Naming Cities and towns in your homebrew settings

[billd91]

I just steal right from atlases. I pick a region that would sound about right and start nabbing names of the smaller towns on the hopes that they are less well-known of to my players.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Although I suggested those exact names above, I don't particularly love them. I fully concede that they're obvious, simplistic, and at least a smidgen lazy. All of which makes them great names to use when you just need a name on-the-fly, but I do prefer having more of a historical or in-world tie-in to the name.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to stick to my assumptions that you're just a bad person.

 

[MechaPilot]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to stick to my assumptions that you're just a bad person.

Oh, I'm not saying you're wrong. Just clarifying my prior advice, and agreeing with you on this one.

 

[GameDaddy]

Here are two hundred randomly generated names along with the gender that they refer to that you can use. Several years ago, I built a number of different generators for Inspiration Pad Pro. These are all phonetically correct, so if you pronounce them out loud, you are actually speaking ancient Egyptian. Let me know if you need actual translations of any of these words.

Maybe you remember the movie The Mummy with Brendan Fraser. They speak real egyptian in the movie for example...

Anhk-Su-Amun translation - "Her Soul,Life is of Amun"
Imhotep - "Peace is Pleased" or "I come in Peace" This was another name for AmunHotep III "Amun is Pleased", a Pharoah of the 18th Dynasty who died between 1353-1351 B.C.

Amun is of course a God...He was a major ancient Egyptian deity who appears as a member of the Hermopolitan ogdoad. Amun was attested from the Old Kingdom together with his wife Amaunet. With the 11th dynasty (c. 21st century BC), Amun rose to the position of patron deity of Thebes by replacing Monthu. He was the King of the Gods as well as the God of the Wind. After the rebellion of Thebes against the Hyksos and with the rule of Ahmose I (16th century BC), Amun acquired national importance, expressed in his fusion with the Sun god, Ra, as Amun-Ra or Amun-re


Randomly generated ancient Egyptian names
=============================================
Satati Nefer-Temu -Nakht (f)
Au Sankh-Ib Mentu -Em-Har
Khamus
Tent Nefer- Rah -Nefer (f)
Ta-Sheri Neb-Ef-Atu Nek-Heb (f) -Nofret (f)
Senbet (f)
Pa-Hir
Meri-s-Ankh Mery-Kau Ra -Neb (f)
Uah-Ankh
Pra-Emheb Si Iset (f) -Suten
Pa-Keti Sankh-Ib Aapep -Em-Het
Bu-Nefer Mer-Tefa Netjer -Em-Sa-F (f)
Nefert-Ari Mery-Ib Nut (f) -Neferu (f)
Mer-Es-Ankh Maat-Ka Amun -Rekh-Nefer (f)
Ba Si Khafi- Khnum -Em-Hat
Nefret Mer-En- Aah -En-Sau-F (f)
Ankh Sankh-Ib Amen -Amen
Ankh Ni-Maat Re -Amu
Sekhem
Iset User-En Rah -Rekh-Nefer (f)
Khamus
Pa-Nauk Sit Amon -Em-Hat
Ka-Kem Djed-Kha Aset (f) -I-Seneb
Sankh-Tawy
Nub-Em-Heb Nepthys -Mas (f)
Khamus Khuf- Hor -Khu-Nes
Nebt-Tawy (f)
Kha-Uit (f)
Peni Au-Ib Amun -Khufeu
Nubhi
User Re -Amen
Hotep
Pen-Ta-Ur
Khamus Ka- Anpu -En-Seneb
Uoser
Khen-Djer
Pa-Mose Sankh-Ib Heru (f) -Her-Khopesh
Aaht-Atu Mery- Amun -Ta-Sherit (f)
Uoser
Pi-Ankh A-Ka-Ne Ptah -Shep
Djet
Mehet Netchem- Khnum -Nefer (f)
Beket Maat-Ka- Hathor -Neferu (f)
Pen-Rennu Pai- Iset (f) -Em-Het
Djoser Sankh-Ib Mentu -Em-Het
Nubhi Si Mentu -Uben
Nub-Khe-Sed (f)
Aat Netjer -Neferu (f)
Nuba Shepsis- Amen -Tot-f
Se-Hetep
Nefer Sit Nebt-Iyt (f) -Seneb
Neb-Tefa Horus -Nofret Usekh (f)
Tent Rekh-Mi Het-Heru (f) -Tuya (f)
Kha-Mer-Em-Ebty (f)
Senefer
Apepi
Si Mut (f) -Em-Hat Pa-Aru-Sun
Nefert Mery- Anuket (f) -Amun (f)
Ki Ta- Sebek -Em-Hat
Khai
Khuf- Aah -Aha Nubhi
Sekhem Sit Amun -Em-Ant
Meryet Nefer-Ka Nek-Heb (f) -Amun (f)
Tcha-n-Hebu Shepsis- Neith -En-Seneth
Meris Nub-Kheper Het-Heru (f) -Nakht (f)
Neb-Su Khafi- Nek-Heb (f) -Hotep
Ka-Pes Meryet- Mentu -Em-Nesu (f)
Hent Tehuti -Neb (f)
Nebet Mer- Amun -Nofret (f)
Neb-Atef (f)
Senbet Neferu- Min -Nefert (f)
Nefer-Mennu
Suanar Kha-Hotep Maat (f) -Se-Kheper
Nofret Meri- Nefer-Temi -Nakht (f)
Aaht (f)
Ka-Kem Khaf- Khensu -Khu-Nes
Ta-Biry Mer-Sekhem Thoth -Amun (f)
Ka' Pepi- Amen -I-Seneth
Kama Meri- Memphis (f) -Em-Sa-F (f)
Be Kheper- Bes -Em-Hotep
Aaht (f)
Meri
Hapu
Kheper Kha-Hotep Re-Amun -Mas
Nebet (f)
Khamus
Ib /Truth Sankh-Ib Aset (f) -I-Seneth
Nefert-Iri User-Ka Re -Em-Sa-F (f)
Kha-Mer (f)
Mut-Emwha Amun -Amun (f)
Amotu Ka- Mentu -Khau
Pepi-Nakht
Hen-He-Net (f)
Uoser
Utu
Ta-Kha-et (f)
Teta Sankh-Ib Sebek EnSeneth
Nodjme (f)
Nub Akh-En Niyt (f) -Kha
Neb-Atef (f)
Menni
Uner Se-Kha-En Amon -I-Seneth
A-tu Maat-Ka- Amun -Neferu (f)
Sankh-Ib Iset (f) -Ut-Ankh-Es Uah-Ankh
Senefer
Niyt (f)
Teti-Sheret Neha- Set -Em-Nesu (f)
Nefer-Hotep Shepsis- Bes -Em-Hat
Anqet-Ta-Ti Nefer-Ka Kheper -Nakht (f)
Kiya Meri- Sekhmet (f) -u (f)
Ta-Kha-et Mery- Thoth -Neferu (f)
Abu Rah -Em-Hotep
Men Djed- Het-Heru (f) -Uben
Nofret Meri- Ra -Em-Nesu (f)
Henut-Tawy Neha- Re-Amun -Neferu (f)
Ka-Nefer Sahu- Nefer-Temu -Seneb
Abar Meryet- Khensu -Rekh-Nefer (f)
Khamat
Hap-Shet-Sut Meri- Niyt (f) -Nakht (f)
Au Sankh-Ib Seb -Mose
Nena (f)
Pa-Hennu Pa- Aset (f) -En-Seneb
Hi Ka- Het-Heru (f) -Ut-Ankh-Es
Pa-Nauk
Kam (f)
Bet Nefer-Ka Amun -Amun (f)
Kha-Uit Maat-Ka Heru (f) -Nakht (f)
Hent Nakhtu- Sebet -Neferu (f)
Na-Ro-Meth Si Anpu -I-Seneth
Nofret Nefer-Ka Heru (f) -Nakht (f)
Nebet-Em-Nub (f)
Maat-Ka Amun -Tat-F Iput (f)
Pen-Rennu Si Tut-Ankh Bes -Irdis
Den
Mar
Meryet Se-Nakht-En Horus -Nakht (f)
Ta-Her (f)
Tua-Nefert (f)
Mehet-En-Usekh Aah -Em-Nesu (f)
Shepsis (f)
Iuput (f)
Ti-N-An (f)
Khamus
Ata Pepi- Netjer -Shepses
Sunanar Sekhem- Netjer -Mose
Usati Sankh-Ib Niyt (f) -Khu-Nes
Pe
Pa Sankh-Ib Ra -Hotep
Pra-Emheb Si Mut (f) -Amen
Sen-Mesu
Neb-Ka
Pepi
Hen-He-Net (f)
Abana
Na-Ro-Meth Sankh-Ib Ptah -Tot-f
Ka-Ramati Meri- Mut (f) -Tifi (f)
Pa-Mu
Djoser
Sit Bast (f) -Seneb Tai-Nahkt
Khua
Kha-Mus
Meryet Meri- Rah -Rekh-Nefer (f)
Ai Ankh-Hes-En Horus -Em-Hat
Khent-Kau-Es (f)
Ka-mose
Mehet Neha- Anpu -En-Sau-F (f)
EgyptianMaleTheophoric
Menna Sit Amon -En-Seneth
Hen-He-Net Meryet- Heru -Nakht (f)
Beka Sit Khensu -Tot-f
Bu-Nefer Meri- Nut (f) -Tuya (f)
Hapu Sekhem- Nefer-Temu -Uben
Aaht-Atu Maat-Ka- Het-Heru (f) -Nefert (f)
Kero (f)
Sen-User
Uotmose
Bek Ankh-Hes-En Maat (f) -I-Seneb
Mehtem-Wes-Khet (f)
Im-Hotep Pai- Amun -Seneb
Pa-Ari Pedu- Heru (f) -Irdis
Neb-Ankh Sankh-Ib Iset (f) -Mose
Ri-N-An Meri- Het-Heru (f) -Neb (f)
Nebet (f)
Ber-Nerib Nub-Maat Isis -Nakht (f)
Abar Anuket (f) -Tat-F (f)
Neb-ai Ank-Ka-En Khonsu -Em-Hotep
Hen-He-Net (f)
Iuput Kheper Ka Mentu
Suanar
Ia-Ib
Kha-Uit Neb- Anpu -Nofret (f)
Nub-Khos (f)
Kama Netchem- Heru (f) -Rekh-Nefer (f)
Se-Hetep-Tawy Si Maat (f) -Khures
Thi
Beket (f)
Sipar
Nofret (f)
User
Meryet User-En Nut (f) -Em-Sa-F (f)

 

[RoyalEF]

Towns and cities were often named for the physical geography of their location or for a major aspect--often commercial or a prominent family. This was the source of street names as well.

For instance -wich in a town was an indication that the town had a salt mine or source. Greenwich, Briarwich, all combined some other aspect with the salt suffix.

A goat herding village on top of a hill could be Billytop.

I have a village that farms cotton heavily. Their economy revolves around it and their byproducts, thread, yarn, woven textiles. So hunting around in google I stumble on Gossypium Cotton--a soft durable type of cotton. I then chose GOSSYP as the name of the village. This not only givens an interesting name, but it acts as a memorization tool for me. If I have to make up the village's merchants in the street on the fly, textiles will be heavy, and merchants from Gossyp will be carrying various basic cotton products.

I started a village as a sleepy little town and googled up sleepy. I think I found a drug and played with its name to come to Ahnodin. I like names to be easy to pronounce and roll off the tongue without tripping over how they are supposed to be said.

 

[Venley]

Towns and cities were often named for the physical geography of their location or for a major aspect--often commercial or a prominent family. This was the source of street names as well.

For instance -wich in a town was an indication that the town had a salt mine or source. Greenwich, Briarwich, all combined some other aspect with the salt suffix.

The -wich ending can also be from vicus, meaning settlement. And it does in the case of Greenwich, near where I grew up.
At a slight tangent, it is wince-making when authors (usually American) use English placenames in other than the real world; it completely jars me from their setting and story. I can imagine it does similarly for other languages and their players.

 

[Jhaelen]

I name towns for a specific feature of the town, or for a specific event that happened there. Bad Ankle, provided above, is exactly what I do, only I run a 'time changes things' pass over it and might have that town down as Bankley. Depends on the setting theme I'm pushing. Having the towns names for clear features helps reinforce player memory -- "Hey, remember that town, the one with 10 wells?" "You mean Tenwell?" "Yeah! That one!"

That's imho one of the best approaches - if you already have a clear idea about the place. After all that's how real places most often get their names.

It made me think of a similar but different approach: if you're going for a particular theme you can support it by using descriptive names that support the theme.
E.g. in the recent Bladerunner 2049 movie I noticed that two of the female characters are named 'Luv' and 'Joi'.
The same can work for place names, e.g. you could have a border fortress called 'Valor' or a hobbit village called 'Repose'.
You can make it less obvious by making up a different spelling with the same pronunciation.

Related Fun Fact: This weekend it struck me that the Smasing Pumpkins album 'Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' is really named after 'Melancholy'.
Given that the album was released in 1995 it's rather amazing it took me so long to realize this.
(My feeble excuse being that I'm not a native English speaker and I had always falsely assumed 'melancholy' was pronounced a bit differently.)

 

[Mona Liza]

The names are all randomized, although the ending part of a name is always picked from a predefined list based on real and fictional versions. This randomization does mean some names may not work very well, depending on what type of language and culture you're going for.
The first 5 names in this generator are generally shorter than the last 5, so those names suffer less from the stranger randomization results than the last 5.
kingdom name generator

 

[Derren]

Not a fan of random generators. Sure, you might end up with some good sounding names, but they usually don't fit together.
Better to simply use slightly altered real world names.