Naming things. Fellow DMs, I'm sure you will agree that sometimes, the name just comes to you in a brilliant flash of genius, and sometimes... "Bob Enpeasea" the farmer, or "Rahdumplaace" the Village is the best we've got in us. Does anyone have some tips to share on how to create great names when you're feeling uninspired? All answers welcomed and appreciated! Have a great day.
Some DMs also recommend printing out a few pages of names for the various races and cultures in your group. Whenever you need one, just scratch it off, so that you don't use it again later.
Creating them when you're uninspired is the only trick, man. Anyone can do it the rest of the time. Keep listening to the names you come in contact with every day. If you have a phone book, the next time you're using it, look at the other names on the page, not just the one you were searching for. Some names are obvious place names or too famous to use, but suffixes like "-ton" and "-ford" can be used. Occupation names: the smith is named Smith; the cook is named Cook.
Then, and this is the important part: When you come across something that fires your imagination, WRITE IT DOWN. Just make a note on your phone and later copy it onto a notebook or something. Writing down your good ideas when you have them and not when you think of it/feel like writing an adventure, etc, will double your output.
Flip through some old stories, like King Arthur, Robin Hood, Beowulf, Song of Roland, whatever makes sense for your world. There’s lots of good names in there, and if it’s a reference, it’s not a rip-off!
Depending on the world or realm you are using you could just use premade locations. Or classic trick is to just move the players to your focused location anyway. They won't know the difference unless you are making it up on the spot. The game has some flex to improv but try to add more emphasis on the importance of settings. When in doubt just google random name generators and print the list, highlight the names when you pick them and make a note of what the place is when your players get to it.
Some DMs also recommend printing out a few pages of names for the various races and cultures in your group. Whenever you need one, just scratch it off, so that you don't use it again later.
I always do this. Start with a good 10-15 in various categories at the start of the campaign, add in some more as I get low. I’ll do names for characters, towns, inns, horses, ships, anything I can think of players might want to know. It’s a bit of work on the front end, but lots of them you can end up carrying over to different campaigns if you don’t use them.
Some DMs also recommend printing out a few pages of names for the various races and cultures in your group. Whenever you need one, just scratch it off, so that you don't use it again later.
I always do this. Start with a good 10-15 in various categories at the start of the campaign, add in some more as I get low. I’ll do names for characters, towns, inns, horses, ships, anything I can think of players might want to know. It’s a bit of work on the front end, but lots of them you can end up carrying over to different campaigns if you don’t use them.
If the NPCs are people you expect to return, don't scratch off the names but rather write what that NPC is next to it. That way you'll have a rogues gallery in no time.
My primary source for naming, and they have everything from proper names of various races, to town, taverns, street, and casino (needed it for my Bilgewater campaign) names. Everyone should have this site in their DM toolbox.
For anything I want to re-use as a repeat NPC or location I create a World Anvil* page - with a free account you can make public pages and add DM's secrets so you can control what players can see.
*I have no affiliation with World Anvil - I just like using it for world building.
I forgot to throw out this old (from 2003) generator I used to use. It's still pretty good, though not the prettiest interface. The other one linked on this page is great, just if you want some other options.
From Guy at how to be a great DM on youtube, make a list of 20 male names, an A name a B name a C namr and so on.
Then make a 2nd column, start halfway down the alphabet and list 20 female names
Make a 3rd column, change one or more vowels in one of two names in same row of other 2 columns
Now you have a 60 names, roll a d20 as needed n pick a name to suit your needs. In medeival times last names used to be based on occupation, gardener (also garner), cartwright, baker, thatcher etc.
Some DMs also recommend printing out a few pages of names for the various races and cultures in your group. Whenever you need one, just scratch it off, so that you don't use it again later.
This one helped me a lot! Just a page full of names that you can immediately grab a name from that feels right. It brings your world to life like crazy!
So far my village names have mostly just been puns or names that look a lot like each other haha
I have a Norse inspired campaign setting and I just use google translate. For example I have a redcap named blóðkóngur, which is literally just "Blood King" in Norwegian.
I've taken to using normal names but then putting a different spelling on them. For example, I've got a noble who's recruiting adventurers into a franchised adventure group where h's trying to get a chapter in all the cities in Faerun. His name is Barabus Bloodwynd. Just change the "i" in wind to a "y". He has an assistant named Ragan Thornhill. Just dropped the "E" in Reagan.
I have a Norse inspired campaign setting and I just use google translate. For example I have a redcap named blóðkóngur, which is literally just "Blood King" in Norwegian.
I have a Norse inspired campaign setting and I just use google translate. For example I have a redcap named blóðkóngur, which is literally just "Blood King" in Norwegian.
Well, maybe Norse, but not Norwegian.
I can't find actual Old Norse on google translate, so I use modern languages from the region.
I have a Norse inspired campaign setting and I just use google translate. For example I have a redcap named blóðkóngur, which is literally just "Blood King" in Norwegian.
Well, maybe Norse, but not Norwegian.
I can't find actual Old Norse on google translate, so I use modern languages from the region.
Weird, becuase in modeern Norwegian it would be "blodkonge".
I've taken to using normal names but then putting a different spelling on them. For example, I've got a noble who's recruiting adventurers into a franchised adventure group where h's trying to get a chapter in all the cities in Faerun. His name is Barabus Bloodwynd. Just change the "i" in wind to a "y". He has an assistant named Ragan Thornhill. Just dropped the "E" in Reagan.
A.k.a. the George R. R. Martin method.
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Naming things. Fellow DMs, I'm sure you will agree that sometimes, the name just comes to you in a brilliant flash of genius, and sometimes... "Bob Enpeasea" the farmer, or "Rahdumplaace" the Village is the best we've got in us. Does anyone have some tips to share on how to create great names when you're feeling uninspired? All answers welcomed and appreciated! Have a great day.
-Freezie
Some DMs also recommend printing out a few pages of names for the various races and cultures in your group. Whenever you need one, just scratch it off, so that you don't use it again later.
Creating them when you're uninspired is the only trick, man. Anyone can do it the rest of the time. Keep listening to the names you come in contact with every day. If you have a phone book, the next time you're using it, look at the other names on the page, not just the one you were searching for. Some names are obvious place names or too famous to use, but suffixes like "-ton" and "-ford" can be used. Occupation names: the smith is named Smith; the cook is named Cook.
Then, and this is the important part: When you come across something that fires your imagination, WRITE IT DOWN. Just make a note on your phone and later copy it onto a notebook or something. Writing down your good ideas when you have them and not when you think of it/feel like writing an adventure, etc, will double your output.
Flip through some old stories, like King Arthur, Robin Hood, Beowulf, Song of Roland, whatever makes sense for your world. There’s lots of good names in there, and if it’s a reference, it’s not a rip-off!
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
Depending on the world or realm you are using you could just use premade locations. Or classic trick is to just move the players to your focused location anyway. They won't know the difference unless you are making it up on the spot. The game has some flex to improv but try to add more emphasis on the importance of settings. When in doubt just google random name generators and print the list, highlight the names when you pick them and make a note of what the place is when your players get to it.
I always do this. Start with a good 10-15 in various categories at the start of the campaign, add in some more as I get low.
I’ll do names for characters, towns, inns, horses, ships, anything I can think of players might want to know. It’s a bit of work on the front end, but lots of them you can end up carrying over to different campaigns if you don’t use them.
If the NPCs are people you expect to return, don't scratch off the names but rather write what that NPC is next to it. That way you'll have a rogues gallery in no time.
^^^^This^^^^
My primary source for naming, and they have everything from proper names of various races, to town, taverns, street, and casino (needed it for my Bilgewater campaign) names. Everyone should have this site in their DM toolbox.
For anything I want to re-use as a repeat NPC or location I create a World Anvil* page - with a free account you can make public pages and add DM's secrets so you can control what players can see.
*I have no affiliation with World Anvil - I just like using it for world building.
---
Jay
I forgot to throw out this old (from 2003) generator I used to use. It's still pretty good, though not the prettiest interface. The other one linked on this page is great, just if you want some other options.
Chris Pound's Name Generation Page (christopherpound.com)
From Guy at how to be a great DM on youtube, make a list of 20 male names, an A name a B name a C namr and so on.
Then make a 2nd column, start halfway down the alphabet and list 20 female names
Make a 3rd column, change one or more vowels in one of two names in same row of other 2 columns
Now you have a 60 names, roll a d20 as needed n pick a name to suit your needs. In medeival times last names used to be based on occupation, gardener (also garner), cartwright, baker, thatcher etc.
This one helped me a lot! Just a page full of names that you can immediately grab a name from that feels right. It brings your world to life like crazy!
So far my village names have mostly just been puns or names that look a lot like each other haha
Old phone books for names and locations.
No Gaming is Better than Bad Gaming.
I have a Norse inspired campaign setting and I just use google translate. For example I have a redcap named blóðkóngur, which is literally just "Blood King" in Norwegian.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
I've taken to using normal names but then putting a different spelling on them. For example, I've got a noble who's recruiting adventurers into a franchised adventure group where h's trying to get a chapter in all the cities in Faerun. His name is Barabus Bloodwynd. Just change the "i" in wind to a "y". He has an assistant named Ragan Thornhill. Just dropped the "E" in Reagan.
Well, maybe Norse, but not Norwegian.
I can't find actual Old Norse on google translate, so I use modern languages from the region.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
Weird, becuase in modeern Norwegian it would be "blodkonge".
Keep queues of names for different kinds of things: humans, elves, dwarves, cities, towns, guilds, countries, continents, seas, lakes, rivers, historical kingdoms, kings, battles, wars, treaties, nobles, commoners, etc.
When you improv one of these in your game, just pick the top name off your list. Refill your lists when they start to run low.
A.k.a. the George R. R. Martin method.