Castle Paradox

[TwinHamster]

How do you guys go about assigning names to characters, towns, and the such?

I usually try brainstorming for a few hours and then end up naming objects in my games after random babble. For instance, the title of my current project, Detelamane, will have nothing to do with the rest of the game. Why? No clue. But the word Detelamane seemed too cool to give up.

So what do you guys do?
Translations from Latin?
Anagrams of things you know?
Blatantly cliched names from various animes and video games?

[Camdog]

I like to look up archaic forms of names in different languages, read through them to get the general sound of them and then create random names out of them by mixing and matching syllables. The end result isn't too different from random babble on the surface, but the upshot of this is that you get a consistent sound for your names since your names (in a way) derive from a real language and culture. You can use different language/culture groups for different cities or settings in your game for a really powerful effect.

For example, try googling "archaic german names" to get some cool stuff.

[PlayerOne]

I like to have some sort of scheme to stop the names falling into easy patterns and cliches. Start each one with a different letter in alphabetical order, perhaps. Mess with local place names. Use corruptions of the names of your friends, colleagues, a band, a team, the cast of a TV show.

For places, try to name them after geographical features, or name them in a consistent style, or both. Preferably not using the crappy flowery "elven" and guttural "orcish" styles so common in all fantasy. Steal parts of names from a geographic region and mix them up.

If you can apply a national style to all the names from a single culture, that helps. French, Italian, German, Japanese, Celtic, Roman, whatever.

Or just put down the first thing that comes into your head.

[Valigarmander]

I just take the first thing that pops in my head, as long as it doesn't suck. If that doesn't work, I use old latin names. For instance, in one of my games there's this dude who wants you to get him some agate. His name is Achates, which is latin for agate. I think.

[Rimudora]

I look up random words in foreign dictionaries and put them together in a way that is perfectly meaningless but sounds cool.

[JSH357]

I prefer English names in general.

[djfenix]

I mostly use random names that pop into my head. Other times, i use names of common items but spelt differently. (Karritz...hehehe)

[Raekuul]

I make up the last names most of the time (which are the names most used in my stuff ), but for first names, I look at how the character is within the story and assign an oxymoronic first name. Like a bandit named Timothy (from greek for Honor of God), or a cowardly shield master named Randolph (means Shield Wolf). Stuff like that.
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A broken clock is still right twice a day.

[Valigarmander]

Another good thing to use is the random name generator.

[TwinHamster]

Ahab Moses

Eliphelet Japheth

Cassius Habacuc

Oisín Zalmon

Merari Nimrod

Hey! This thing's fun!

[Setu_Firestorm]

Why would coming up with names be difficult? It's not really that hard. Just take a look at the character being presented and think of a name that seems to best suit him/her.
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[Camdog]

What? This post says nothing at all! How do you determine what's best suited for a character?

[PlayerOne]

Oh, and I forgot: self-plagiarise shamelessly. Recycle any good names you come up with that don't end up getting a wide release.

[Setu_Firestorm]

[djfenix]