D&D: How to Come Up With the Perfect Character Name, No Random Generator Required
The hardest part of coming up with a new character is naming them. Here are five tricks for the perfect D&D character name.
What’s in a D&D character name? Turns out, quite a lot. Sure, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But if you are trying to figure out what character name you want to stick with for the next several months (or years, if you’re really lucky), then you’ve got another thing coming.
One careless error, and the next thing you know your Fighter’s name is Meorge Gichael and you’re stuck with it. Because that’s the kind of character that will refuse to die, no matter what. But don’t despair, we’ve got a few tips and tricks for the perfect D&D character name.
Take a Regular Name and Change the Vowels
This method requires little more than a willingness to tinker with vowels. This is where you get your D&D character names that are suited to grittier character types. All you do is switch out the vowels from an otherwise normal name—with some discretion. After all switching out the A in Sally for an I is just Silly. But Sill can be a pretty good name.
How about Aliza, Serah, Garuld, Nathon. You can change more than one vowel as well, depending on the length of the name. This works really well with more archaic names. So you might have Mariel, Martamer, Aestyce, Ognys. It works quite well with short names too. Tud, Byll, Frin, Onn—just experiment until you find something that fits.
The “Short For” Shuffle
This one’s a little more complicated a method of generating a D&D character name. But take two names that are traditionally shortened forms of longer names, and swap the longer versions around. For instance, Harry is often short for Harold. Larry is short for Lawrence, fine names on their own. But Larold feels like a fantasy name.
Hawrence not as much, so you gotta look for what feels right. Liz and Kate might become Elizerine or Kathereth. Again, you just gotta find the right combo. Ben could just as easily be short for Benthany as for Bentholomew or Benthaniel. And of course, you can always swap out some of the vowels.
Old School Cool
Archaic names are another great jumping off point for fantasy characters. But if you don’t know any off of the top of your head for some weird reason, you can turn to literature. If you’re doing that, it’s usually best to go one step more than the popular characters. You can find some great names in side characters throughout literature. Especially if you look at some of the lesser-known works of famous authors
Sure, everyone will know where it’s from if you name your character Romeo Montague or Ebeneezer Scrooge or Fitzwilliam Darcy. But Boult, Rouncewell, or Morland might not raise an eyerow.
Myth-Appropriation
Or take a page out of D&D tradition and look for names in mythology. But again, you might want to go a little more obscure, depending. Name your character Hercules and you’re bound to get a few looks. But pick a name like Thalia or Ilmari and you’ve got less chance of your party preconceiving who you are.
Bird Names
Finally, the ol’ standby, name yourself after a bird. This can be as cliche as you want. But bird names are great fantasy character names. And this is true whether you’re picking given names or surnames. Lord Raven works just as well as a character named Crow. But get weirder with the birds.
Consider Egret, Heron, Auk, Cormorant, or Grackle. You get a sense of personality right away. And if you pick a slightly more obscure bird, you can really run with it.
How do you come up with your D&D character names?
