im in a dire need of names, i just cant think of any good ones, so is there any way for people to suggest good names and how do you think them up. it could be anything as long as it looks good cos i need alot of names for races and stuff.

What I'm doing for one of my projects is using this random name generator, but with a few rules. For each race/culture you have, restrict the generated names to a specific origin (or two closely related ones) so that related people have names which reflect that. For example, maybe you can give all your cat-people names which sound Finnish/Swedish while the shadow elves have names that sound Chinese. Then modify/simplify the name for readability. As another example, the Icelandic name Kristjana may be altered into Krissiana.

And if the generator doesn't give you something you like, then just push the button a few more times :P

When it comes to names, I just think up of a meaning that I want to impart first, before corrupting it.

All in vain = Alvain
Right = vrai (French word) = Vrei
Roleless = Roless
Variable Nonsense = Varanense

Outside of that, I just toss consonants together until I get something that sounds nice.

I'm horrible at coming up with names. Just horrible I tell ya.

I look up random name sites. Now I realize names have meaning behind them too.

I was randomly choosing names for my characters. Kind of regret it now.

For my fiction, I use a lot of Greek or Norse names, with some of the meanings relating to the character.

So instead of having a character called Jeff, I have one named Torben. (Which is the name of Thor's bear)

Perhaps you can look through old Nordic names, or other cultures depending on what you want the names to sound like.
In two minutes, I suddenly have a blacksmith called Haskell, rather than spending 20 minutes staring at a wall trying to come up with a name.

This one takes the load of thinking up of names off my back.

Fantasy Name Generators

'donkeymonsterz' pid='410293' dateline='1447518686' Wrote: For my fiction, I use a lot of Greek or Norse names, with some of the meanings relating to the character.

So instead of having a character called Jeff, I have one named Torben. (Which is the name of Thor's bear)

Perhaps you can look through old Nordic names, or other cultures depending on what you want the names to sound like.
In two minutes, I suddenly have a blacksmith called Haskell, rather than spending 20 minutes staring at a wall trying to come up with a name.

I use similar way.

for example, my mc uses earth elemental magic mostly, so i use google translate (in this case to arabic) for earth and got 'ard. I happen to know in farsi the letter 'd' here is written as 'z', and thus 'Arz' is my mc.

well, i usually prefer the less used language (but i happen to have a little knowledge on them) like arabic, malay, or sanskrit.

that's the first method. the second is simply turn my mind into a random-name-generator :p

'Techblade' pid='410202' dateline='1447512356' Wrote: I'm horrible at coming up with names. Just horrible I tell ya.
I look up random name sites. Now I realize names have meaning behind them too.
I was randomly choosing names for my characters. Kind of regret it now.

..You mean that names like Anita Sarkeesian, Obama, and Hilary Clinton as used in your novel are.. Random names with no meaning..?
I don't see how anyone could possibly think that..
I have seen stories which deliberately use names from the real world like the Pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, the McDonald's Fleet, Harry Potter, etc. but I don't think there's anyone who uses such names "accidentally".

I actually note down whatever names randomly pop into my head, and there will be someday when I will use that for someone.
Asides from that, I use names from just about every mythology on the face of the planet, sometimes names from people I've met might pop into my head (extra hilarity when said people end up in some ridiculously OP position like the Ruler of the Solar System), etc.
Even forum names might work with some little tweaks.

Sometimes, I'll go for something Roman like Augustus or whatever I find fits well with a character, and sometimes I will pick a word and I will throw it into Google Translate. Extra hilarity for readers who speak that language and can "get it".
I've had some rulers who I've named tyrant, thrown it into Google Translate, and got a new name back.

I used to hate making names. I would agonize over them for hours and then I realized a few important things.

1) A name isn't everything. Your hero is named Joe? Okay, just so long as his last name isn't Schmoe. Unless that's your running joke.

2) Names fit best in their setting. If Ugroth, son of Balhatun of the Fashgar kingdom...is your barista *ahem* either you are writing a hell of a mashup or something is out of place.

3) Google baby names. Or names by culture. No joke.

4) Names are often in context. A race is often called by an internal name, or by what others think of them. They might be the "Alactria of the Emerald Forest" to themselves and be "Those damned tree folk" to everyone else.

5) When in a pinch, I often used to roll sounds and syllables like they were numbers on a combination lock. You just have to be careful that the final product isn't easily mispronounced. You know like poor Sha-theed. Who gets spelled out as "$h*thead."

Sorry for any typos. On my phone atm.

'antlad52' pid='409850' dateline='1447479887' Wrote: im in a dire need of names, i just cant think of any good ones, so is there any way for people to suggest good names and how do you think them up. it could be anything as long as it looks good cos i need alot of names for races and stuff.

If needed i alawys name them after my medicines.

I hate making the names for titles.
I like making the names for characters. And countries. And buildings. And stuff.

The last chapter I wrote I named "One Man's Trash" which, I mean, it's not the BEST chapter title but it works for the plot.

Then for everything else you just have to keep what Knave said in mind:

Quote:A name isn't everything.

Some should definitely be unique and/or have meaning but if you like the name Dark Slayer, by golly you name that character Dark Slayer. Or Bill.

[Deleted]

Names. Names? What's in a name? Couple vowels, throw in a handful of consonants, mash it up until you find something you like, then promptly write them down and pick it back up the next day. From there you can bastardize or make it nicer. Same thing works for standard words and names. Just bastardize it or mash it up as others have said. And, as somebody pointed out previously, random name generators are always a bag of giggles. Want to make your own name generator? Take some words, print them out, cut them up into syllables, throw them into a hat or air and grab a few to mash into a name.

Also, don't be afraid to use sometimes generic or plain names. Sometimes simplicity is best.

If you want symbolism, take and/or modify your subject names. For example, you're thinking of relating the creation of an online entity which could encompass the entire net to the garden of Eden? Go ahead and make acronyms paralleling that and use the names already used. (If you've read my incomplete story, Genesis, you know that I'm guilty as charged of this.)
E.D.E.N. >> Eternal Damnation Encompassing Net ~OR~ Everlasting Den of Eternal Numbers
G.O.D. >> Gifted Order of Devotees ~OR~ Game of (the) Damned

Don't wanna do that and try to make your own? Here's some name progression's I just made up for you to use as examples.

Dead >> ded >> Ded/Dede/De-de?

Dangerous >> Dan Gerus

Chrysanthemum >> Crissy

Bartholomew >> Bart Holom E. W.
>> Bartho Loam W.

Nathaniel >> Nathan El
>> Nat(e) Haniel

Hark + Rot >> Harkraut

P.s. Garbling together a bunch of consonants and vowels helps if you want something unique and exotic sounding without really meaning anything.