Coming up with names for NPCs on the fly can be tough. It can be even tougher in a fantasy setting. About a decade ago, I started keeping a list of random names in my folder of generic GM tools: Pick up the list, pick a name, and you’re good to go.
I generated the list below a little over five years ago when I was working at a temp job doing a massive amount of data entry: I quickly realized that mixed into the hundreds of common entries like “Bob” and “Susan” there would occasionally be an unusual or flavorful name. So I started jotting those names down on a piece of paper. And they were great. Particularly because they were real names (which meant, among other things, that they were pronounceable).
So these have served me well for half a decade, now I offer ’em to you in the hope that they might serve you well.
Playtest Tip: The process of picking up this piece of paper and looking at it, if handled properly, is indistinguishable from looking at any of your other notes. It also buys you a valuable breath of time in which to brainstorm the unexpected NPC and then put your thoughts into order before opening your mouth. Take advantage of both the bluff and the moment of reflection to sustain the illusion of the world for your players.
| Gassan Arcutela Westhuis Canellis Richelle Davlin Virtucio Vijeh Maneja Francia Tulka Mendelyn Bulbuena Kennard Delev Eidem Shiarla Starai Benaitis Belorit Paiva Opalach Mederos Cordero Radu Malak Cargle Zorek Hatami Shirish Saralyn Leka Lukaj Rukaj Deakin Istvandi Nardis Isett Tanquary Tortorano Quaransa Niccore Jacczak Hamma Gavino Narala Harianto Geotina Filatova Paylicek Alstine Gimello Elsbury Tele Hamilla Rubino Vollmer Fishel Babaian Oliva Nauta Klepperich Machelle Hitech | Soukaev Elatab Ryba Klacik Bilcaglia Leunissen Misra Opet Swanciger Folloni Churco Paterno Paoletti Mrafa Koetya Santouiero Stacho Gassan Addis Siress Dupere Grinstead Siddiqui Oberempt Komatina Tyronda Nodarse Galardo Raeder Opalach Bachtell Jeddry Garriel Ja-Juna Kalic Routh Malsam Pintar Jorn Galatouk Deyak Matsegora Pamulo Gregorio Sorrentino Bindi Renfro Choquette Shamoun Harnid Maestas Skaret Alag Derosa Agostini Arcand Therkelsen Ferolie Enlou Salvemni Menachem Dedroza Goffredo | Darag Amato Zurito Parella Ambrulavage Kapoor Drosdek Dimyan Arteaga Isgrigg Mazarkis Solano Nasim Maida Volini Mudra Beranek Lera Vroone Kocurek Allarde Malunzo Osier Aric Stathou Moghaddam Irick Keoni Liliana Natic Davidovic Sergeon Britten Inchausti Tapken Collante Lustig Anjanette Amoroso Jenzabar Jolinda Coish Arbetman Dinken Zarkowsk Jeanah Meruelo Legault Sadri Badak Pettinella Corina Javan Piriyata Pameo Levtri Sokullu Didoy Aneil Amara Parilla Serre Perrodin |
These are great… way better than my list of randomly generated names from a computer program. You have helped us all a great deal, Alexandrian!
My high school 10th grade health teacher was Mr Goffredo – he was also the school basketball coach. His wife was pregnant at the time, so he used ‘Baby Goffredo’ in many of his hypothetical examples in class.
Looks great! May I also recommend abulafia’s U.S. census name generator and the Everchanging book of names? Both are great for generating pronouncable names that are beleivable, and Ebon takes it’s source from literature, so the names are authenthic sounding at least. I have used both extensively.
This is a godsend! I’m just starting 2 campaigns and this will definitely come in handy!
I’ve done this same thing in my workplace, actually. Though I’ve also recorded names which just strike me as awesome.
Thanks for the list. There is a blog dedicated to fantasy names:
http://thefantasynameslist.blogspot.be/
The jig is up! Everytime my GM says a new NPC’s name I’m going to give him a piercing look and say “Did you just pull that from The List?”
From the russian point of view some of this names a pretty silly:
“Soukaev” – Bitch-son
“Ryba” – Fish
Those cross-linguistic oddities are almost unavoidable. For example, your name actually means “mean midget” in English. Weird, right? 😉
Even better is Kate Monk’s Onomastikon (https://tekeli.li/onomastikon/), which is dozens of separate lists of names, sorted according to the culture they come from. You don’t have to just make up “barbarian-sounding” names — you can use actual medieval Lombard names, or Mongolian, or Cameroonian if you feel like it.