Creating Realistic Fantasy Names, Part 2

As mentioned in part one, naming characters can be difficult, and knowing what to avoid is the first step to creating realistic names. The next is tweaking existing names and words into something fantastic. Below is a simple formula that can transform any name into that of an epic hero.

Step 1: Chose a base name/word. To begin with, chose a base name or word for your character's name. The names of gemstones and botanicals work well, and perusing a baby name book can spark some ideas. For this example, we'll work with two different bases: the name of a spice (saffron) and an actual name (Eunice).

Step 2: Drop some letters/write phonetically. Writing out the base word phonetically makes altering it easier (not to mention it eliminates any unnecessary letters). For some words, this only means dropping a few letters: saffron now becomes Safron. Others will need to be entirely re-spelled: Eunice becomes Yunis. If you want, you can stop here, as both results produce appropriately unique names.

Step 3: Change consonant sounds. This is where the fun begins: change some or all of the consonant sounds in your new name. Note that you are changing sounds, not just the consonants themselves. Because of the way the English language is constructed, it's easier to switch similar sounding consonants than completely different sounding consonants. Similar consonant sounds are:

• B and P


• D and T


• F, V, and Th


• G and K


• H and Y


• J and Ch


• L and R


• M and N


• S and Z


• Sh and Zy (as in the word azure)

Additionally, some sounds (when spoken) are made in the same part of the mouth, and are thus easier to switch around than sounds made in different parts of the mouth. Those consonant sounds are:

• P, B, M, and W


• F and V


• T, D, N, S, Z, L, and R


• Sh, Zy, Ch, J, and Y


• K, G, and W

Using this step, the names can be altered in a countless number of ways. Some combinations still don't quite work when read out loud (Sathlom is a little hard to pronounce), so avoid choosing them for your final name. For this example, we'll change Safron to Sathron, and Yunis to Yuris.

Step 4: Change vowel sounds. There are fifteen different vowel sounds in the English language, all of which can be swapped around with relative ease. Since both names have two vowels, there are plenty of new names that can be derived from them. The vowel sounds are:

• i as in beet


• I as in bit


• e as in bait


• eh as in bet


• u as in boot


• U as in foot


• o as in boat


• or as in bore


• ae as in bat


• a as in pot/bar


• uh as in butt


• ah as in sofa


• aj as in bite


• aw as in bout


• oi as in boy

Obviously, this is where things can get sticky, as some sounds require either an accented letter or diphthong to be understood in writing. For now, just write the name phonetically for yourself; you may not need to use either to get the sound you want. Our examples now change from Sathron to Sethron, and Yuris to Yaros.

Step 5: Alter the spelling, if needed. The final step is to alter the spelling of your new name, if it needs it. Sethron looks fine the way it is, but Yaros could be written as Yarohs, to emphasize the long o sound at the end. This part is a matter of preference, but it should still look reasonable on paper.

Following these steps and sticking to the guidelines has produced two unique fantasy names: the spice saffron has been transformed into Sethron, and the normal name Eunice has become Yarohs. Your characters need never have dull names again.