Creating The Perfect Name For Your RPG Character

[@Xizilqou]

This channel is entertaining to watch even if you don't plan to do the thing in the video

[@cypherix93]

Every time 🤣 Although, I will say that it helps to keep these things in mind for the future - when I do need to do the things as explained. I learned a lot from Guy.

[@reloadpsi]

I use the same cop-out trick for nearly all my characters: Google a bunch of names that mean something to do with their personality, then pick a first or last name that means "fox" because I like them I guess. I tend to play humans so it usually works.

[@gstaff1234]

As far as the Homework I chose Alger - the noble tip of the spear.

[@melinnamba]

That's a good strategie. I use that a lot as well, although my last names usually mean "star".

[@LightningPiano]

When I was a teaching assistant with many students, I used my class list to compile a list of first names that I could potentially use later!

[@bluemage67]

I personally use the 'Races of' books from 3.5 and the random name tables they have. They cover Human, Dwarven, Elven, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Halfling, Gnomish, Dragonborn, and even some obscure races like Illumian, Raptorians, and Goliaths. Always produced interesting names that I can infuse with meaning when making a PC.

[@JacksonOwex]

They have name tables?! It's been... QUITE some time since I dug into any of those books! One of my favorite 2E D&D books was 'The Complete Book of Dwarves' as it had tables for names as well. None of the other Complete race books had them though which was sad!

[@MegaMawileTheNommer]

Plucky little thief named "Bob" after the incident where he jumped into the water, forgetting he couldn't swim, and kept bobbing up and down. His 'friends' nicknamed him Bob afterwards, and it has stuck ever since!

[@BlackbirdIX]

This is really nice advice, and a nice, doable technique for making believable sounding names, without naming your entire alien race after vegetable-related words.

[@padalan2504]

I was expecting Guy to take out the A and T from Patrick.

[@Loko-wl7fo]

I love naming my characters based on their class and back story. I have played a Cleric named Bandal D'aiden. Affectionately known in his group as Ban D'aid. Another of my favourites is a Tabaxi ranger named Lionel (Lee o nel) Straightarrow.

[@philipkhan7715]

Yes, DM? This, this comment here

[@interestedbystander196]

Ban D'Aid! Point, points, points!!!

[@oz_jones]

Gaaaah

[@DnDandVideoGames]

Jeanomace sounds like a great halfling name. Personally, I like the noun-adjective system. Makes things easier (favorite name I've made was Ren Leafglory, ranger)

[@lancepickett5653]

I went a different route, a Tabaxi that was a bit of a thief as a youngster, but who's family entered him into a monastery to teach him discipline, upon reaching adulthood was given a name meaning Agile Shadow I honor of his abilities. I went to a translator and tried it in various languages and with some tinkering with a couple of letters came up with Arin Itzala.

[@JacksonOwex]

I use foreign languages in the same a LOT, probably TOO MUCH but I am TERRIBLE with names!!!

[@lancepickett5653]

@@JacksonOwex I like the idea of names meaning something but I don't want them to be "in your face" Bloodaxe is alright for a dwarf but the Scots-Gaelic Tuaghfuil is more interesting.

[@lescorpion91700]

Anarya Durmennel, in elvish mean sun's day Dark-sky. Second sister of three. Isilya, Anarya, Elenya. moon's day, sun's day, star's day. All three born a Sunday in a sunset while a unique star fall was happening. One of my favorite characters I play since 2 years

[@DonRaynor]

I've had the perfect character name. Lucius Aurelius Maximus Pius Octavian Sulla Tigerius V Veldaken, Wizard, I'm pretty sure this is enough for everyone to know the character already He was usually called Amo, or Lamp post

[@mustafakemalozdemir3467]

I had the opposite with a Black Crusade space marine character. His name was Blantio but I always spelled it B.L.A.N.T.I.O and when somebody asked why he would go on to introduce his full name: Brutus Lafrenius Alfredius Ninnius Tessius Iosus Orpheus

[@HeadHunterSix]

Negotiating with him is like talking to a lampost.

[@scottthomas8475]

This is such a good video. I'm a fan from the first minute. Honestly, you come off like you'd be my favourite teacher in school. Love it, dude!

[@RyuuKageDesu]

Bo We, a goblin bard, who is venturing to find a vague royal lineage.

[@lunargamer5261]

Several years ago, I started using anagrams of my name. I'm lucky that my name has enough vowels and a 'y' to make a lot of viable combinations. My favorite is Ylberad, but I've also used Arbleyd, Beradyl, Abrydel, Braydel, Rybalde and Elbadyr; and I'm still waiting for the day I play a barbarian to use Yeldarb. Names that start with a vowel or a 'y' usually sound good for elves. Braydel was a minotaur; the two hard consonants that start each syllable sound strong and "bray" is an animal noise. I also try to think of a shortened version or nickname for the other players to use. Braydel can be Del. Abrydel was Abby. If you can devise a shortened version, you can even have a crazy, difficult-to-pronounce name without annoying the other players who will have to say it over and over.

[@interestedbystander196]

Nice one Brad (or do you prefer Bradley?) A straight reversal of your first name is also often good one (Yeldarb). It's one of the variants of how to get your Star Wars name. Reversed first name, plus the first syllable of your mother's maiden name, plus the first syllable of the town/city you were born in. So some called Robert born in Calais as the son of the former of Ms Smith might be _Trebor Smica_ .

[@lunargamer5261]

@@interestedbystander196 I don't have a preference for name. Over time, I've found it really interesting to see who automatically uses the shorter form and who uses the long form. I'm saving Yeldard for the day I play a barbarian and I'm saving Yelbard for the day I play a heavy metal bard. Hmm... so, that would make me Yeldarb Mola. Not the worst I've heard.

[@candiedginger8729]

I tend to translate a common word, like hatchet, into several languages then choose the one I like the sound of. I did this recently and ended up doing the consanant swap, changing out the hard K in the Czech word for hatchet for the soft L, because the character species was elf. Then I changed the ending of the word a little to reflect the species tendency for female names to end in AL. The resulting name was Selyral, very different from hatchet but a fun exercise in word crafting all the same.

[@BetaGunslinger]

Thank you, Guy! This was always a tough thing for me.

[@timbuktu8069]

Haflings have a double barrel surname 7:28 My Halfling warrior: Full Metal Baggins

[@alexcarlson6776]

I have a character (monk, 5e) that I've always wanted to play, but I haven't found the right game for him yet. His name is Tashiro Daishi, meaning Tashi of a new era (at least, that's what I got when I futzed around with google translator for a little while). I wanted to create a kind of legacy character. You see, my dad had a character in a game we used to play called Kingdom of Drakkar. He'd been playing that game since college, and had maxed out, and would always use to help me get high level loot when I started new characters, who was a Martial Artist. Could literally punch a Red Dragon to death 1v1. So, after he had passed away, I created Tashiro, "The apprentice of Grand Master Tashi." It will be a grand day when I'm finally able to play him, hopefully going from level 1 to 20. But for now, I've started figuring out ways to implement him into my games as a DM, so at least I can get a feel for him and work out some of the bugs as need be.

[@leonverhaegh4126]

I just completely avoided this problem and created my whole character about him not knowing his name.

[@paavohirn3728]

My go - to is the website Behind the Name. I usually have an idea about the kind of culture /language I wish to base my character name on. Last time for instance I used the list of ancient Celtic names and ended up with Mor Rioghan. Could be worked on as the video explains or used as is. One of my all time favorite names is Aiqa which I simply came up from the Finnish word "time" (aika). I admit I have recycled that a few times.

[@AltogetherGuy]

“I bet he ends this one with - I wish you and yours, the happiest of… naming”

[@plastickhero]

After reading a lot of Gene Wolfe I started emulating his characters named after obscure historical figures that share themes or roles; but more often I just pick an uncommon language (in the States) and translate a keyword, e.g. the nouveau riche pirate, Zaffiro (Italian; "Sapphire"), the quixotic Orc knight, Lövág (Hungarian; "Knight"), and the sanity-challenged barbarian-turned-warlock, Galdrastafir (magic staves in Icelandic folklore).

[@BrazenBard]

Drake DeMonique, the Dragon Disciple had an impressive personality... His grandfather, a red dragon, had punctured his throat while in a bad mood; Drake was a very dedicated sorcerer, extremely organized and methodical, and inflexible like a 3.5 monk as his draconic blood strengthened him. (He started out with a negative constitution modifier.) Shade under Tree, the tabaxi rogue is magnificently sneaky. A Waterdhavian cat-burglar (har, har), and really good at his craft, not afraid to fight, but preferring to get in, get the goods, and get out, closing the door/window behind him without anyone noticing he was ever there... Believed to have slept in half the better manors in Waterdeep, sometimes with the owners still at home. Shee'lot Galloryn, whose first name means "Drunk" in drow, is, well... a wild mage with issues. Brought up from Menzoberranzan as a newborn by his father, he suffers from severe arachnophobia, which he treats with dwarven gin, and despite his unstable magical talents, monochrome appearance, and continuous intoxication, has made a reputation for himself as one of Waterdeep's best investigators in the city watch, almost never resorting to brute force to make an arrest. (He's afraid of a misconduct accusation, most people he arrests are afraid of what sort of crap a drow might decide to pull if he has to get nasty... few have pushed their luck.) Mordecai de Wynter was a pretty good frostmage. From an old family of lower nobility, he was a capable wizard in his own right, having come up with a few unique frost spells of his own. Monk the warforged monk was, well, pretty bad at hitting anything, but very good at stoic asceticism... He was a good dancer, and eventually developed psionics, but with pretty much a single, solitary exception, never landed a single blow. Not for lack of trying, that die was frickin' cursed, I tell you. Only stopped rolling 8 for attacks when an 8 would be enough to hit something, at which point it only rolled 5s... but only for attacks, skill checks and saves were fine. :P Up next is Tontark the hobgoblin armorer artificer - just an "yS" away from iron Man... Thrown out of the hobgoblin clan because he could not bestow his magical armor on the chieftain, he's joined up with more "socially acceptable" adventurers to further his craft while trying to find somewhere he can settle down without impossible demands being made of him... I think I've been doing alright over the past couple decades. ;)

[@cyanmanta]

I’m actually rather proud of how I named my ranger, Anastasia “Anya” Orlok. Her name is a take on both Annie Oakley and Count Orlok (Nosferatu). She’s not a vampire, of course, but rather a vampire hunter, so she has the names of both a vampire and a sharpshooter.

[@videonyasty]

this so freakin helpful, thank you!

[@Crimtaku]

Named my most recent character Mistie Fenn. She is a sharpshooter for our somewhat modern D&D hack and I might have used character called Rein or Rain as the inspiration. So while Mistie doesn't feel as strong of a name as Rain does it still has the watery, a bit mystery feel for it which should fit well a small, quiet and shy sharpshooter.

[@fightyfish1779]

Prince Finarie Solwing (meaning first yellow spearling) named first yellow because he was the first child born of his noble house with blonde hair (which was culturally significant) and spearling because as a young child he showed skill with the spear.

[@HeadHunterSix]

I've decided that my character in Hostile Solo will be called Alan Ridley - it's a play on three things: Ellen Ripley from Alien, Alan Dean Foster who wrote the novelization, and Ridley Scott who directed it. Seems like a tight combo that also fits thematically with the setting.

[@Neophoia]

Tindra Silvermist is the name of a feathren warlock that I play. Feathren are from the griffon's saddlebag's first book (as is the warlock subclass with it's patron that she has), and they are a race that originates from griffons that have been changed by the astral sea. They are smaller than actual griffons (medium sized), don't have wings, are bipedal. Tindra is a swedish name, but it's also a word we use to describe how stars shimmer and sparkle, or how snow glisten when light hits it, which seemed fitting for her as her biological parents are from the astral sea and her avian parts look like a snowy owl, while her feline parts is like a snow leopard. Her backstory is that she was raised not by her biological parents, but by some friends of them on the primaterial plane, one of them happens to work as saddler for the griffon guard in the town they are from, while the other is a griffon rider. Tindra grew up with people that were open about what she was, but also very aware that she wasn't really a common race, but the fact that griffons can understand her helped with her adoptive parents work and Tindra grew up to learn that trade of a saddler. She is a very easily distracted by good craftsmanship, get's bored easily if she can't spend time crafting things, very task focused and will get the things she set her mind to done. Since she isn't comfortable hiding her appearance, or pretending to be something she is not, she is very focused on proving that she can do things so that people see past her appearance (the "did you get cursed to look like that?" is getting very old, very fast), she does however always wear a hooded cloak and long sleeved shirts, so that she won't gather too much attention. She got in contact with a demi-god known as the Astral Griffon via an old saddlebag that her parents gifted her when she turned 8 (feathrens are physically adults at that age) which turned out to be a magic item created by said demi-god who offered her magic in return of her bringing them things that she thought of interest or caught her eye, even things she made herself. Tindra accepted, found out that her bag was actually a sentient magic item that sometimes give her delivery assignments from her patron (who did not, in fact, mention that she was to also do deliveries of things to other people). So one of the main reasons she even is traveling is to fulfil those delivery assignments, and find things of interest for her patron.

[@benjaminholcomb9478]

My first character name came from a crayon wrapper. My second was a unique invention that decided the naming convention of the entire species. The next 2 were basic human names, which fit them very well, especially their beginnings.

[@matthewmcmanus1274]

D20 (consonants) and D6 (vowels) work well for generating random letters for name creation in English. A Boggle style game can also be helpful.

[@siobahnviner-sedgwick4271]

Funin Fanciefree! My absolute favorite was my albino tiefling bard! She grew up within a circus, and with a black tiefling, her teacher Footloose. The two of them entertained the masses as a pair, “Footloose and Fanciefree”. It’s an obvious play on “fun and fancy free”. 😂

[@SillySyrup]

A method I use if I'm really stuck is looking at vast name tables and seeing if anything catches my eye, then modifying like in the video.

[@Zakiel97]

a thing I like to do for names is look at languages that have the right feeling for where I think the character fits in and translate character traits they got into that language and flip some syllables to make it fit phonetically, so for example I wanted the family of my character to be all around proud, arrogant aristocratic people so the family name Soberbia roughly translates to Pride, whereas the first names of the parents mean wrath and fear (Odius and Tremora), whereas the character is named Zorali, which I arrived at by looking for freedom/bravery, which makes sense because the parents focussed on the bravery in battle and sovereignty above others, but she takes it to seek independance. It's a bit of a lazy shortcut and has it's own problems but for the most part I find it works really well to come up with fitting names to either hint at what the character is supposed to be like, or subvert that expectation and flip it, a name like Ferozan, derived from cruelty or anger could be given to a gentle character that wants to defy their barbarian upbringing, stuff like that is interesting to me.

[@rhiflux]

For an upcoming campaign, my character's name is Gelucava Parocel. (from Latin words for ice, cave & tempest) because she's an Ice Elf who is an Arctic Land Druid. The DM said they name their children after natural features might need to rethink the name for her personality though

[@Shovel_Cat]

Thrizz’tronisar, The Right Claw of Reghed Glacier Keep. One of 4 Knights that serve the Lord of the recently founded Dragonborn outpost. Born white with golden scales along his arms up to his cranial spines, he’s always had an affinity for cold but some suspected he’d also develop the Sorcerous Fire skills like some from his mother’s branch of the clan.

[@scoots291]

I know I most likely said this in a video comment before but every not important npc I didn't plan on naming I give a short name (bob,pat, pete,steve, ect) and everytime interest has grown from these npcs tremendously that I actually had to develop them and not just oh here is the generic npc of this town. The one that got the most out of hand was pete the herbalist. It was in a princes of the apocalypse. And somehow halfway through I realized the pcs made pete the main source of herbs (tea,medicine,poisons, other stuff) in the region. And when he was murdered by a pc (who had just joined) the rest of the party killed tge new guy and went on a side quest to bring pete back from the dead.

[@scoots291]

But for pcs there are 2 names I use alot I guess (i try to use these once a system). Primrose and DT (not my initials but I try to make them initials of a character which can be something like Dread Tusk or something that cant be said in polite company)

[@Jesper_J]

I love the picture for this video 😁

[@ZegarmistrzShen]

My character was a Shield Master called Toclanday Aran so it was written T.Aran - in my language, it means battering ram. Maybe a small thing but I'm happy with it :D

[@dmnemaine]

Our gaming group is currently playing a Pugmire game, and I'm playing a character named Bob Bulldog.

[@alisontibbens2155]

Awesome looking dice.

[@Nemeantough1]

Came up with Vincent Kiselyov for a barbarian in Curse of Strahd. I liked the softer first name since he's from a wine making family and he feels he dishonored them so he never uses it

[@BenIThink]

Here’s a very good trick: type in 3-5 random letters on the keyboard. Then, try and pronounce it. Then, change it up a bit to loom like a real name. For instance, I typed in mwk, and turned it into Mauwk( the au pronounced like ‘ow’)

[@Draegn]

Friend that introduced me to roll playing had a character, Eif the wandering Bob stopper. Never going to forget that.

[@junkabella6324]

Cirlyt E’Mere She is a merchant from a small town in the coastal region to the west of the continent (think Provence). ”Cirlyt” is a local term for a rare and sought after, copper-sheen fish found seasonally in the area. She was born with a full head of auburn hair and her parents who are fishers took this as a sign to name their daughter after a very precious and coveted type of fish, hoping that her life would be prosperous. She exhibited tendencies towards the mercantile way of life very early on and started learning the trade as a child from overseas merchants that landed in the harbour. Something is now disrupting the sea life and fishermen return home with empty nets. Cirlyt has decided to leave on a quest to solve the mystery and to bring back her namesake. (Used strong female lead Scarlet O’Hara as a starting point! :D)

[@SelwynClydeAlojipan]

My Half-Orc Barbarian was named Horson Hogbane. My male Bard was Vox Chantry. My upcoming Warforged Artificer is Twixxer. My islander human Monk-Fighter was Jabjab Catonque. My Rock Gnome Wizard was Boomer Huntzap. My Half-Elf female Bard was Violet Ivory Piper. My High-Elf orphan Arcane Trickster Rogue was Ashwyn "Lash" Valindor. My Moon Druid was Stromgald. My Wood Elf War Cleric was Felis Tigris.

[@VosperCDN]

I don't have one I've made up for this, but Gygax' Book of Names is an amazing resource, which I use along with stealing more exotic names from Elder Scrolls Online, and various fantasy novels I've read.

[@Frederic_S]

The name of my new character (Samtreich Süßholz zu Stolzburg) is contradicting the character in it self. That is also a thing that can be done. And it can be very funny too 😁 His father wanted him to be more like him. A chivalrous knigth. But Samtreich disrespected his father for always going on quests and jousting competitions and other knightly adventures and never being at home with his family. So he didn’t do very well as a squire. But when his father died and when he was forced to join the military because of a war he finally got knighted and he is now a very different Knight than his father was. But with a name that very much sounds like he would be that questing never-at-home-knigth 😅

[@jesseskoubo855]

I use anagrams sometimes. I wanted to make a Steve Irwin-style character so I rearranged the letters to create "Ventis Weir."

[@darkmage07070777]

I personally prefer to have a name that will be based on how it will be used and remembered - will it be shouted by enemies constantly? Will lovers sigh it wistfully? It sounds way better when my diplomatic counterpart says "You're very shrewd, Mr. Redmond" compared to "A fantastic gambit, Mr. Skullcrusher" After that, it's just a matter of making sure the name fits a setting and is pronounceable.

[@oz_jones]

Its actually Dr. Skullcrusher. He finished his phd during downtime

[@the-patient-987]

The last character I created is for my current Vampire: the Masquerade game. I went through many ideas and finally chose to play a Brujah. Because of this delay I joined an ongoing game. I picked the name because I saw it on an RPG I was playing and I liked the sound of it. My initial idea was that my Nature was Bravo, as in one who believes that "Might makes right" and my Demeanor was Visionary "in search of a greater truth". Now on joining the game I found the party in general had lower humanity than my and was playing a much more Bravo role than I had expected for my character to take. So I ended up leaning stronger to my Visionary and became some sort of a paladin of the party. After 8 sessions I'm fully embracing my role and it made a lot of sense that I named my character Magnus.

[@HeadHunterSix]

My Gangrel was named Feral - known in mortal society as Mr. Farrell.

[@melinnamba]

I have different strategies for naming characters. And I name my characters whenever I come across a fitting name during the creation prozess. Usually the name is the first thing I know about a new character, but I once started a game without having a name at all. The character was a 10 year old anzati hybrid in StarWars. And she hadn't chosen her name yet, because she hadn't met her mother, and wanted to get her advice on choosing a name first. She eventually picked Robi, because I thought it felt right for my little tomboy prinzess. Nice and genderneutral and just close enough to Robin, that it still sounded alien. Another character of mine is called Erumiel Varia. She is an anglelike human-owl hybrid kind of race and was born in a desert. For her first name I typed desert into an elvish translater, which gave me erume, than I added the suffix - iel, meaning daughter. And there I had my first name Erumiel daughter of the desert. The last name Varia comes from strix varia, that's a type of owl, but I don't recall which exactly. Gealic, irish and finnish are also languages I regularly try. Looking up botanical or zoological names is also a fun way to find names. My warhammer beastmage Korin, got his name from corvus corax, the raven. I also often browes through baby name sites. They are a treasure trove of cool names. Especially when you look at names from other cultures. And most of those sites have bloggs with collections of names with similar meanings. But afterwards the algorithem always tries to sell me baby formula for some bizzare reason. ;) I usually go through all those options and write down a whole list of names until I find one that simply feels right.

[@spencermagleby9336]

Having a baby boy next month, no idea what to name him.. this really helps!!

[@victorsmith1329]

I have a wizard named Bimby Dibbledop. He is a Abjuration Wizard in an Eberron campaign, he is a dragon-marked gnome from House Sivis. His proper name was Bimblewick d'Sivis But he had a conflicted history with his family because his dragon mark was very late in manifesting and when it did he wasn't sure that he wanted the responsibility in the house. He came up with the name Dibbledop because a young gnome once asked him what the apostrophe in d'Sivis was called and he called it a dibbledop. Dibbledop is a phrase from a book that I read to my kids by Dr. Seuss about the sounds that a guy can make and the rain goes Dibble dibble dop. Bimby shortened his name becuase Bimblewick felt stuff to him and he isn't very officious. He is the documancer in a Finder's Service.

[@jakob6433]

My very first character in a longer campaign was an Irda wizard from the Krynn Dragon Lance world. Playing in Advance Dungeons and dragons 2eddition back in 1994. I wanted to play a female for the first time and I needed a good name. I looked at my moms neckless, which was a large piece of Amber. That had a nice sweet and golden flow over it. Later my DM asked me for a surname, baffled I looked into his parents yard and said Forlorn.. not as mind bubbling as Guy, but I was 16 and just wanted to kill stuff with spells. There for: Amber Forlorn. White wizard by the trials of the wizard. Thank you Guy for a lovely trip from Star Trek captain to Knight of Hobbit Hood. We love your shows.

[@FatalKitsune]

I start with a character concept first, then build the character then do the name. You want a name that is memorable and fairly short. If you're playing an Elven Ranger and you come up with some word spaghetti like Drelld'or Dr'vin of House Simriv'n then nobody is going to remember that. Your fellow players are just going to give you a dumb nickname or call you "Elf" or "Ranger". You have to have a good character, though. People will be more compelled to remember your name if your character is interesting. All these parts sort of work together. This whole process goes for NPC's as well as player characters. Especially villains. A villain with a good personality and catchy name will be remembered. So, let me give two examples for this that I'm pretty happy with. Bella de Roche - Bella was a minor villain, a huge brute of a woman, a hand-to-hand fighter who was an enforcer for a gang called The Black Claws. After hearing about her, the players infiltrated the hideout she was at and as they snuck around they kept overhearing the bandit minions talking about how much they hated "The Roach" and generally grumbling about how shitty it was to work for her. So by the time they got up to her she already had sort of a reputation and image in the PC's heads. In battle I also gave her an ability called 'Fight, you dogs!' which was a rechargable (on a 5-6 roll of a d6) action she could do to yell at any minions within range and basically intimidate them into fighting harder (giving them Advantage on rolls and saves for one round). She's still one of my favorite boss fights I've done. Ix - Ix is a goblin barbarian that I played for quite a while. She was a member of the Sharptooth Clan of goblins, a clan that was wiped out when a green dragon killed or enslaved all of them to work in the mine that he was using as a lair. Initially, none of the goblins had any names at all, as the goblins were so numerous and died so frequently (weather by monsters, animals, accidents, or bands of adventurers) that they never bothered with names. After escaping the green dragon's lair and starting her career as an adventurer, she took the name Ix, ostensibly because the dragon's brand on her arm sort of looked like an I and an X. The name is short, simple, and relates to the character's past.

[@senritsujumpsuit6021]

I think up the weirdest moshing words then interchange them as I please

[@femboyskeleton9150]

woo I'm early, great video Guy!

[@rdmrdm2659]

I’ve had ‘Rime’, the halfling ice mage - no last name - at the orphanage she had no name at all apart from ‘hey you’ and now just goes by the one of her choice, Harishan, a ‘monkey man’, Elsa Goldwhistle the halfling bard, Selos Auderin a cleric

[@agchains78543]

I'm not sure that I totally see these hard consonant breaks as informing a certain strength within a name. I think that a name can flow very fluidly, and still have a strong sound to it. Example being, one of the characters in my world is called Erramun (a real name, in this case) and I consider that to be a pretty strong sounding name, but obviously it flows really well, the syllables start with vowels, and it doesn't have these sharp stops that you see in a name like Victor. What are your thoughts on this? Does Erramun sound like a strong name to you, or is it simply that I've become adjusted to associating it with strength due to the attributes of the character?

[@oliviermongeon4103]

If you need a name out of no where fast... The best way is call a brake. You usualy don't need a name in the middle of an action sequence. Ask your player to give a name and do a vote for a npc. You can do it between game. It's a good way to give a game reminder and to know if any one will be there or not... it's also give you free idea and every one feel like the universe is partly their creation... Less murter hobo if they invested time on a npc... Specialy if that npc is a bad guy that will turn on them at some point later in the game. They never see it coming if it's a collective creation of the group. Remember it's suppose to be fun and interesting but you still need to put a twist on it...

[@LordDukane]

Ormhineth Satios, son of the brass dragon hero Hinephtoth, and the fire giant Grimhilde Satios. I'm actually proudest of how it sounds both draconic and giant.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

Gotta name one of my one shot characters "Jean-ric Uman Fiterre" sometime...

[@G.A.N.]

Gregory Folklore is the name of my very default palladin for first adventure path made for pathfinder 1e system, and for a moment i gated the name. Reason is i just not wanted to use my real life name and wanted to ocme up with something more Original, but in the end i am happy of this name, as after analyze many other options it just fit very well, as i did not amde a character that Born a hero of castle, like some Arthur or Uther - no. My character instead was just a normal kid born in peasant house that was helping in church and though his own education he learn about palladins and decided to ask about them his Friend - Cleric of that church. While he was growing up interested in being Palladin, his Cleric friend And his simple parents helped him become one. That's why Gregory is fitting well as not very common, yet quite default name for person in such times, But in same moment it has some small Power in it that just fit an Fresh palladin who train to be better over time. Also combinig it with very Peasant surname of Folklore is just a Cherry on top of my beloved Palladin character that work on his success and have best intesions in being holy protector of his hometown.

[@Sephiroth517]

Old simple trick one of my player sometimes used was just reversing a word's letters, for example "Golem" becoming "Melog"...

[@timbuktu8069]

I took Patrick Stewart and played with the name. Eventually I came up with....Martha. Actually I keep a notebook of fun names. They are useful for NPCs as well as my characters. Recently I was watching a Star Wars comentary and one of the characters was referred to as Lambchop Caribean. That went in the note book. Then there's this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXaZnH-biqxrbdU

[@cypherix93]

Some names I came up with for my current campaign: - *Freya'sticia, The Redeemer* -- Based on the Norse goddess Freya, but this character is super pompous and a dogged pusher of "justice" -- so I made her character look angel-like but also put in a bunch of flaws on following the concept of "justice" while sacrificing other philosophies - *Mockingbird* - She is a jester-like bounty hunter -- quite cunning and insightful of people -- players really liked the name. - *Urgh, Orc Chieftain* -- I this is pretty self-explanatory lol. The players loved it so much, they started suggesting the names of everyone in the orc village based on "painful sounds" e.g. Oof, Hmmggh, Owie etc. 🤣 - *Yvainne, Dwarf Captain* -- I originally had her character be pretty vain, and "set in her ways", but actually incompetent at her job -- Yvainne seemed like a perfect name for that.

[@Queen_of_Coffee]

One of my characters is an alien doctor, so I went the route of irony, and started with a disease (MERS) and tweaked it until it looked like something that could be a name. As for the last name, MERS is a virus, so I went with something that kinda looks like the word virus. I landed on Mirza Vikos.

[@ladylad2763]

The rpg I play has a simple naming convention there are names like Three Rivers Flowing and Bitter Winds Of The North so probably not going to use much in here but cool video

[@pongsakornsuppakittpaisarn8321]

My halfling character name is Nimble Orctame. He got his name through marriage. Because he married a half-orc. So people just called him 'orc tamer' until it became his epithet, and a few years later, a new last name.

[@billharm6006]

Yup. Getting the right name for you chr can be excessively time-consuming. A few random observations... Well... Jonny Cash and his "Boy Named Sue." There is an example of a name driving character development. Some bard could earn a coin or two playing that in the local bar. Hmmm... weak name... strong character. Speaking of which... while in the USN I knew a Seal with the last name of Blossom. He was vertically challenged too. Judging that book by its cover and title could have unforeseen consequences. In some American Indian tribes, the parents picked a child's original name (sometimes a sequential number). When the child matured (often around age 12) (one grows up fast in a subsistence society) the people of the tribe would decide upon their adult name based upon the impression the individual had made so far in life. I've known two persons who selected their own new name after having run-ins with the law. In both cases, the change was made to dodge the consequences of their history. I admire one of them (now dead by reason of old age), despise the other (still running his tired old scam, but in a distant foreign nation). Now there is backstory for you. I've known three persons by names that I later learned were unrelated to their real name. In one case, they had unofficially chosen the name because they did not like their parents' choice. In the other two cases, the name was bestowed on them by "friends" following an infamous incident or three. Yet more backstory. I find Google to be a great help. For a Steampunk story I chose names based upon popularity in the time period for specific regions (For example: 1870, North Africa, Islamic). For a lost history, I found ancient Egyptian names, their meanings, persons by occupation who had that name, and approximate dates when they lived. Short on ideas? Ask The Mother Ship (code name "Google"). If nothing else, look through an old phone book--if you can find one--for a larger city. You won't have to look too far before you realize that your name, whatever it is, is actually common and mundane. Opening to a random page is a valid search initiation tactic. On occasion I have started with a phrase, then selected every third letter (or second, or fourth, or...), or taken letter pairs, or... and tried to make a name from that Scrabble pile. I once made a fun name from, "Strange adventure." By the way... I really liked the origin of Alad's name. Note: Edits are correction of minor but confusing punctuation error [ . for ) ] and word typo [ in for an ]

[@jwilder47]

I had an NPC who was a female military lawyer for a trial storyline, so I made her name an anagram of Sarah Mackenzie in honor of the JAG character.

[@TheScarvig]

i am fairly proud of the name i came up for my gnomish smuggler/han solo type character. Kendrick Dernackle. called Kender for short as a play on the dragonlance race that does not really have a sense of ownership, which i thought quite fitting for the type of character he is supposed to be.

[@interestedbystander196]

If he's a Han Solo-type character, you could have him leap out in ambush and yell "Surprise!". Kender Surprise. No? I'll get my coat...

[@TheScarvig]

@@interestedbystander196 made me chuckle ;-b

[@wakeful1710]

Nhail is the name of my first dnd character, I made when I was 15 (I’m now 20) All of the metallic Dragonborn in my world have short harsh names that are spelled a little weird

[@danakospanova52]

Brian Clontarf 🛡️ I once needed a character for a fight to the death oneshot. 👑 Brian Boru was a king that fended of a viking invasion to Ireland in 11th century. ⚔️ And Clontarf is the name of that bettlefield. The king achieved victory but died shortly after. It says "I will Die but won't let enemies past me".😆 (In the oneshot we actually managed to hold of the invasion until reinforcements arrived, so may be the name is also a lucky charm)🤞🪦

[@Densuii]

My favourite name that I came up with is Rocksas Ramhammer. He's an orc with fists as hard as stone and I like him very much.

[@ilajoie3]

While he's naming of possible variations of Patrick my mind wondered to Podrick

[@Knopey]

Thorkhann von Morthe The Skeleton Warrior I decided to run one name for a skeleton warrior through all the steps, starting with a name I get from a first hunch. personality: undead, lifelss, only there to follow orders. I come up with Thancred (like that possessed guy from FF XIV ARR) occupation: once a probably imperial soldier, I give him a strong surname and and sorta graeco-latinize the name. --> Thakretus Mortuus family history: I don't feel that his family history matters because the gist of the character is everything that has happened after his death. region: the GM of the last game I partook in threw us into 18th century Prussia, so I think I place my little skeleton warrior there. So a Classic German-sounding name might be appropriate, maybe with the little help of our friend Johann Wolfgang von Goethe? --> Thakrehann von Morthe. Sounds a little weighty, so: Thakrann von Morthe vowel and consonant magic: This name sounds nice already, so I don't apply too much of that. Thorkhann von Morthe That being said, I really really really do appreciate that video! Some of my players keep struggling with names and I feel a video like this really is a blessing to players. Good job!

[@3_14pie]

Following the steps of melf, I made Vuman Barlock, the variant human bard warlock

[@Knopey]

Vitessa Dorodenza L'Adquirente Nimble and Noble yet Disloyal Thief Here is another one because it's fun. This time I wanted to name a rogue who ... *rolls dice* ... has been caving to peer pressure. personality: nimble, friendly yet disloyal. Kinda reminds me of Catwoman, so I'll start out with Selina. occupation: I want her to be a professional thief. She gets paid by her clients for stealing stuff they want. So she has garnered the cognomen The Acquirer. family history: She knows her stuff, knows who is who and know how to access whomever. I sorta think that her family is pretty rich and well-known. That would also explain why she does not steal for herself. Payment is just matter of credibility to her. She is in it for the tension, the action. She likely has at least two middle names. Something like Victoria or Clarissa. And a pretty bombastic last name. I think upper society is also where she first came in contact with the criminal underworld. Her friends were so bored with all the riches and leisure that they started to test the laws and its flaws. She was reluctant but finally gave in. region: I'm getting some Spanish or Italian vibes from her. For funsies I want to give away her whole deal in her last name, even though it may not make much ingame sense. A translation of "gold" and "distrust" sounds fitting, and it also harmonizes with her being friendly and disloyal. Gold is "oro" in Spanish and Italian, and distrust desconfianza/diffidenza. I mush it all together and get descorodenza or some such. I think for now her name is Selina Clarissa Victoria Dorodenza. Also I change The Acquirer to L'Adquirente (to get more of that Spanishness) vowel, consonant and morph magic: At this point her name is preeeeetty long, longer than anybody would care to care to care. I think I better contract two names to like Clarina. Or better yet Victissa - which I then further morph to make it sound smoother and look nicer. Vittesa. And "Selina" I discard. Catwoman has served her purpose, thank you very much. Her name is now: Vitessa Dorodenza. I lost the two middle names idea somewhere along the way I guess. But I think she still has two names, they are only not necessarily relevant until much later (where I can then come up with a new middle name or so).

[@drago939393]

Remember folks, you definitely can do creative things with naming conventions: subvert, invert, avert, lampshade... "Redrick Stoutshield" doesn't have to be a burly warrior - they can easily be a timid scholar. The name, what it means to the character and the people around them, is a great way to explore backstory and have fun roleplaying.

[@MrZenzio]

I'm pretty happy with my kenku, Ronny 'Drama'.

[@taylorhines589]

Have you played or looked into pendragon

[@andeannafarnes4719]

Gormlaith a 1/2 orc Barbarian. The name means "renowned princess"! She earned her now adult name at the annual multi orc tribes spring tournaments. Despite her new renown princess honor's great social pull .... she found no suitors. Seems SUPERIOR orc males find her 1/2 human qualities quite repulsive. 😢 So she has set off to a nearby human village/town. Hoping to learn more of her unknown heritage. Find strong foes to test herself against and most importantly get some really stunning battle scars. Which Will make her prettier!

[@kyleward3914]

One of my current characters is a dhampir named "Dharts." It's "Strahd" spelled backwards.

[@HeadHunterSix]

At least it's not Detrahs. 🤪

[@lightblckknight]

I take names i like and turn them upside-down and then figure the closest letter. so LBK would become TBK. Patrick => betiick (Betiick). can also us reverse spelling: K'ciiteb

[@scoots291]

Tu Morrow the Glitterbright of Garl Glittergold I had a character who was a gnome and as a joke I wanted the longest name I could do before it became super obnoxious. So I choose a punny name of Tu Morrow. I then I remembered some of the clerics of dieties had titles so I looked at some of my old books and found clerics or garl glittergold were called Glitterbrights. So my name became Tu Morrow the Glitterbright of Garl Glittergold.

[@scoots291]

So much glitter

[@Iceburgh6901]

I played a Necro Sorc named Gunnar with family issues.

[@godofzombi]

We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese.

[@TJCID22]

What do you have against BOB? (Bartholomew Osiris Bladesong) It's a perfectly acceptable name for an elf.

[@tach5884]

Pitrock Stair int 2 str 9/24 For plot reasons What were his neighbors' names?

[@cameronpowell1864]

He-man! Almost like naming your child Guy.

[@JacksonOwex]

9:04 Because on December 8, 1980 someone shoot a great musician!

[@tafazzi-on-discord]

>ask GM about significant some significant historical figures or myths in the area of my character >name him after that

[@godofzombi]

I got an elvish druid named Qielloq Cyrael.

[@SelwynClydeAlojipan]

Okay. Now come up with a race, background, family history, and character class for somebody with a random name like "Peedonk Kickapew."

[@tonimatters7671]

Georgianne Martini-Cooper - A Victorian Age Witch Hunter

[@funguy398]

My last character was literally Bob Pigson fat corrupted cop

[@MarcusNoble]

I have a google doc where I keep a list of pro wrestler names that would make for good character names.