include such like: Hillside, Spurthistle, Briarhouse, Possum, Brandycreek, Tuber, Umbervole. Males and females might use names or nicknames of or including common plants, animals and past times to be found in their pastoral surroundings: Thrush, Rush, Reed, Carp, Hawk, Barley, Angler, Finch, Appleseed, Jumperfrog, Tittermouse, Brandy, Badger, Weaver, Silverleaf, Redmaple. Additionally, females named after or including flowers are quite common: Merrigold, Lavendar, Heather, Rose, Merryrose, Moonflower, Astermist, etc... Those closer to/more interactive with human neighbors might include names like: Arbort, Carak, Gaven, Gareth, Garap, Ompus, Saran, Elerbeth.
Dwarves: THe dwarven tongue is decidedly more "hard" and "deep" sounding than other languages with o, u, long a's, and oo being the predominant vowel sounds and k, g, r, b, and d being predominant consonants. The largest/best known dwarf kingdoms/realms in my world (as the mountain ranges in which they exist) are Naraduun and Daegun. The capitol strongholds/cities of those realms are Boromdal and Dundiran, respectively. Clan/family names are [translate to "common" as] fairly typical "fantasy dwarf names". Things like, Greystone, Goldenbeard, Silveraxe, Blackhammer, Ironsmith. Dwarf names, typically, are short and deep sounding, with female names having more soft "a's" and "e's" in them than male names. "Killi" and "Filli" are definitely
not dwarf names in Orea. The dwarf word [as per the made up dwarven language, or at least as far as I've gotten to] "nor" means "rock" and is a very common suffix among dwarf male names (less common for female names, but still possible): Stromnor, Kronor, Dunagnor, etc... Other male names might be Duor, Feoron, Toralon Kor, Valeran [F], Turgana [F], Delaenor [F].
Ogres: another critter that has no actual homeland/region/kingdom of their own. If they are to be ound in great numbers, they would be underground or in the company of [hill] giants, orcs, or other goblinoids and the name of their realm is not known among the learned. For ogre names, I tend to go with dull, gutteral, brutish sounding things: Grung, Grunk, Urgol, Ungol, Trunx, Krog, Bog, Dung, Gorg, etc...
Frost Giants: I would just go full on viking/norse sounding with these: Jungyor, Fjorn, Jorghild, Brungal, Fjarfunglor, that sorta thing. Lots of "j" pronounced as "y", "shwa [sp?] e", -or, -in, -ing, -ild, -ald, oo, ur, and -un. Lots of f, v, b, d, r and n.
Trolls: like the ogres, they generally don't live in large batches together and are more likely to be found in small (probably familial) groups ravaging a set territory. Given their traditional lore of having a deity named Vaprak, I guess names that follow that sound scheme make sense. Lots of hard/long "a", lots of hard consonant "k, p, b, v". So, off the top of my head, stuff like: Barak, Bakrap, Krap, Krak, Panik, Vorpak, Vorpal, Porborak, Borabap. Naturally, these would translate to common, and more intelligent common speaking trolls might use these: Blacktongue, Ripflesh, Boneshatter, Render, Bloodhands, Greenteeth, etc...
