D&D General The Origins of Some D&D Names

[Morrus]

Many of the names of D&D spells, characters, and monsters have their origins in the family and friends of D&D co-creator Gary Gygax. Some were the names of characters played in early games, others were anagram of player names, and many were both! Here's a few off the top of my head. Let's try listing them.

• Melf. Male Elf.
• Tenser. Ernest Gygax.
• Vecna. Jack Vance.
• Xagyg. Gygax.
• Drawmij. Jim Ward.

 

[Richards]

Erelhei-Cinlu, the drow city featured in Vault of the Drow, was named by taking the first few letters of the names of Gary's kids: Ernest, Elise, Heidi, Cindy, and Luke.

Johnathan

 

[Azzy]

Grodog has a page dedicated to the Gygaxian anagrams.

Edit: I can't type.

 

[Voadam]

Tenser. Ernest Gygax.

Also Serten from Serten's spell immunity.

 

[Morrus]

Grodog has a page dedicated to the Gygaxian anagrams.

Edit: I can't type.

That's a fantastic page!

 

[Voadam]

Grodog has a page dedicated to the Gygaxian anagrams.

So many more than I knew of. I am generally not big on anagrams and puns.

I think the names in Greyhawk and AD&D worked better as a straight weird fantasy vibe not knowing the origins but this is interesting.

I had assumed Tasha was a daughter of Gygax's, interesting to hear she was a young fan.

I had seen some products, I think from Mayfair Games' Role Aids, by a guy named Nystul, neat to read the actual inspiration was a stage magician who suggested his eponymous magic aura spell.

I wonder now about Otto's origins.

 

[Mistwell]

Interestingly, Brad Nystul the stage magician for who the Nystul's Magic Aura is named is the father of the RPG designer (and infamous Kickstarter scoundrel) Mike Nystul.