Comments on: The Power of Names: Choosing Good Ones http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dan Shiro http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9775 Dan Shiro Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:28:40 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9775 How about joining in 2 existing famous names that sound good? I myself have created a name which I really fancy: Galahad(from the Arthurian Tales) + Legolas(the famous elf) = GALAHAS(my elf ranger) Ok, many say I just changed the D for S..but whatever! Galahas sounds good and different! at least not cheesy! huahuha How about joining in 2 existing famous names that sound good?

I myself have created a name which I really fancy: Galahad(from the Arthurian Tales) + Legolas(the famous elf) = GALAHAS(my elf ranger)

Ok, many say I just changed the D for S..but whatever! Galahas sounds good and different! at least not cheesy! huahuha

]]> By: Crazy Jerome http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9706 Crazy Jerome Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:31:58 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9706 "In addition, try to create only one NPC whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet." I'd recommend sound instead of letter. You really shouldn't throw out "Barak" because "Bennett" was already used. OTOH, you want variety in the sounds. A good way to ensure that is to vary that inital letter. And of course, don't have 4 brothers that all start with the same letter, only varying the vowel--unless you want to emphasis something about the personality of the parents that named them. :) “In addition, try to create only one NPC whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet.”

I’d recommend sound instead of letter. You really shouldn’t throw out “Barak” because “Bennett” was already used. OTOH, you want variety in the sounds. A good way to ensure that is to vary that inital letter. And of course, don’t have 4 brothers that all start with the same letter, only varying the vowel–unless you want to emphasis something about the personality of the parents that named them. :)

]]> By: cadia134 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9705 cadia134 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 21:50:00 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9705 Another thing to avoid the the word "the" In my experience, the PC's will cahallenge anything followed by the "the". Tim the Brave will constantly be forced to lead in situatiuons where bravery is deemed needed. THe first time he fails a fear check, or is in the slightest way unbrave, the name will be mocked. THanks Telas for reminding me of this one :) Another thing to avoid the the word “the”
In my experience, the PC’s will cahallenge anything followed by the “the”. Tim the Brave will constantly be forced to lead in situatiuons where bravery is deemed needed. THe first time he fails a fear check, or is in the slightest way unbrave, the name will be mocked.
THanks Telas for reminding me of this one :)

]]> By: Telas http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9694 Telas Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:54:52 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9694 For what it's worth, I do a lot of game stuff online, so spelling eventually matters. Telas, Picker of Nits For what it’s worth, I do a lot of game stuff online, so spelling eventually matters.

Telas, Picker of Nits

]]> By: Calybos http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9689 Calybos Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:13:43 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9689 I had a GM who prided himself on making NPCs with pretentious, hard to spell names... just for the joy of spelling it out to us dummies. Another thing to watch out for: rhymes. I made up an Egyptian NPC called Marak for a Werewolf game... only to run into a new PC named Tariq! The "Marak and Tariq" chants dominated the session. I had a GM who prided himself on making NPCs with pretentious, hard to spell names… just for the joy of spelling it out to us dummies.

Another thing to watch out for: rhymes. I made up an Egyptian NPC called Marak for a Werewolf game… only to run into a new PC named Tariq! The “Marak and Tariq” chants dominated the session.

]]> By: Jim http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9688 Jim Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:44:01 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9688 One of the most useful tips I read somewhere for obtaining a list of names for NPCs (at least in a modern or near future setting), was to pick a movie and look up the crew credits at <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" rel="nofollow">IMDb</a>. Using the cast would yield too many well known names, but most people have never heard of the guy that was the gaffer. I once staffed the New Orleans Police Department with the crew from Pink Floyd The Wall. One of the most useful tips I read somewhere for obtaining a list of names for NPCs (at least in a modern or near future setting), was to pick a movie and look up the crew credits at IMDb. Using the cast would yield too many well known names, but most people have never heard of the guy that was the gaffer.

I once staffed the New Orleans Police Department with the crew from Pink Floyd The Wall.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9686 Martin Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:42:31 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9686 (Kafear) <i>In addition, try to create only one NPC whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet.</i> That's a great tip, and one I've never heard before -- thanks, Kafear! As for spelling, that can be a tough one. Some GMs -- and some players -- really like it when names are spelled properly; others couldn't care less. One good solution is to just <a href="http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/02/give-your-players-a-list-of-npc-names" rel="nofollow">give your players a list of NPC names</a>. Much like <a href="http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/10/gms-always-do-your-own-mapping" rel="nofollow">doing the mapping yourself</a>, that removes a lot of the pain-in-the-ass factor -- on both sides of the screen. (Kafear) In addition, try to create only one NPC whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet.

That’s a great tip, and one I’ve never heard before — thanks, Kafear!

As for spelling, that can be a tough one. Some GMs — and some players — really like it when names are spelled properly; others couldn’t care less.

One good solution is to just give your players a list of NPC names. Much like doing the mapping yourself, that removes a lot of the pain-in-the-ass factor — on both sides of the screen.

]]> By: drow http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9685 drow Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:37:25 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9685 in my D&D games, i don't care how players spell names, as long as they can read them back. english didn't have standardized spelling until the 19th century, why should Common? in my D&D games, i don’t care how players spell names, as long as they can read them back. english didn’t have standardized spelling until the 19th century, why should Common?

]]> By: thark http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9684 thark Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:32:45 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9684 Nothing drives me crazy like players asking, upon hearing me give the name of an NPC, how it's spelled. As long as it helps you pronounce it approximately the same way I just did, it's spelled any frickin' way you want to. (Especially if it's a name in some odd language which I know how to transcribe and you don't and thus in which a "correct" spelling would only mislead you anyway.) Assuming you're not writing an in-character letter or something. Which, usually, you aren't. Nothing drives me crazy like players asking, upon hearing me give the name of an NPC, how it’s spelled.

As long as it helps you pronounce it approximately the same way I just did, it’s spelled any frickin’ way you want to.

(Especially if it’s a name in some odd language which I know how to transcribe and you don’t and thus in which a “correct” spelling would only mislead you anyway.)

Assuming you’re not writing an in-character letter or something. Which, usually, you aren’t.

]]> By: MountZionRyan http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9683 MountZionRyan Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:25:25 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9683 Along Teals' lines. Does it even matter how it's spelled as long as players say it correctly? Along Teals’ lines. Does it even matter how it’s spelled as long as players say it correctly?

]]> By: Telas http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9681 Telas Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:20:45 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9681 Is it easy to spell? Because nothing breaks the drama of introducing His Uberness like a name that needs to be spelled out eight times... ;) In that vein, are you dipping deeply into the stereotypical fantasy alphabet? Superfluous apostrophes, hyphens, titles, etc are the typical offenders here. Telas Is it easy to spell? Because nothing breaks the drama of introducing His Uberness like a name that needs to be spelled out eight times… ;)

In that vein, are you dipping deeply into the stereotypical fantasy alphabet? Superfluous apostrophes, hyphens, titles, etc are the typical offenders here.

Telas

]]> By: Kafear http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/02/the-power-of-names-choosing-good-ones/comment-page-1#comment-9680 Kafear Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:18:02 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=647#comment-9680 In addition, try to create only one NPC whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet. Thus only one name that starts with "A" only one that starts with "B" and so on. (Obviously, don't name each NPC the party runs into in alphabetical order: the last guy was Dan so this guy is Earl.) In my experience, this method helps players remember NPC names. It is not always possbile, like once you have more than 26 NPCs, but it helps. As long as you don't tell the players that you are doing it they don't seem to notice. In addition, try to create only one NPC whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet.

Thus only one name that starts with “A” only one that starts with “B” and so on.

(Obviously, don’t name each NPC the party runs into in alphabetical order: the last guy was Dan so this guy is Earl.)

In my experience, this method helps players remember NPC names.

It is not always possbile, like once you have more than 26 NPCs, but it helps. As long as you don’t tell the players that you are doing it they don’t seem to notice.

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