08-07-2019, 12:19 PM | #1 |
Join Date: May 2010
|
How do you name your dragons?
Simple question. I'm trying to come up with a system of naming dragons for my fantasy game that (1) makes it look like the names all came from the same language (2) feels vaguely stereotypically "draconic" (something which sorry, I can't articulate) and (3) isn't Latin. I like Welsh or vaguely Welsh-looking names for elves, but am struggling to come up with something similar for dragons.
|
08-07-2019, 12:33 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
I don't use it for dragons, but when I'm stumped for a name, I type something into translate.google.com and run through a few languages until something looks cool. Finnish, Yiddish, and Welsh seem to be prime contenders.
|
08-07-2019, 12:41 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
Well, I generally make native draconic names not something human vocal chords can replicate, and the names humans use to refer to dragons are local language and descriptive. One option might be to play around with source choices from something like https://www.behindthename.com/random/ (Norse or modern analogs might be a good choice).
|
08-07-2019, 01:17 PM | #4 |
☣
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
I was just listening to some language samples, and I found Estonian to feel somehow right for dragons. Couldn't tell you why.
__________________
RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats. |
08-07-2019, 04:42 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Austin, TX
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
For various reasons, dragons in my current campaign have three syllable names. Each syllable starts with a consonant or consonant set drawn from F, Fr, G, Gr, K, Kr, R, S, Sh, Th, Thr, X, or Z and has a vowel, and the final syllable may have a consonant. So Zarathrax or Greesifu.
It's simple and distinctive but comes off as reasonably "draconic" in my opinion.
__________________
Read my GURPS blog: http://noschoolgrognard.blogspot.com |
08-07-2019, 05:25 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: May 2010
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
Quote:
|
|
08-07-2019, 09:00 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denver, CO
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
If I'm looking for verisimilitude in names, a couple of techniques I use:
Repeat suffixes or prefixes frequently. Outsiders looking at American names will frequently see things like -son and -ton. Make the names clunky in English. Idioms and conventions translate poorly. Just look at meanings of any other language's names. So... Grakadon. Which translates to "the big one who is majestic and/or wealthy" |
08-07-2019, 10:29 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: May 2010
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
Quote:
|
|
08-08-2019, 12:33 AM | #9 |
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The deep dark haunted woods
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
I usually name them by the first thing that springs to mind.
Which is why my first campaign dragons are named Yaaaaaa!, Oh-God-No, Run-For-It, and Don't-Eat-Me-Eat-Him.
__________________
"When you talk about damage radius, even atomic weapons pale before that of an unfettered idiot in a position of power." - Sam Starfall from the webcomic Freefall |
08-08-2019, 06:01 AM | #10 |
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: West Virginia
|
Re: How do you name your dragons?
I ask the dragon what their name is and write it down. Then I give them an ice cream soda and watch the clouds of steam.
__________________
Per Ardua Per Astra! Ancora Imparo |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|