D&D General What's in a place name? Apparently, water.

[Blackrat]

That is pretty funny. I was hesitant to look it up as feared I'd find a 15,000 word essay but only took me 2 mins to find and read it.

For anyone else interested.

https://ifunny.co/picture/torpenhow-hill-england-when-the-saxons-arrived-and-asked-the-LcEuh7Tv8

That is a pretty decent short version of it, yeah. I didn’t provide links as mine were to those 15000 word essays, but that one gave a good overview.

 

[R_J_K75]

That is a pretty decent short version of it, yeah. I didn’t provide links as mine were to those 15000 word essays, but that one gave a good overview.

I figured it was very abridged version the story and there was way more to it with antics and hilarity.

 

[Dioltach]

The greatest place name in the history of place names has to be the Discworld's Forest of Skund ("Your Finger You Fool").

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

People like to live on the coast or near a river. River estuaries are also very fertile farmland. And river mouths tend to make good (safe) harbors. So, it's logical that this is where lots of major cities (and capitals) are found. And when you look back at how towns were named, people really were amazingly unimaginative. So, when your fantasy capital has a fort that overlooks a harbor, and you call it Fort Port, there's no need to feel embarrassed.

 

[Blackrat]

And when you look back at how towns were named, people really were amazingly unimaginative.

This is propably one of the greatest truths about world building that writers should learn.

 

[Horwath]

80% of humanity lives by the sea or a days walk or at worse a days worth of horse ride from the sea.

 

[aco175]

There is also some story to names where you are trying to attract or repel people. Don't come to Iceland, it is all cold and dark- you should keep going to Greenland.

There also seems to be a lot of -town, -ford, -mill, etc... Places named after the location such as Hightown or Oxford. I'm guessing that it helps people who cannot read or use maps to know which road leads to Woolton and which one leads to Oysterby.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I’ve heard there’s a place called Lake Geneva…

That sounds made up! Who would ever want to identify themselves as coming from such a ridiculously-named place!

 

[Jer]

And when you look back at how towns were named, people really were amazingly unimaginative.

There's a reason that there are so many Springfields, Fairviews, Washingtons, and Franklins in the US.

(Naming your settlement "Fairview" feels like someone expressing subtle disappointment to me, but I suspect the name meant something more like "Awesome View" back in the day rather than "you know, it's okay I guess".)

 

[Dioltach]

(Naming your settlement "Fairview" feels like someone expressing subtle disappointment to me, but I suspect the name meant something more like "Awesome View" back in the day rather than "you know, it's okay I guess".)

My wife and I often joke about how any place called "Buenavista" is a slum. (But at least the views are nice.)

By the way, "fair" used to mean "beautiful". You know, as in "fair maiden".