Noble names [Archive] - Wizards Community

Noble names [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dampe
05-24-06, 04:31 PM Was thinking i might as well ask here, maybe someone can give me a good suggestion :)

Im going to play a character who is of noble birth and im looking for noble sounding names. I will play a human, male OR female(not decided... probably male though).

The class(though it shouldnt matter much for the name) is a paragon human who will become sorcerer and later on a black dragon disciple.

All suggestions welcome, male or female :)

Thanks
Derrhyn
05-24-06, 08:34 PM Nobility often take names after the lands they rule, like Duke William of Normandy or Louis Charles de Montigny. So consider having the characters birthplace as a last name. Preceeded by "of, de, von, av, della, da" or some other translation of "from" if you prefer a European feel to the name.

Firstnames are generally more connected to family history. Naming your character after some famous ancestor or maybe some hero from ancient myths. And give him(?) many names.

It is a little difficult to propose names without knowing anything about the setting. You could be playing Oriental Adventures for all I know. A commoner could be named Rob, Ann, John or Ma almost everywhere, but nobilities names are usually more connected to their region. So It would be nice to know, are you looking for a European sounding name? Or one with a more fantasy feel to it? Or do you play OA?

My favourite name generator are "niche" history books. Find a book about the region and period you think has the right feel and take a random unknown name. For example Louis Charles de Montigny. Almost noone will know the guy out of the top of their heads (he was a French governor of Shanghai during the 19'th century) but it has a nice realism to it.

For fantasy names, just play with words, and find something you like saying. To continue the example with poor Louis Charles, it can be twisted to something like Karluz de Gynitoma. Phonetics is more important than spelling so make sure you don't make a name even you can't pronounce. If you want a complicated name, at least give the DM and fellow players a shortened verson for them to use. Nobody is gonna bother saying "Malinda Lutetia Ferrin della Serginteria" whenever they address you. "Ferrin" on the other hand, just might stick. At least if your fellow players are slightly more attentive than my group. They have the attention span of a goldfish on heroin.

I could make up something for you but I would like to know a little more about the setting first.

Derrhyn
DwarvinJedi
05-24-06, 08:47 PM or you could be like the Marquis de LaFayette, whose full name was: Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, and just go with your title as your name
Dampe
05-25-06, 12:55 AM Ah yes ofcourse, the setting.. :)

I actually dont know much, the adventure is called 'the shackled city' and we play mostly in a city called Cauldron.

I could use a fantasy name and i usually do for my characters but clerics, paladins and noble people, in my eyes, sound nicer with a noble or european name. So some european name it is, thanks :)
Derrhyn
05-25-06, 12:35 PM Okey. I'll give you a few samples:

William Alfred Agathocles of Rentshire
Verrall Lawrence III of Highmore
Carlos Filipe Santa Cruz
Pierre Paul de La Grandiere
Joseph Georges Pigneau de Béhaine
Franz Heinrich Marienschöll
Otto von Saxen Koburg und Gotha

Elisabeth Isadora Castleford
Imelda Corazon
Iuliana Francesca da Luz
Maria Savoia de Malterre
Maud Angelica von Nordruhe

Now cut and paste as much as you want.

Derrhyn
Felyndaer
05-25-06, 03:30 PM Try adding a "sir" or "Madam" to the front, and add an "ic" or "Ford" to the end. Maybe even add some numbers, to make it seem like they're froma long line of nobles.

Example? "Sir Regdaric III"
It sounds kinda noble.
Broken vacuum
05-25-06, 04:08 PM Naming conventions for noble families vary widely through history and geography. It is also not uncommon for countries to have slightly different conventions for high, middle and low nobility. Old families sometimes have very simple names, while newer - often less powerful - families have taken a lot flashier names.

Generally speaking noble names sound noble because we have learned that they are; it is a question of cultural context.

One thing you can probably use is alternating between calling yourself a family name and the traditional area your family ruled - even though that may not be the case anymore.
The family name could be something taken that reminds somehow of the family area or symbol - preferably in an "educated" language, say elvish.
Have your close friends call you a short-form of your first name, and other friends just the first names. And add in a couple of middle names to use when being formal.

So an old family with traditions from an area based around a ford with dark waters could be the Naïnodel (or whatever) family from Deepford.
Your full name could be something like Bertrem Geoffrey Hugo Naïnodel of Deepford. Your close friends call you Bertie, favoured acquaintances Bertrem other nobles Naïnodel or Deepford (which is also how you refer to yourself) and you expect to be called sir Naïnodel or Deepford by others.

A lot of it lies in the delivery.
It never hurts to have little stories about the people you are named after. Like Bertrem - the brother of your grandfather - who was a little too fond of his wine, but nevertheless managed to traverse the infamous Craggy Hills in midwinter, when his favourite hunting dog needed the immediate attention of a famous healer.

To add a couple more:

"Cres" Carl Leslie Stoune-Highwater of Mirkwood
"Perry" Klara Persimona Isabella Raukln of Stonewood

or the really safe and over the top alternative
John William Aethrew Santos Wilberforce-Featherstonehaugh of Southmoore

Add a lower title - baronet perhaps - and you are set to go.
Kythras
05-27-06, 05:43 AM Well, for my most recent name, I came up with Ssath D'nar, a name I use regularly, and even more regularly for noble characters, in one incarnation he was Kal Ssath Zalkris D'nar XIII.

As a rule, find something that is different to an ordinary name, as a rule, arrogant nobles like to have little to do with the lesser folk, and having weird names is an excellent way to do it. The only trouble is to try and stop it from elven sounding ones, as fantasy names have a penchant for doing.

Adding extra names and apostrophies makes them sound fancy and is gives you something to roll around your mouth when your lookings down your nose at those dirty little commoners

(Yes, I love playing arrogant nobles)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dampe 05-24-06, 04:31 PM	Was thinking i might as well ask here, maybe someone can give me a good suggestion :) Im going to play a character who is of noble birth and im looking for noble sounding names. I will play a human, male OR female(not decided... probably male though). The class(though it shouldnt matter much for the name) is a paragon human who will become sorcerer and later on a black dragon disciple. All suggestions welcome, male or female :) Thanks
Derrhyn 05-24-06, 08:34 PM	Nobility often take names after the lands they rule, like Duke William of Normandy or Louis Charles de Montigny. So consider having the characters birthplace as a last name. Preceeded by "of, de, von, av, della, da" or some other translation of "from" if you prefer a European feel to the name. Firstnames are generally more connected to family history. Naming your character after some famous ancestor or maybe some hero from ancient myths. And give him(?) many names. It is a little difficult to propose names without knowing anything about the setting. You could be playing Oriental Adventures for all I know. A commoner could be named Rob, Ann, John or Ma almost everywhere, but nobilities names are usually more connected to their region. So It would be nice to know, are you looking for a European sounding name? Or one with a more fantasy feel to it? Or do you play OA? My favourite name generator are "niche" history books. Find a book about the region and period you think has the right feel and take a random unknown name. For example Louis Charles de Montigny. Almost noone will know the guy out of the top of their heads (he was a French governor of Shanghai during the 19'th century) but it has a nice realism to it. For fantasy names, just play with words, and find something you like saying. To continue the example with poor Louis Charles, it can be twisted to something like Karluz de Gynitoma. Phonetics is more important than spelling so make sure you don't make a name even you can't pronounce. If you want a complicated name, at least give the DM and fellow players a shortened verson for them to use. Nobody is gonna bother saying "Malinda Lutetia Ferrin della Serginteria" whenever they address you. "Ferrin" on the other hand, just might stick. At least if your fellow players are slightly more attentive than my group. They have the attention span of a goldfish on heroin. I could make up something for you but I would like to know a little more about the setting first. Derrhyn
DwarvinJedi 05-24-06, 08:47 PM	or you could be like the Marquis de LaFayette, whose full name was: Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, and just go with your title as your name
Dampe 05-25-06, 12:55 AM	Ah yes ofcourse, the setting.. :) I actually dont know much, the adventure is called 'the shackled city' and we play mostly in a city called Cauldron. I could use a fantasy name and i usually do for my characters but clerics, paladins and noble people, in my eyes, sound nicer with a noble or european name. So some european name it is, thanks :)
Derrhyn 05-25-06, 12:35 PM	Okey. I'll give you a few samples: William Alfred Agathocles of Rentshire Verrall Lawrence III of Highmore Carlos Filipe Santa Cruz Pierre Paul de La Grandiere Joseph Georges Pigneau de Béhaine Franz Heinrich Marienschöll Otto von Saxen Koburg und Gotha Elisabeth Isadora Castleford Imelda Corazon Iuliana Francesca da Luz Maria Savoia de Malterre Maud Angelica von Nordruhe Now cut and paste as much as you want. Derrhyn
Felyndaer 05-25-06, 03:30 PM	Try adding a "sir" or "Madam" to the front, and add an "ic" or "Ford" to the end. Maybe even add some numbers, to make it seem like they're froma long line of nobles. Example? "Sir Regdaric III" It sounds kinda noble.
Broken vacuum 05-25-06, 04:08 PM	Naming conventions for noble families vary widely through history and geography. It is also not uncommon for countries to have slightly different conventions for high, middle and low nobility. Old families sometimes have very simple names, while newer - often less powerful - families have taken a lot flashier names. Generally speaking noble names sound noble because we have learned that they are; it is a question of cultural context. One thing you can probably use is alternating between calling yourself a family name and the traditional area your family ruled - even though that may not be the case anymore. The family name could be something taken that reminds somehow of the family area or symbol - preferably in an "educated" language, say elvish. Have your close friends call you a short-form of your first name, and other friends just the first names. And add in a couple of middle names to use when being formal. So an old family with traditions from an area based around a ford with dark waters could be the Naïnodel (or whatever) family from Deepford. Your full name could be something like Bertrem Geoffrey Hugo Naïnodel of Deepford. Your close friends call you Bertie, favoured acquaintances Bertrem other nobles Naïnodel or Deepford (which is also how you refer to yourself) and you expect to be called sir Naïnodel or Deepford by others. A lot of it lies in the delivery. It never hurts to have little stories about the people you are named after. Like Bertrem - the brother of your grandfather - who was a little too fond of his wine, but nevertheless managed to traverse the infamous Craggy Hills in midwinter, when his favourite hunting dog needed the immediate attention of a famous healer. To add a couple more: "Cres" Carl Leslie Stoune-Highwater of Mirkwood "Perry" Klara Persimona Isabella Raukln of Stonewood or the really safe and over the top alternative John William Aethrew Santos Wilberforce-Featherstonehaugh of Southmoore Add a lower title - baronet perhaps - and you are set to go.
Kythras 05-27-06, 05:43 AM	Well, for my most recent name, I came up with Ssath D'nar, a name I use regularly, and even more regularly for noble characters, in one incarnation he was Kal Ssath Zalkris D'nar XIII. As a rule, find something that is different to an ordinary name, as a rule, arrogant nobles like to have little to do with the lesser folk, and having weird names is an excellent way to do it. The only trouble is to try and stop it from elven sounding ones, as fantasy names have a penchant for doing. Adding extra names and apostrophies makes them sound fancy and is gives you something to roll around your mouth when your lookings down your nose at those dirty little commoners (Yes, I love playing arrogant nobles)