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Step 2 slap the keyboard step 3 profit
then their name. For example the Sunswords name ties into their profession and way of thinking. The family name could also be a motivation for the character in their actions. For an NPC you might not have an in depth backstory but once their introduced to the players they should give a sort of tone.
Does it sound like this person is friendly? Should I fight this person with the last name Thorndraw?A name can influence your players and can give clue to character.
Daehremmah is Hammerhead
Nroh is Horn
Eson is Nose
Nrocinu is Unicorn
This strategy, if you could call it that, doesn't work with all words, so I generally just stick with the ones that sound good, or at least the ones that are pronounceable. Anyways, that's my tip on coming up with names. I've used it a couple times with NPCs, but generally I use it for locations only.
For example, using kobolds since their names are usually the ones I make the most complex for no reason: Gridix, Glive, Glaven, Fraz, Malthis, Klaubern [Note: Glive and Glaven are brothers]
Fraz and Klaubern are the only ones who don't appear to have weird names.
I've even had other characters non-kobolds have something like this:
Nizzovix, Jax, Spiral, Yaqzer, Marisa, Wendy
It may appear that the men have complex names, but Jax is actually a girl. Also Yaqzer is a highbear someone let me make, so I made a cub highbear to be nicer
To be fair, I recommend you use an online name generator like others in this thread have recommended.
It seems easy and makes a lot more sense in my own head, but it works for me.
So in my room, I see a TV remote and a screwdriver. OK, remote starts with rem, I can use that to make Remmel. Take the driver part from screwdriver, change the end of it to make it Drivler and boom! Remmel Drivler.
Pros: Incredibly efficient and easy
Cons: Mileage may vary on how good the names are, and they will most likely not fit well with a character.
But if I were to make a character, I would think of their personality and traits before thinking of a name. And then attempt give a name that doesn't give it away too obviously, but would still give nods to it.
I suggest preparing a list of names (either ones you came up with or just randomly generated ones) and just having that near you while you GM. If someone asks the name of a nameless NPC, just use the list, cross off the name and write a note of who the name belongs to.
It's a trick I've seen used by some of the world's best DMs. I learned it from Matt Mercer and Chris Perkins.
For example: Telrin
Tel + rin = Telrin
I try to stick between two sets of 2-4 letters. Gorrum (Gor-rum), Renthal (Ren-thal), Verric (Ver-ric).
Once you get the first 2-4 letters (ie: the first "sound" of the name) try to make a second one that fits with it or sounds right. Find the first letter (say you want to start with F), then work from there.
F...so I want sounds that start with F.
Fal, Fel, Fol, Ful, Far, Fer, For, Fur, etc etc etc.
So we'll take Fol. What works with it? You'd probably want to follow up the "L" with another consonant so...
Folc, Folr, Folk, Folm, Foln, Folt, etc etc etc
We'll take Folk, so we just need to take that "K" and make a sound.
Fol + K... Krin, Kral, Kren, Kred, Kil, Kal, Kid, etc etc etc
Folkrin. Name made. Ezzy Pezzy.
Puh Peh Pan
Then after I find A sounds I like I'll try to follow it up.
Purm Purla Pursia Pur'fel
That usually get me a first name
Purma!
Second Names I tend to think of a character feature. Ok so Purma is a cat/person. What sounds go with cats.
Meow Pur hiss
Lets cut some letters off of meow and try to make something decent.
Melto Meari Melko.
Purma Melko there we go. Kinda long winded and a bad way to do it, but it's just the way it rolls in my head.
There's also a godly name generator with so many styles and options. It also drops a huge list of names. Good for generic NPCS. Link