Good source of names for GMs to use
Christopher
both now. If you're like me, and have trouble coming up with interesting
names for people, places, etc., check this out. It's a link to Book I of
Sir Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur":
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Mal1Mor.html
For those who don't know, it's the last major work of medieval English
literature -- a fairly complete telling of all of the legends of King
Arthur, Merlin, Uther Pendragon, etc. Pick any chapter and start reading.
There are tons of great names, even names of castles, etc. They even have
funky medieval spellings. Of course, you could read the book too. :-)
-Chris.
C. Baize
I like to use "The Silmarillion".
My last Elven Character (NPC) I created for use with the party is named
Feanor. :)
C. Baize
Christopher
news:3C5B13A1...@netptc.net...
I used The Simarillion to name the most important dragon in my campaign. I
like the Arthurian names for clerics, aristocrats, mages, mayors, etc.
Jamesp2000
Yeah I have problems too with that. I am designing a little program to help me
with random names for my campaigns characters. It is going to be adjustable for
race, sex, region, and how rare the name is.
Bill Silvey
"Jamesp2000" <james...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020201180811...@mb-bg.aol.com...
Of course, failing all of these, try www.rinkworks.com/namegen - always
handy!
--
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Remove the X's in my email address to respond.
> I don't think anything short of no-boot would put Macists off Mac.
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> 4-year-old, they will continue to love it. - Patrick Ford
Dirk Collins
= = = Prologue = = =
What follows is a list of names of people, families, clans, places, and
geographical locations of Europe in the dark ages from the time of
approximately 3,000 BC through the time of the Celts to the time the Roman
Empire grew, and into the Dark Ages. Some names are recognizable as belonging
to the early middle ages as well. The list was compiled from a number of
history books on Early Europe. The list is mostly Anglo-Saxon in origin with a
number of Celtic names and words. Many Celtic names were lost in the time the
Celts were attacked and slaughtered by the Anglo-Saxon Germanic tribes of
present day Russia, Germany, France, England, and Spain, and later, the Romans
Empire. Notes on what the word referred to are in parenthesis next to the word,
along with occasional reference to a specific locales or notable persons who
achieved fame in history. The list is arbitrary, compiled of names I thought
would be interesting for role-playing games, and some historically famous or
especially well known names were deliberately omitted by me. All names are
authentic, and some location names remain to the present day.
= = = = = =
Russian Origin Medieval Names:
Tanais
Phanagoria (clan )
Roxolan ( clan )
Visigoth ( clan )
Priscus ( Leader )
Avars ( clan )
Obry
Hermanric ( leader )
Desna
Laba
Bodrichi ( bold ones )
Lyutichi ( fierce ones )
Galacia
Khazars ( clan )
Vyatichi ( clan )
Dregovichi ( clan )
Krivichi ( clan )
Itil ( City )
Hrorekr (Rurik) ( Leader )
Lothair ( leader )
Hoskuldr ( Askold) ( leader )
Dir (dyri)
Vadim ( leader )
Berezan ( clan )
St. Eleuthera
Bithnya
Rothsmen ( clan )
Ruotsi ( clan )
Svineld ( leader )
Isaurian ( leader )
Suzdal
Kazimir ( leader )
Mazovia
Tver
St. Sergius
Pyana ( river )
Edigei ( leader )
Shemyaka ( leader )
Ryazan
French Origin Medieval Names:
Brannus ( celtic )
Arverni ( clan )
Massilia
Le’ Man
Gergovia
Burdigala
Ambiani
Euric
Alaric
Arian
Merovech
Aquileia
Midgard
Asgard
Cimbri (clan)
Svevi
Cherusci (clan )
Batavi ( clan )
Sicambrian, Salian ( clan )
Toxandria
Parisii ( clan )
Faramund ( leader )
Cappadocia
Nyssa
Ataulf ( leader )
Turones ( clan )
Syragrii ( clan )
Chelderic ( leader )
Thuringia
Theodric
Theodoric
Wisowast ( leader )
Wisogast ( leader )
Arogast ( leader )
Salegast ( leader )
Chararic ( leader )
Ragnachar ( leader )
Hewald the White
Hewald the Black
Willbrord ( leader )
Wilfred
Rathbod
Frisia ( Land )
Theudoald ( leader )
Osanne
Seramasax ( Short Sabre )
Francisc ( Throwing Hatchet )
Sacmund ( Teutonic )
Drogo
Winfrith
Telchild ( Abboss)
Luxeuil
Spanish Origin Medieval Names:
Tarralba
Soria
Santander
Parpallo’
Solutre’an
Altamira
Santander
Azilia
Tarifa
Aeneas ( Maybe Greek?)
Almizaraque
Almer’ian
Antequera
Gor
Gaudix
Tartessia
Aragon
Cempsi ( tribe )
Pelendoric ( tribe )
Turone ( tribe )
Eburone ( tribe )
Belgae ( Tribe )
Nervii ( tribe – german )
Tungri ( tribe – german )
Gadir ( enclosed space – fortress )
Aliseda
Malaca
Sexi
Abdera
Argantonios ( celtic leader )
Atalia
Oretani
Tanith ( Spanish – Phoenician Virgin Goddess )
Baria
Vera
Baetica
Iacetani ( tribe )
Tarragona
Gerona
Numantia
Lusones ( tribe )
Arevaci ( tribe )
Belli ( tribe )
Titti ( Tribe )
Termantia
Falcata ( Iberian Scimitar )
Vettone ( Tribe )
Vaccei ( Tribe )
Carpetani ( Tribe )
Murcia
Calaicia
Cantabria
Asturia
Basque
Elvira
Avila
Alans ( tribe)
Suevi ( Tribe )
Silingians
Walia ( leader )
Ataulf ( leader )
Agila ( leader )
Athanagild ( king )
Swinthilia ( King )
Theudis ( King )
Leovigild ( leader )
Liuva ( leader )
Witeric ( leader )
Sisnand
Egica ( leader )
Witiza ( leader )
Roderic ( Leader )
Me’rida
Albelda
Cazlona
Pravia
Ovetao
Felix, Bishop of Urgel
Ramiro
Pallars
Ribagorza
Sobrarbe
Aragon
Arista
Tudela
Aznar
Alavese
Ordo’no ( leader )
Amaya
Arlanzon ( river )
Numantine
Valencia
Queen Tota
Madina Al- Zahra
Tahart
Zanata
Sahhaza
Almanzor
Torrox
Atienza
Sulaiman
Ximena ( Queen )
Simanca
Coria
Calastrava
Alcantara
Rioja
Gormaz ( Leader )
A Viking in Spain – Gimdared
Urraca
Alvar – Fanez
Marc Q
name you can find...
--
Marc
http://www.four-hands.com/Marc_n_Renee/index.htm
"Christopher" <cpar...@X.com, where X is hcl> wrote in message
news:vkE68.4985$X2.6...@nnrp1.uunet.ca...
Mister Sharkey
THE MELTING POT OF BABY NAMES by Connie Lockhart Ellefson (ISBN
1-55870-362-4). Indexed by country of origin, so if you want NPCs from
a particular region to have, say, Romanian-sounding names, you can go
directly to the right chapter. However, it's oriented toward current
baby names that parents might actually choose, so it doesn't have too
many really archaic ones.
WRITER'S DIGEST CHARACTER NAMING SOURCEBOOK by Sherrilyn Kenyon (ISBN
0-89879-632-6). Same idea. This one is also indexed by country of
origin, but the author is in the SCA and therefore can relate to
period naming. I suspect she may have had RPG players in mind as well.
Very useful.
A DICTIONARY OF ANGELS by Gustav Davidson (ISBN 0-02-907052-X). A
really great resource for Planescape or any other campaign where you
need names for celestial beings! It's not a bad source for demons and
devils either. This book has thousands of names of angels from
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and (I think) Zoroastrianism.
Reizla
hcl> over het thema Good source of names for GMs to use:
> You can't steal names from LotR anymore -- everyone's read it, seen it,
or
> both now. If you're like me, and have trouble coming up with interesting
> names for people, places, etc., check this out. It's a link to Book I of
> Sir Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur":
I know the feeling. In my campaign there will be a huge legendary
fire-dragon. I wanted to call it Smough, but figured that every player
should direcly link it to The Hobbit... ;-)
Reizla
Reizla
thema Re: Good source of names for GMs to use:
> >You can't steal names from LotR anymore -- everyone's read it, seen it,
or
> >both now. If you're like me, and have trouble coming up with
interesting
> >names for people, places, etc., check this out. It's a link to Book I
of
> >Sir Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur":
> Yeah I have problems too with that. I am designing a little program to
help me
> with random names for my campaigns characters. It is going to be
adjustable for
> race, sex, region, and how rare the name is.
When you're ready, please post the link here. I'm certanly interested.
I'm not that well with names myself...
Reizla
Hong Ooi
wrote:
>I use the following books for name ideas:
>
>THE MELTING POT OF BABY NAMES by Connie Lockhart Ellefson (ISBN
I read that as "the pot of melting baby names" at first. Now I want one.
Hong "either pot, name, or melting baby, I'm not fussy" Ooi
--
Hong Ooi | "Usually you're a funny guy Hong. Here
hong...@maths.anu.edu.au | you're just being petty and trollish."
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~hong/dnd/ | -- BWS
Sydney, Australia |
Douglas Berry
"Christopher" <cpar...@X.com, where X is hcl> warmed at our fire and
told this tale:
Better yet, read Le Morte d'Arthur, and get names, plot and item ideas
by the ton.. and a great story as well!
--
Douglas E. Berry grid...@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as
when they do it from religious conviction."
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Pense'es, #894.
Christopher
news:ke1p5uoocho5i14gl...@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 1 Feb 2002 17:08:45 -0500, a wanderer, known to us only as
> "Christopher" <cpar...@X.com, where X is hcl> warmed at our fire and
> told this tale:
>
> >You can't steal names from LotR anymore -- everyone's read it, seen it,
or
> >both now. If you're like me, and have trouble coming up with interesting
> >names for people, places, etc., check this out. It's a link to Book I of
> >Sir Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur":
> >
> >http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Mal1Mor.html
> >
> >For those who don't know, it's the last major work of medieval English
> >literature -- a fairly complete telling of all of the legends of King
> >Arthur, Merlin, Uther Pendragon, etc. Pick any chapter and start
reading.
> >There are tons of great names, even names of castles, etc. They even
have
> >funky medieval spellings. Of course, you could read the book too. :-)
>
> Better yet, read Le Morte d'Arthur, and get names, plot and item ideas
> by the ton.. and a great story as well!
Yeah, that's kind of what I was hinting at there at the end of my post.
It's a difficult read though. Of course, you could pick up a copy of T. H.
White's "Once and Future King". (Most publishings are out of print though,
so it's hard to find).
Back to Le Morte d'Arthur: The chapters are usually pretty short, and the
amount of plot development in each one is just about the right amount for an
overall adventure summary. Most of the material seems pretty easy to adapt
to any campaign in which there are a few major power centers that commonly
communicate.
-Chris.
DebiHuman
For ease of reference (i.e. without slogging through the text's for the names),
I generally rely on Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia and Phyllis Ann Karr's The
King Arthur Companion for quick names. Karr's book is especially handy because
she cross-references the names from many sources: Malory, the Vulgate etc. and
she has great lists of names.
Debby