Wizard Names

[sniffles]

Phone books are good spots to look for names. I had an alien character in a Star Trek game whose name was Cesteen Dexceb - both names I got from my company phone directory at work and then swapped around some letters. Email aliases are good too (except when you get to some of the unfortunate ones I've seen: ASchmuck, AFagg, KNees, you get the idea).

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I tend towards mundane, but not modern, names for my characters - that is, names which were actually used in human cultures in the past, but which don't sound "modern". For instance, Ella might be short for Eleanor and may even have been used in Ye Olden Tymes, but it sounds modern to my ear. Conversely, Richard is still used as a name these days but it still sounds old-fashioned to me, so it works.

I'm very much against using completely made-up fantasy names, because they just sound ridiculous. Thranvar is right out.

I like to use Roman names when I can - history is full of exotic-sounding names that real people used. My World of Warcraft characters, for instance, have been called Ascanius, Catilina, Licinia, Osric, Xenophon, Furius, Hilarius (okay, it's a joke name, but it is the Latin form of "Hilary" and Hilarius was a Pope), et cetera.

Consider the men called Corneliushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_(Ancient_Roman_nomen) in Roman history. Plenty of good names there - okay, except the many guys called Lentulus. That's silly.

 

[sniffles]

I tend towards mundane, but not modern, names for my characters - that is, names which were actually used in human cultures in the past, but which don't sound "modern". For instance, Ella might be short for Eleanor and may even have been used in Ye Olden Tymes, but it sounds modern to my ear. Conversely, Richard is still used as a name these days but it still sounds old-fashioned to me, so it works.

I'm very much against using completely made-up fantasy names, because they just sound ridiculous. Thranvar is right out.

I like to use Roman names when I can - history is full of exotic-sounding names that real people used. My World of Warcraft characters, for instance, have been called Ascanius, Catilina, Licinia, Osric, Xenophon, Furius, Hilarius (okay, it's a joke name, but it is the Latin form of "Hilary" and Hilarius was a Pope), et cetera.

Consider the men called Corneliushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_(Ancient_Roman_nomen) in Roman history. Plenty of good names there - okay, except the many guys called Lentulus. That's silly.

I like Thranvar! I may have to remember that one.
When I'm roaming around the Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk I don't want to meet some guy named Richard - that just makes me think of the real world. Richard is still a fairly common name. I'm a bit arbitrary about that, though - I wouldn't have any objection to a fellow player using a very common Finnish name, for instance.

 

[Knight Otu]

Ashlar,

Coincidentally, the name of my LEW wizard is Ashnar. In a short-lived PbP, I've played a young sorcerer by the name Jepraith Marzail, nick-named Raith.

 

[Tetsubo]

This is where I find many of the names I use:

http://www.zoope.com/about/about_names.html

Names from past characters:

Canthos the Grey
Pavel the Enervated
Vocan Stonecleaver
Dederic Blackhand
Morgan Twinblades
Dagan Drake
Morgan Willowleaf

 

[Arkhandus]

Hrm....I sometimes try to model a character's name after some other fictional character I've read about or seen in a game. *shrug* I just try to make names that fit the same kind of general mold of that stuff.

Some names I've used before for wizard PCs or NPCs (some of these were only found in my games as ancient mages who created new spells, now named after them):
Arkhandus
Dimetrios
Atremai
Vaeron Dunerunner
Nicholas Thorn, "Necronis"
Archaeon
Orvidan
Esmere (female sorceress NPC)
Martus
Haraad
Eriath
Asmodius Firebringer
Twi'liith Silvermeadow (female pixie sorceress NPC)
Jhaerym Stonefire
Earendil Moonleaf
Severis Arunikiir
Kurtek Kraghelm
Trevell Darkhollow
Xerius Blacksword
Kraxus Veraxius
Varyn Stormbringer
Andarien Stoneriven
Amadeus Veradicus
Lucian DragonborneA
Avros Aeradamus
Fenwick Rainweaver
Verick Wavecaller
Malvec of Oakshire
Skeggs Red-Eye
Tayen
Lars Cray
Barakus Argent
Xerzed
Vaeth
Toman
Vaxx
Durideus Dalewind
Decius
Gimble
Varash
Vindaar
Zutmoy
Baashir
Zanuvial
Taurion
Aeridion
Loroche

There are a few I've forgotten or lost over the years.......
Hope this at least helps give some ideas!

 

[Kuld]

Yobe: My first wizards name.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Another option is to go the mysterious route.

One series of Clint Eastwood's westerns featured a nameless character...at least, his name was never given. Its an option...

Black Sabbath's "The Wizard" talks about how people react when a wizard walks by...his mere presence evokes reactions similar to those of a powerful and feared king.

So, when people ask the PC's name, say "I am THE wizard...that is all you need to know." Or something similarly mysterious or menacing.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Most of my players have no interest in playing spellcasters, so most of my campaigns arcanists have been NPCs. A few are powerful archmages, but most are just specialists in their own narrow, fairly technical fields, so I don't always shoot for "grand and powerful."

J.K. Rowling has reminded me what a fan I am of typonyms, (especially in an RPG, where it can be hard to keep folks sorted out) so when I needed a wizard who created an alternate version of locate creature with better range but the requirement that a blood relative of the creature sought must provide an ounce of blood, I created a Diviner/Blood Magus and named him . . .

Eldarc Hem

(ELDritchARCane HEMo) His name is a code for me for "magicy blood guy."

 

[Arkhandus]

Here are the names of some mages I've played, seen played, DMed, seen DMed, or have designed but not yet been able to put into play. I won't bother including the last names of those that have them, nor any race indicator. Though sometimes the last name is just as important in invoking the right kind of image. I'm sure I'm forgetting around half a dozen or so names, too.

Arkhandus
Archeon
Necronis
Dimetrios
Trokaire
Jhaeyrm
Daeth
Earendil
Kurtek
Memnus
Gavin
Durideus
Xerius
Kraxus
Vaeron
Mathias
Phaeron
Kulag
Alaric
Andarien
Amadeus
Forsythe
Fu Shen Hao
Lucian
Avros
Fenwick
Elizar
Rak'tal
Seith
Verick
Weldun
Zhardahl
Barakus
Korallis
Kitsurugi
Rhatu
Lucius
Trevell
Severis
Lars
Tayen
Skeggs
Malvec
Vaxx
Haraad
Atremai
Jhovan
Orvidan
Theodus
Seruleus
Sethyr
Rothyr
Eladar
Vallyn
Higashi
Martus
Malikal
Vasiryon
Ch'in Yun Tai
Xanatos
Efisal