Showing posts with label Names. Show all posts

Monday, 21 September 2026

d200 Names - Puritan Style

"Look not so fearful my dear wife, Dribble Beauvoir is a goodly name, it is decided, hehehe"

That stolid bunch, the Puritans, how novel they were. Such onomastic masters, true namesmiths if ever there were. As you know, they had a trend of using little moral sentences or admirable qualities as forenames, such as 'Humility Brown', 'Humiliation Hynde' or 'Search-the-Scriptures Moreton'. Fabulous, no?

Why not use this method for naming characters? The formula is simple and has much power; REAL WORD+REAL(ISH) SURNAME. Through this we shall leverage both nominative determinism AND semantic satiation. The character's personality will be coloured by their word/name. Simultaneously, that word-name, through repetition, will become just like any other name.

These names have the advantage on pure fantasy names in that they immediately do a lot of heavy lifting and can be formulated expediently (see also my hit post Morpheme+Word+Epithet) whereas fantasy/pseudo-fantasy names can take much longer to come up with and not hit as hard (see the Onomasticon Quernorum and NOM-DE-GROTTE ~ d200 Caveman Names). Of course, both styles of names can be used to create clear cultural differences. Do what you like, I'm not the name police.

I have written 200 examples. There is no random generation here. They've been formulated to be phonoaesthetically pleasing (for me) to say aloud and hear again and again - or at least have a fun mouthfeel. I must stress, they are not Puritan, or Puritan in ethos, nor are they for Puritan characters (was Salacious Crumb a Puritan?). They range from more mundane to perhaps deranged. The names are presented in the order I wrote them but there are bangers throughout.

For maximum pleasure, read each name aloud:

d200 cool names you should definitely use in your games, no questions asked

Fortuitous Baldpate
Dead Thriftwell
Gaze-Upon Beesworth
Doleful Graves
Prostrate Caruthers
Lexicon Abelard
Darling Sallow
Pitiful Hicks
Sumptuous Cashman
Anguish Wilberforce
Floral Acres
Happy-Day Cromwell
Pinch Pigsbody
Bitch Wiseacre
Furtive Coxcomb
Guts Kennedy
Whistle Weston
Awfulness Armitage
Effluvium Whitelock
Stuporous Beavens
Furious Binks
Impertinence Hog
Influential Pax
Stalked Sidecastle
Goodwife Gardner
Frankness Pole
Youthful Wheeler
Obstinate Cook
Sour Trenchard
Ladylike Shrubb
Loveless Oak
Princely Rowbotham
Sacrilegious Sargood
Wistful Sheppard
Inebriate Blood
Pittance Pickwick
Dearth Skinner
Precious Staggers
Bitting Sykes
Incredible Thirdkill
Lost Marlow
Goodness Tyndall
Illness Trumble
Clerical Poe
Dreary Anderson
Illiterate Welsh
Witty Whitstable
Shrieking Faversham
Simpering Styles
Gnash Warren
Warring Begood
Throbbing Farrow
Friendless Floyd
Knife Lexington
Suckle Severus
Blow Wheatley
Gentle Perry
Prankish Black
Clench Portland
Auspicious Tunbridge
Cleft Cornwallis
Porcine Winters
Ignominy Carew
Suspicion Fitzpatrick
Predestination Sommers
Moral Norris
Spring Huntley
Innumerate Wolsey
Persuadable Walsh
Tough Cresting
Unassailable Reed
Inevitable Pointer
Preservation Havemore
Principles Locke
Fastidious Gage
Nothingness Piebald
Filth Driscoll
Panacea Nelson
Torrid Phillips
Foolish Tancred
Sunk Bathwell
Goodluck Caedmon
Shameful Glump
Travel Sidson
Endure Douglas
Truthful Fillet
Smell Hunterian
Flesh Sawyer
Imp Turner
Long-Suffering Dee
Truly-Loyal Cox
Fate Hastings
Misdeed Morgan
Sanguinary Fry
Trite Marten
Nicety Snakenborg
Inquisitorial Scrope
Sleep Stafford
Leer Walsingham
All-Time Tarleton
Flaccid Salzburg
Devilish Larou
Loquacious Pitt
Have-Not Lee
Ebullient Rodgers
Friend O'Brien
Purpose Palmer
Omniscience O'Finnigan
Dread Congrave
Saintly Hart
Goblin Teasmade
Dissipation Boyle
Fluff Bothwell
Hardman Peirce
Pry Goodwill
Deific Dogsbody
Dry Jackson
Doubtful Blanche
Farewell Pilchard
Avuncular Underbridge
Quaff Perkins
Pungent Hume
Industrial Kiss
Assiduous Kane
Dichotomy Glass
Innominate Hyde
Tempestuous King
Tyranny Koch
Crank O'Toole
Loss Featherstone
Noblest Brown
Surrender Winterbottom
Paragon Trotter
Grip Tottering
Mock Slowley
Leap Longford
Perfection Paine
Worm Paisley
Act Ogilvy
Revenge Forthright
Tug Whipstock
Surreal Van Koop
Regular Day
Proscribe Smiles
Gamble Grownow
Splendiferous Ogg
Odd Spilsbury
Ritual Myers
Switch O'Starr
Mendacious Jiggle
Snap O'Keefe
Ravenous Forcock
Feminine Moorcock
Millennium Müller
Poison Holmes
Ego Trollope
Predate Thackeray
Meek Maddox
Drinkblood Dampier
Delirium Hearne
Strike Scoresby
Probable Strang
Immodest Lear
Id Milligan
Apery Chase
Debauch Bofors
Ataxia Eden
Please Fitzroy
Brick Balfour
Damp Saxon
Exploit Narrows
Stiff Dirk
Impaler Dewitt
Slasher Crowley
Treachery Bosun
Piety Kettle
Minutiae Duke
Fabulous Pea
Spit Flemming
Astringent Stone
Tax Purser
Enquiry Stein
Stalwart Berry
Drown Patricks
Foul Gooser
Oblong Darnell
Sacristy Doors
Halcyon Mustard
Miserly Chalk
Eerie Bolangford
Scream Huxley
Tragedy Orleans
Calamity Staves
Malady Prunk
Drink Bickle
Sulphurous Moon
Medicine Shivers
Wrestle Dolightly
Angular Brand
Bile Derleth

Thanks to Prismatic Wasteland for this one

This post may be too late for the Names Bandwagon but check it out.

More Names:

1. Slobbish Carbuncle

2. Haggard O'Shay

3. Parabola Parsons

4. Garlic Goodnight

Monday, 25 May 2026

NOM-DE-GROTTE ~ d200 Caveman Names

Kennis & Kennis, MADRID SCIENTIFIC FILM

Cavemen have formal names (those with stretched vowels) and informal (without stretched vowels). Addressing a caveman with their full name may net the players a +1 to their reaction roll. Inspired by Idraluna Archive's OD&D Encounter SOPs. Don't dismiss the names as nonsense immediately, thought went into every one and are presented in the order I thought of them.

The caveperson naming convention emerged on its own in my prior works - caveman-centric adventure sites. For previously named caveperson NPCs, see Lair of the Cavemen aka Thick Thews, Brutish Brows and Heaving Bosoms, the adventure site collection Six Savage Lairs and (the now unreleased) Pity the Cavemen:

Raugwalla ♂️
Grooon ♂️
Ooolpulgg ♂️ (what a feminine name 💃)
Eewallaaa ♀️
Bruugg ♂️
Big Boruguluu ♂️
The Oooogun ♂️
Muurrtunga ♂️
Lorrgga ♂️
Eeexpinik ♀️

Temple of the Bear, by Zdeněk Burian

Cavepeople Automatic Name Roller

Thanks to Paper Elemental for the generator.

Portrait of the author, by Zdeněk Burian

The Lists:
Cave-Masculine:
1. Duuurguunna
2. Jughmaaaa
3. Wanuuurgaa
4. Anuuurwal
5. Raaanaaa
6. Luuurg
7. Guuurgamaa
8. Uraaanlik
9. Grooogaa
10. Raspaaapaa
11. Naguuulaa
12. Shuhooog
13. Yuuugeenba
14. Krollgg
15. Quwooodaa
16. Wroguuulaa
17. Shobeeegzob
18. Akaaachagaa
19. Muuurzmaa
20. Crooovqwa
21. Ergooomaa
22. Druuuussssaa
23. Udaaaarshub
24. Hwaaaht
25. Oooooooooooo
26. Aaaaaaaaaaaaa
27. Simguuulaa
28. Lokkk
29. Baaatishmaa
30. Owowoon
31. Wahgaawaa
32. Gahaanaaag
33. Murrrkurrrk
34. Blurrrcaa
35. Hooltaalmaa
36. Jaaajaaanak
37. Mroonnwipp
38. Caaawuraa
39. Yuuunk
40. Craavaaanaa
41. Maaamootaa
42. Vaaangovaa
43. Pongopohaa
44. Zojnaaak
45. Orgooonaa
46. Burrrraaaan
47. Yorrrpaapruh
48. Haaapaaadraa
49. Ohwaaawo
50. Ksnaaacwaa
51. Ooowowgaa
52. Hoqaaw
53. Urggurrrgg
54. Oowhoop
55. Agannneeyarrrp
56. Worrrrtuuug
57. Qannnnnn
58. Kolpapaaan
59. Jhurrrgaaandeh
60. Hooshaamaa
61. Harrrrsuurraaan
62. Draaaahhhh
63. Errrrr
64. Uhhhhgggg
65. Snnnrrrrrt
66. Slrrrrrrrsh
67. Burrrrzaa
68. Hurrhurrhurr
69. Thoggggogg
70. Drrrrrr
71. Gerggggugg
72. Wwwwwowchaa
73. Ooogaahh
74. Boogaahh
75. Shrrrrrrkkkkaa
76. Chaaaach
77. Vongoooooo
78. Barrrrrbarrrrbah
79. Graggg
80. Llllllg
81. Ummmguh
82. Raaaaaak
83. Ssssmushhhh
84. Brsssskk
85. Fleeebitaa
86. Agurrrmmm
87. Odfurrrrzzz
88. Odcraaaasaa
89. Ilayaaarajaaa
90. Iskaamsssskk
91. Raaagafommm
92. Woookarayjaa
93. Mbaaa
94. Loooosoo
95. Poyyyytaaavarrren
96. Nnrrmmboo
97. Crooofu
98. Gzzzzmaa
99. Ssssuk
100. Brrurrannnndddaa

Cave-Feminine:
1. Eeeenpunwag
2. Aaaawinwuk
3. Oooolanag
4. Oooojughjugh
5. Ooookanook
6. Qeeepineg
7. Tseeelikan
8. Leeesipwip
9. Saaawupog
10. Duuumama
11. Oooozagdah
12. Oooopremib
13. Qeeesineeg
14. Ceeegineek
15. Aaaaxineep
16. Ieeenogog
17. Aeeestonot
18. Ooaaaxefu
19. Ooofofof
20. Aaakalak
21. Eeeekikik
22. Ofoooosecnag
23. Aaaayapeq
24. Aaaamalaig
25. Vehhhhulu
26. Goolaaaabaanig
27. Izaaaafazhin
28. Edreeegagag
29. Sssssehabag
30. Imaaaawenwen
31. Aaaajaajan
32. Aaaathangaachee
33. Ihaaagahoh
34. Athaaanag
35. Araaaagarej
36. Uzuuuulanam
37. Oooosofig
38. Woomaaanaag
39. Olooooomugug
40. Ecaaaahicah
41. Uhcaaamokop
42. Udoooomazaz
43. Ysssssswihog
44. Xeeeemidid
45. Xaaaazakop
46. Ezoooosusog
47. Uxaaaaaxaman
48. Ozuuuudugit
49. Ysaaaagrag
50. Eeeechaneek
51. Weeeezanope
52. Aaaaapalas
53. Oooopowalas
54. Ashaaaaaadeyet
55. Aaaaababab
56. Ogoooogoyog
57. Ebooooshimak
58. Voooolemish
59. Odooomivmuk
60. Ezeeeeegushek
61. Zzzzzzzbogig
62. Uzzzzzzanolok
63. Ohooo-ohooo
64. Omooookic
65. Ooooloogaloog
66. Igaaaajidec
67. Ubaaaashardoc
68. Okoooolanoom
69. Loooocatwees
70. Efeeescanik
71. Uhhhhgyug
72. Ummmmmeen
73. Ovooomulnam
74. Izzzzzlopig
75. Edeeeelumug
76. Oodaaaanuguk
77. Yoooodinid
78. Yeeegahyuk
79. Yaaaakwaneek
80. Neeelurrrmunk
81. Aleeeevogog
82. Olooomarag
83. Eeecayyyylik
84. Uhhhhuwakwak
85. Errrrluvluv
86. Arrrreeesilag
87. Aaaashoogik
88. Oooomoovipij
89. Eeevllllimig
90. Ayyyyukog
91. Oyyyhogin
92. Ooooshabosh
93. Eeekiwip
94. Ooozumzum
95. Aaazagzig
96. Eeezoonimp
97. Aaavaaliren
98. Urrrrrkuhrem
99. Ooomurug
100. Oooterag

Source unknown, but isn't it great?

Other posts for your consideration:

Savage Personality Generation. To give these cavepeople some character.
The race-as-class Talismanic Caveman.
The Onomasticon Quernorum
Fantasy Names from Scrabble and Other Word Games
Name Generator: Morpheme+Word+Epithet
The adventure locations listed at the start of the post.

Wednesday, 24 July 2024

The Onomasticon Quernorum

Or; On the Names of the Quernfolk

A Wennish penny pamphlet pithily titled 'an unbelievable account of the atrocious apparitional attack on a sleeping and sickly Miss Dyedred by the headless bear demon 'Old Bossbelow' and her noble defense by Mistress Sharpday, Miss Arena Palatine, Jonwith Middlestone, Harque the Younger, Master Winwalloe and the Magic-User Lakelie'

Above is the Onomasticon Quernorum; On the Names of the Quernfolk. Contained within are over 900 names and they are presented without any expository information.

Recently, I had names on the brain. In my post morpheme+word+epithet, (which has proved quite popular) I shared the eponymous formula for making an interesting name. This specific method works well for weird individuals, but what if I need a great many names to build out a specific culture?

In the Onomasticon Quernorum, I have taken the dryer route, and listed the personal names of six, mostly distinct, cultures. The names have their own rules and sounds. Then, when combined with the contents of their pockets, knick-knack material culture, the player should have a good feeling for each group. No exposition involved, just implication, and implication builds interesting settings that engage the imagination.

I also recommend this post by Empedocles the Wizard of Elemental Reductions for some more lucid and interesting commentary on their naming process. But, what do you do? What are your thoughts on creating names for RPG characters? Please let me know in the comments as I really enjoy this stuff.

Another Wennish penny pamphlet titled 'The Mightily True Report of Sergeant Bov Pangweather's victory over the hulking Aldish Birch-Crone known as Jennie Snatchelflynda and her dread-familiar who some call Black Froggebighter'.

This post was written for Words! Linguistics, Etymology and Onomatology for July's RPG Blog Carnival.

Sunday, 26 May 2024

Name Generator: Morpheme+Word+Epithet

Who are these fellas and what are their names? Groupe de sorciers by Lucas Roussel

Millions of names!

Each name is made of three parts. A made-up morpheme, an English word and an epithet or honorific. The names are drawn from lists I wrote; there are 335 morphemes, 345 words and 311 epithets/honorifics. I use words rather than another set of immediately meaningless morphemes for a few reasons:

Words colour the name, if the name has ‘cruel’ in it, the name instantly gives a hint to the character (but sometimes it just gives an interesting sound) in a very pulpy way that should be embraced.
Words make the name a little quicker to read, the brain picks out the second word; so ‘Zhongcried’ is that much quicker to read and then physically pronounce than a random collection of phonemes like ‘Ibquneche’.
Along with epithets, words add a touch more memorability to a name for your players. If you generate something alliterative or with some assonance, all the better!

Of course, not all characters should have a name that fits these conventions, though these principles can be quite effective. If a name is generated and the 'epithet' is in brackets it is an honorific and should be read before the name, not after. For example 'Ozdog (Master)' should be read as Master Ozdog.

Thanks to Paper Elemental for their clever html generator generator which I used for this post and for the Archons March On blog whose many numerous generators inspired me to give it a go myself.

Click Generate for your name:

Click for the raw lists

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