Names: Difference between revisions
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Choosing appropriate names can really add an extra layer of believability to your mission. Here are some basic suggestions for picking character names: | Choosing appropriate names can really add an extra layer of believability to your mission. Choosing names that sound too modern (eg, "Dave") or too fantasy-like, ("El'drith Blackstone") can spoil an otherwise excellent story. Here are some basic suggestions for picking character names: | ||
1) Common folks, especially lowlifes and thieves: 19th century British | 1) Common folks, especially lowlifes and thieves: 19th century British names (think Dickens); usually short and undistinguished (e.g. "John", "Binnes", "Sykes", "Dogsley", "Meg", "Molly", "Snagsby", etc ). Adding a simple adjective in front is also effective (e.g. "Old Tom", "Pink-eye Cobb", "Mad Mary"). | ||
2) Nobility: Norman nobility, occasionally Latin, | 2) Nobility: Norman nobility, occasionally Latin, (e.g. "Quintus", "Beaurigard", "Eventroit", "Alraune") | ||
3) Wealthy merchants: common names, but often with slight changes or embellishment to suggest connections to nobility or descent from old money (e.g. "Iacobus Willen", "Messer Johannes") | 3) Wealthy merchants: common British names, but often with slight changes or embellishment to suggest connections to nobility or descent from old money (e.g. "Iacobus Willen", "Messer Johannes") | ||
4) Builders: | 4) Builders: common Italian, Latin or latinised ("Marcel" ["Marcellus"], "Casagave", "Guillave", "Tellis", "Ignatius") | ||
5) Magi: Near Eastern and Persian, a suggestion of exoticism ("Scarmengades") | 5) Magi: Near Eastern and Persian, a suggestion of exoticism ("Scarmengades") | ||
Revision as of 00:19, 14 January 2010
Choosing appropriate names can really add an extra layer of believability to your mission. Choosing names that sound too modern (eg, "Dave") or too fantasy-like, ("El'drith Blackstone") can spoil an otherwise excellent story. Here are some basic suggestions for picking character names:
1) Common folks, especially lowlifes and thieves: 19th century British names (think Dickens); usually short and undistinguished (e.g. "John", "Binnes", "Sykes", "Dogsley", "Meg", "Molly", "Snagsby", etc ). Adding a simple adjective in front is also effective (e.g. "Old Tom", "Pink-eye Cobb", "Mad Mary").
2) Nobility: Norman nobility, occasionally Latin, (e.g. "Quintus", "Beaurigard", "Eventroit", "Alraune")
3) Wealthy merchants: common British names, but often with slight changes or embellishment to suggest connections to nobility or descent from old money (e.g. "Iacobus Willen", "Messer Johannes")
4) Builders: common Italian, Latin or latinised ("Marcel" ["Marcellus"], "Casagave", "Guillave", "Tellis", "Ignatius")
5) Magi: Near Eastern and Persian, a suggestion of exoticism ("Scarmengades")
