The "What's a good name for this?" thread

Do "Mickey" and "Mikki", both diminutives of the name "Michael" but of opposite genders (i.e. "Mikki" is actually the diminutive of any of several feminine versions of "Michael"), sound similar enough that people can legitimately get confused about the subject's gender if they never met them nor have any definitive indicators of their gender?

For example, say that Alex said to Bob "I'm going to meet Mikki, my basketball mentor," and Bob has never heard of nor met this "Mikki" before, who is actually a woman named "Michaela". Would it be believable that Bob, on the automatic assumption that Alex was talking about a man, thought Alex was saying "Mickey" instead of "Mikki"?

edited 4th Apr '15 5:38:12 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

I'm going for Charity now. Thanks.

edited 4th Apr '15 5:20:33 PM by MaxwellDaring

INSIDE OF YOU THERE ARE TWO WOLVES. BOTH OF THEM WANT YOU TO SHOOT ELVIS.

@Luthen

Nope, no relation to pop-culture. They live in isolation so they are confined to certain area with limited contact with outside world.

The name which I am asking for is the name that human gave them.

Does it help to mention their power is imagination and it revolve around playing with toys. They can animate normal toys (children playing with dolls and action figures, pretending that they are alive), turning toy into real weapon (Children imagining their toy are weapons).

The original name I planned was Crepundia (the name that their god gave them, obviously it really see them as nothing but toys).

But I'd preferred a name that is cute and nonthreatening that Children find it easy to say.

Alternatively should I just go for nickname instead? Pundia? Pundie?

Edit: @Marq FJA I think the two name are phonetically similar (difficult for people to differentiate the two name through spoken words)

But considering that they are different in gender, you probably need to phrase conversation in such a way that their gender is not mention and pronoun(he or she) is not used or needed.

edited 4th Apr '15 7:58:50 PM by idiot

If you;re going with the Imagination thing I think something related to Art (through probably not famous artists or works for obvious reasons) would probably get the point across...

That's true. It would definitely be easier with very short sentences like the one I gave above, or if the in-universe default langauge is not English, but rather one of the few languages out there that can hold an entire conversation without using gender-specific pronouns and the like (e.g. Japanese), and it's all rendered in English simply because the story is aimed at English-speaking readers.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Interesting. Never seen Behind The Name to be incorrect before.

It says "Mikki" is an English, strictly feminine derivative of "Mickey", but fails to mention that it's also the Finnish version of "Mickey", where it is strictly male. I would let it slide without a comment otherwise, but it's the Finnish name of Mickey Mouse, for gods' sake, probably the single most iconic pop-culture character in the history of the world!

I'm searching a name for a character who grew up nearly alone with her very conservationists parents in a isolated place, is there a name that could sound extremely old-fashioned to the point of being borderline ridiculous ?

edited 5th Apr '15 2:21:47 PM by Bolded1

Fallout 2? More like Fallout 2 bad.

My old headmistress' nun name was Aldegundis.

edited 6th Apr '15 6:15:22 AM by Kiefen

So, I'm writing a steampunk novel, and the whole "every coin has two sides" plays a big role in the story. Now, I want to have a certain magical device, a coin that does one of two things, depending on whether it lands heads up or tails up. Tails up is normally something supportive, like warding a blow, healing a minor wound etc. Heads up would be offensive, like a trap of sorts. Paralyzing runes, that sort of thing. Now, since these coins are entirely different from normal legal tender, despite looking nearly identical, I don't have a name for them.

You can try "the coins of chance/fate/destiny" or if you ant to sound more like actual coins, try naming it a derivation of "Nephele"

edited 6th Apr '15 7:03:33 AM by MorningStar1337

Twofold question, here: I need a name for a world setting in which the primary culture is based around the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac (each major city and its royal family embodies one of the signs) and I need a name for what essentially amounts to an individual's spiritual shadow within the setting. A spirit that embodies one's inner nature and which is bonded to the person at birth. These entities are able to perform certain tasks, such as mental or object manipulation, within a limited scope, but cannot act outside the individual's nature (for example, a naturally cruel person cannot compel their shadowy other to perform a charitable act).

If possible, I want to avoid names for the world that are outright Chinese/Mandarin—I'm looking for something that conveys an Eastern flavor but is still palatable (and pronounceable!) for a Western audience (like Avatar/Korra managed to pull off). That being said, the name for the spirit-doubles can come from literally any culture or language, so no preference there. Thanks!

How about Umbrals for the spirit-shadows? (Umbra is Latin for shadow)

I had considered umbrals, actually, but was concerned about stepping on W:tA's toes (they use "umbra" to refer to the spirit world).

Wasn't familiar with that one, but derivatives of umbra are somewhat common.

How about Geminals (Latin Gemini = twins), Or Doppels (German for doubles, first half of doppelganger)?

Since you're basing things off the Chinese Zodiac I shall recommend going around Chinese Mythology and history doe any terms, names, or words referencing darkness and use those.

On a related note I have an idea for a Sci-Fi/Fantasy things inspired by Wintersun's songs and the Cthulu Mythos. The world is a Fantasy Kitchen Sink which has two distinct "civilizations"^note The best word I can find to describe them the setting has countries and cities focuing on one, the other, or both, one representing each Genre.

I need names for the civilization representing Sci-Fi (Focuses on Science, technology, Magitek and has shades of Cyberpunk in terms of aesthetics and some themes) and names for the civilisation representing Fantasy (with an obvious focus on Magic and Spellcasting as well as ancient artifacts and Some aspects of Heroic Fantasy)

The names must have a duality motif. They can be Lovecraft or Mythologicaly inspired. And Note that Robots and fantasy creatures can be a part of both

I also need a name for the Planet itself which can be themed from Lovecraft or Myths

edited 6th Apr '15 9:05:21 PM by MorningStar1337

I need a made-up combination of two English words that would be suitable as a sinister-sounding surname to be assumed by a proud powerful vampire in place of their original name, with the component words preferably being vampire/vampirism/blood-related. Example from an already existing work: Bloodriver, from Rosario To Vampire.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Sanguinesea? Redmoon? Bludsnatcher?

Still looking for names for two civilizations, one with a technology/Sci-fi motif and one with a Magic/fantasy motif.

Data Domain (Sci-fi/technology). The whole idea was the impression that the civilization is ruled by machines. Another is just a simple: A civilization dominated by Information.

Mythica (Fantasy/magic). Something random that I came up with.

The thing which I don't get is the duality. What kind of Duality are you looking for?

I'm thinking a Not So Different or mythological slant, something that shows that despite the differences, they are still similar.

To further extrapolate on my idea I'll explain. Various Mythical species can and will inhabit both domains (seeing Fairies in what you called the Data Domain for example and androids in Mythica). As well as the use of Magic and Science in both (to different extents obviously).

I'll consider your names if nothing better shows up, (albeit with the latter changed to Mystica)

edited 9th Apr '15 6:53:26 PM by MorningStar1337

Any suggestions for a race and for the dominant civilization of frog-like men who live in a massive bog based around what they believe to be a holy site?

What would be a good name for a US-based, generally centrist Fictional Political Party that was founded to address frustrations with the dysfunctionality, partisanism, "two-partyism", and a lot of other issues that are commonly cited IRL as persistent flaws in the current US political system, with a good portion of its initial membership drawn from both independents and disillusioned politicians who were formerly moderates in several other major and minor parties, including the Democratic and Republican Parties?

... <jots down Redmoon in "low-priority alternatives"> Can you think of anything else?

edited 11th Apr '15 2:14:48 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

The Libertarian Party? Maybe the Golden Mean party (since you mentioned moderates)

as for the vampire names, what about Blackblood, Redfang, Bloodlust, or Darkfang?

I need a name for a cult who's worship of demons and/or Eldritch Abominations isn't so much out of reverence, but out of a bid for power in obtaining particular artifacts and benefits from these beings.

I also need the name of a subgroup, who is more particular in actively worshiping a particular demon/Eldritch Abomination hybrid.

I need the name to involve a color, hopefully some variation of red and would have a really pulp story sounding feel to it.

Note to self: Pick less edgy username next time.

They take issue with pretty much every existent real-life party of the late 20th/early 21st century US, either for considering them as "got it totally wrong"/"missing the point", "good basic idea, very bad proposals", "too narrow-/rigid-minded", "too wishy-washy", or any of a variety of possible criticisms. That includes Libertarians.

I like that name, but I'm also partial to "New Dream Party" (as a reference to the American Dream, taking the Cynical view that the "old" Dream has died thanks in part to the flawed misconduct of the government and the complacency/naivete of society in general). What do you think?

Those sound a bit... "common", I suppose?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.