I keep a pregenerated list of on-theme names and just cross them off as they get used. It's the perfect crime.
this post was submitted on 30 May 2025
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I keep losing my list :(
"Listin, his name is Listin. His sister? Listelle. What? His parents? Sigh. Listanathon and Listhana. His dog? Rufus, now can we move along, please?"
My secret weapon: https://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/name/
Way better collection of names than Fantasy Name Generator
Forget the names, look at ALL the tools.
Thanks, bookmarked. I don't have a group right now, but that is damn handy.
Oh wow yeah this is awesome:
https://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/my_campaign/
It's a random campaign generator. You could run a whole one-shot off that, or populate any region in your world at will
I don't even play 5e and I use donjon a lot
That site has such good tools.
A classic site. Used to use it back in my pathfinder days.
All well and good in theory, but after bribing a barmaid called "Anon" for a lead, my group have now been directed to talk to a halfling in the corner of the tavern by the name of "Hamas".
Our sessions usually go:
NPC: "I am known as Nebulox".
PC: "... I'm gonna call you 'Ned'"
DM: "WELL I GUESS ITS NED NOW"
"My name is Robert"
"...Dick"
"..."
He tells you his name is Jimmothy Plimmothy.
May I call you Jim?
My DM used IKEA furniture names.
I'm so bad at this I was on that site for like a whole ass 5 minutes while my players talked with each other before I landed on Stu.
I don't know why I'm so bad at names lmao. I've started to gather a list of weird fantasy names now...
All my characters are either Wolfgang Grindelberg the Third of Abendbrücken (if I had time to prepare) or “uhhhhh… Bob?” if I haven’t.
One of the best parts about running Apocalypse World is that the gag of looking around the room and naming a character after something you see is perfectly in keeping with the setting.
Ah yes, Line of Sight Name, The Pretender's mo
The Keyser Soze method.
I grab relevant Japanese and butcher it until it sounds vaguely fantasy-Western. Never fails.
Let's see... Ho Lee Sheet, I need to start doing that. But I guess my players will suspect Sum Tin Wong
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/fake-asiana-pilot-names
While reporting on the crash during their noon newscast on July 12th, Bay Area Fox affiliate KTVU co-anchor Tori Campbell reported that the names of the pilots on board were "Sum Ting Wong," "Wi Tu Lo," "Ho Lee Fuk" and "Bang Ding Ow."
On the evening of July 12th, the NTSB issued an apology via press release noting that a summer intern had acted on his own authority by confirming the fake names, and asserted that appropriate action would be taken to assure a similar error would not happen again.
As far as I know, the identity of the intern remains undisclosed.
seventh sanctum saved my ass so many times
Gib Piblet at your service. Yes, of the Candle keep Piblets.
Sir Mordak: "Sir Gardakan, I am growing tired of waiting for our new party member's arrival."
Sir Gardakan: "I agree, Sir Mordak. But he could be useful as my squire!"
Boba Fett: "Hey guys! Wait for me!"
Without exception, all my gith characters are called Apo'stroph'e.
I normally DM with my laptop, so or i have it ready to go or i leave a list of names open somewhere for this