Names and Naming

I must find the right name or I cannot get on with the story.
I cannot write the story if the name is wrong.

Ursula K. LeGuin
1926 – 2018

I have always believed in the importance of finding just the right name for people, places, and things in speculative literature. My favorite authors are, in fact, my favorites because they took the time to find just the right name. Dune would not have been Dune without the noble, Greek-sounding name of Atreides and the harsher, darker name of Harkonnen for Herbert’s rival noble houses. Jack Vance’s books would not have been so enjoyable if not for monikers like Ascolais and Almery. LeGuin herself was a master, twisting Slavic languages sideways to create soft, sibilant Russian-sounding names for Gethen and shorter Polish-sounding ones for Earthsea… not to mention the contrasting naming systems of Anarres and Urras and the plethora of worlds that comprised the Ekumen.

On this page, I’ve collected my Worldbuilding Wednesday posts that feature randomly generated names (via the software of Gammadyne’s Random Word Generator) for various things to help a word-blocked writer out.

2020

9/9/20

9/2/20

8/26/20

8/19/20

8/12/20

8/5/20

7/29/20

7/22/20

7/15/20

7/8/20

7/1/20

6/24/20

6/17/20

6/10/20

6/3/20

5/27/20

5/20/20

5/13/30

5/6/20

4/29/20

4/22/20

4/15/20

4/8/20

4/1/20

3/25/20

3/18/20

3/11/20

3/4/20

2/26/20

2/19/20

2/12/20

2/5/20

1/29/20

1/22/20

1/15/20

1/8/20

1/1/20

Narnia XV (Other Countries of Narnia)

Narnia XIV (The Last Battle)

Narnia XIII: Let’s Talk About Charn

Narnia XII (The Magician’s Nephew)

Narnia XI (The Horse and His Boy)

Narnia X (The Silver Chair)

Narnia IX: Let’s Talk About Telmar

Narnia VIII: Let’s Talk About Queen Prunaprismia

Narnia VII (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

Narnia VI (More Mythological Creatures)

Narnia V (Mythological Beings)

Narnia IV (More Narnian Creatures)

Narnia III (Narnian Creatures)

Narnia II (Prince Caspian)

Narnia I (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)

The Best of Twittersnips (Magic Items, Part 2)

The Best of Twittersnips (Magic Items, Part 1)

The Best of Twittersnips (Magical Clothing and Accessories)

Let’s Talk About Princess Irulan and Her Sisters

Military Slang, Part III

Military Slang, Part II

Military Slang, Part I

The Best of Twittersnips (Potions)

Unlikely Animals

Big Cat Hybrids

The Best of Twittersnips (Magic Weapons)

Transformers Porn (Transformers IV)

Female Transformers (Transformers III)

Rejected Transformers (Transformers II)

Transformers (Transformers I)

Minor Magic Spells

Martial Arts Movies

2019

12/25/19

12/18/19

12/11/19

12/4/19

11/27/19

11/20/19

11/13/19

11/6/19

10/30/19

10/23/19

10/16/19

10/9/19

10/2/19

9/25/19

9/18/19

9/11/19

9/4/19

8/28/19

8/21/19

8/14/19

8/7/19

7/31/19

7/24/19

7/17/19

7/10/19

7/3/19

6/26/19

6/19/19

6/12/19

6/5/19

5/29/19

5/22/19

5/15/19

5/8/19

5/1/19

4/24/19

4/17/19

4/10/19

4/3/19

3/27/19

3/20/19

3/13/19

3/6/19

2/27/19

2/13/19

2/6/19

1/30/19

1/23/19

1/16/19

1/9/19

1/2/19

The Best of Twittersnips (Spells II)

The Best of Twittersnips (Spells I)

Christmas Scents

Let’s Talk About Aphrodite

Minor Magical Items

Steampunk Characters

Pumpkin Cuisine

Torture Devices

Apple Varieties

Roller Coasters

Silent Movie Stars

Features of New Jersey

States of Confusion (West Coast)

Let’s Talk About Elric

Trendy Scented Candles

Let’s Talk About Cleopatra

Detective Novels

The Best of Twittersnips II (Characters)

The Best of Twittersnips I (Characters)

Arabian nights Tales II

Arabian nights Tales I

Parts of the Brain

Rare Dog Breeds

A Land Fit for Heroes (Naom)

1960s Exploitation Films

Nouveau Cuisine

States of Confusion (The American Heartland)

More Steampunk Novels

Madeleine L’Engle

Steampunk Novels

Short and Sweet

Let’s Talk About Chicago

Wicked Women of the Bible

Old Dudes from the Bible

Ice Cream Flavors

Exotic Vegetables

2018

12/26/18

12/19/18

12/12/18

12/5/18

11/28/18

11/21/18

11/14/18

11/7/18

10/31/18

10/24/18

10/17/18

10/10/18

10/3/18

9/26/18

9/19/18

9/12/18

9/5/18

8/29/18

8/22/18

8/15/18

8/8/18

8/1/18

7/25/18

7/18/18

7/11/18

7/4/18

6/27/18

6/20/18

6/13/18

6/6/18

5/30/18

5/23/18

5/16/18

5/9/18

5/2/18

4/25/18

4/18/18

4/11/18

4/4/18

3/28/18

3/21/18

3/14/18

3/7/18

2/28/18

2/21/18

2/14/18

2/7/18

1/31/18

1/24/18

1/17/18

1/10/18

1/3/18

Santa’s Bad Elves

Santa’s Elves

Archaic Clothing

Let’s Talk About the Kardashians

Gothic Mansions

Halloween Costumes

Let’s Talk About Salt Lake City

Individual Dragons IV (AD&D Chromatic)

Individual Dragons III (AD&D Metallic)

Individual Dragons II

Individual Dragons I

Kajira (Slave girls of Gor)

A Few Noble Families

States of Confusion (Mid-Atlantic)

Clothing of Distinction

Steampunk Jargon

Himalayan Mountaineering

Alternate Americas

Harry Potter Books

Gems and Minerals

Let’s Talk About Christopher

Cooking with Magic

Fantasy Villains

Plague and Pestilence

States of Confusion (New England)

Cursed Magic Items

The Lord of the Things, Part IV

The Lord of the Things, Part III

The Lord of the Things, Part II

The Lord of the Things, Part I

U.S. Cities (East Coast)

Let’s Talk About Elizabeth

Useless Magic Items

Germanic Towns (Ruritania)

2017

12/27/17

12/20/17

12/13/17

12/6/17

11/29/17

11/22/17

11/15/17

11/8/17

11/1/17

10/25/17

10/18/17

10/11/17

10/4/17

9/27/17

9/20/17

9/13/17

9/6/17

8/30/17

8/23/17

8/16/17

8/9/17

8/9/1

7/26/17

7/19/17

7/12/17

7/5/17

6/28/17

6/21/17

6/14/17

6/14/17

6/7/17

Imaginary Constellations

Supernatural Beings

Venice or Venus

Fairground Rides

Quaint English Towns

Geisterbahn (Ghost train rides)

Tiamatan Clan Names

Legendary Creatures

Useful Magic Items

Houses of Ill Repute

Inns, Taverns, and Eateries

Secret and Arcane Societies

Civic and Community Organizations

Organizations Clearly Up to No Good

… wait, there’s more! (Spells, that is)

Introduction to Worldbuilding Wednesday