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

Right, Anders is commonly used as a first name. But Anders(s)on, Anders(s)en is a common and generic surname. Anderson being around #12 in the US.

Sanders might work too if you want something similar to Anders, it's not as common but it's shorter and sound more generic.

edited 13th Jul '13 7:26:16 AM by m8e

Courtney is also a male name. There was a Staff Sergent here with the first name of "Courtney"....

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Courtney doesn't sound generic enough to me to belong to a 'Mr. Smith'. I'd think most such names are very traditional, common but not exceptionally bland, and usually short.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

OK, so the Mr. Smith factor is out. No matter, it wasn't that important to what I wanted. And since Mr. Smith requires that the whole name sound quite generic (e.g. John Doe, Joe Smith; otherwise it could fall into Sesquipedalian Smith), I'll go with Anderton since I already have Madison for a second name.

And for those who thought it was a woman... Well, to expand on what Taira Mai has pointed out, all of the given names (three, as I've added "Montana" to them last night) are officially unisex, and yes, it's a guy; the only reason he keeps his Embarrassing Name is because he loves his now-dead parents too much to change it. It's a Composite Character representing the anonymous Non-Entity Generals that serve as the Silent Protagonists of the Command & Conquer RTS franchise (excluding the Tiberian Sun main campaign mode, that is). The name is specifically constructed to so that the initial letter(s) of each component can be put together to give you the word "commander".

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Oh toll! That's clever.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Thanks. Though now that I think about it, I think "Morgan" would be a better choice than "Madison" — traditionally masculine in Wales, but the reverse in the United States while still being technically unisex.

Alright, final version: Courtney Morgan Montana Anderson. What do you think?

edited 13th Jul '13 2:37:42 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Looking for a good name for Darker Than Black ^note the powers they get are specific, broad (like gravity, strength, etc), and have "remunerations" / One Piece^note only one can have the power of one daemon at a time / Shaman King^note the daemons and contractor can bond and cooperate / Persona Series ^note summonable beings with unique powers and represent the contractor. usually. type of people who "have a contract" with spiritual beings (called Daemons in my verse). i tried Interfaces (as in GUI for linux daemons) but doesn't seem to fit in my anachronic^note uses few, modern jargon, Dungeon Punk setting: has Tablet P Cs, smartphones, Netbooks, Aethernet, bullet trains, and other modern conveniences but the look and feel is late medieval period on both east and west (the scope goes beyond Standard Fantasy Setting).

obviously, both "Shamans" and "contractors" are out of the question. as the daemons are not under the "contractor" nor are they dead people. rather, they let the "contractor" use their power. at the cost of taking something from the "contractor".

They don't stay with them out of loyalty either. but rather, it's just their ethical code, they do not have morals and will do anything (escept kill their contractor willingly themselves) for their own amusement.

edited 15th Jul '13 6:51:26 AM by ShanghaiSlave

Is dast der Zerstorer? Odar die Schopfer?

"Channellers", perhaps, since they channel the power of the deamon(s) in question?

Otherwise, perhaps something that plays on the idea that they're "renting" or "borrowing" power, although I'm not sure of a specific name to suggest from those concepts...

My Games & Writing

Channeler is accurate and a pretty good start. although it doesn't have much of a ring to it as "contractor". sounds just like a more posh way to say "couch potato".

The "renter"/"borrowing" things sparked a few ideas though^note through thesaurus, damn, that thing is useful than a dictionary!. but makes me think of the daemons as abusive landlords. pretty funny mental image (just imagine a Guardian Entity demanding rent to the guy it's with).

anyway, the said ideas were "Holders", "Possessors"^note too unwieldy, but almost catchy., "Mediums"^note unusable, as i already use the term for something else in-story., "Proxy"^note good term, but taken. or am I overthinking it?, "Executor"^note sounds like "executioner", but can work as some daemon "borrowers" do execute creatures, but not people., "Advocates"^note good, but gives the image of them as a whole being a religious organization. something none of them are a member of.. "servant" and "bearers" are candidates but unlikely because the former makes it easy to compare with Fate Stay Night (despite the lack of master/servant relationship) and the latter is etymologically related to "angels"(messengers,bearer of news, etc). any of these good (despite some being taken)?


If anyone's curious. yes, angels are their enemies. called "Malach/Malachim" for a change.

edited 16th Jul '13 4:15:11 PM by ShanghaiSlave

Is dast der Zerstorer? Odar die Schopfer?

Holder makes me think of The Holders Series.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

What about "ambassador" or "representative?" They're just fancy enough to sound ironic.

Quod possumus!

2235 Noaqiyeum — Never heard of that. but "Holder" isn't very relevant to the actual type of people anyway. they don't "hold" (keep) the daemons.


2236 Captcha The Flag — pfft , those are actually pretty good names...
if my story was a fantasy political satire. i think you got confused by the landlords comment: the name should not be comical/ironic in nature.


thanks to the above posts, I though of digging a bit on the term "contractor" — One that agrees to perform services at a specified price — it is actually the closest word i want (it's also related to Demonic Possession and Deal with the Devil), but as said, is already taken^note by Darker Than Black and Pandora Hearts, and probably others.. it did lead me however to Evoker/Invoker & Summoner (damn, how I miss this?), though all three mean essentially the same: call forth higher powers.


Evoker is already used by Persona3 as an item, so calling them that will immediately get a Persona parallel^note there are persona shoutouts in story, but the daemons are not one of them, Invoker sounds like an awkward version of Evoker. and summoner doesn't even describe the daemon "borrowers".


so so far, While i'm still open to suggestions, the best choices seem to be Proxy , Evoker, Contractor, and Executor. by the way, if it helps, while i don't have a final definition for daemon "borrowers" — Power at a Price, Powers via Possession, Symbiotic Possession, Willing Channeler are final tropes for them. daemons themselves are Guardian Entity and Anthropomorphic Personification.

edited 17th Jul '13 5:33:21 AM by ShanghaiSlave

Is dast der Zerstorer? Odar die Schopfer?

It might too mundane for what you're looking for, but how about calling them 'Clients'? Since a client is someone who buys or receives some sort of service, and these magicians are renting their powers out from the demons.

edited 17th Jul '13 7:28:32 AM by LittleBillyHaggardy

Nobody wants to be a pawn in the game of life. What they don't realize is the game of life is Minesweeper.

I'm trying to come up with a Meaningful Name for a character that is inspired by the Unknown Soldier — both the real-life soldier(s) after whom the Tomb is named and the DC Comics character. Suggestions, please?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

What about Solicitor or Conveyancer?

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Nemo literally means "nobody."

Quod possumus!

2239 Marq FJA — Necuno also works. Nanashi as well. look up "nameless","nobody", and other similar words in wiktionary.
lots of options in the "translations" area.




2238 Little Billy Haggardy — Yeah, pretty close. but as you've said too mundane (could work in a scifi setting though) . "Contractor" sounds pretty fantastic because of magical contracts and devil dealing stuff.




2240 Noaqiyeum — Solicitor makes it sound like they're boys/girl scouts i think. Conveyancer however sounds damn good. sounds pretty close to necromancer as well.




if anyone's still got more suggestions, i'm still open. but Conveyancer sounds pretty good at the moment.
EDIT: damn, googled the thing and it apparently means some sort of lawyer who specialize in real estate. daemons do not buy land...

edited 18th Jul '13 3:40:24 AM by ShanghaiSlave

Is dast der Zerstorer? Odar die Schopfer?

What about: Pledged, Delegate, Deputy, Envoy, Emmisary?

You must agree, my plan is sheer elegance in its simplicity! My Tumblr

Pledged... pretty good actually! and damn close in connotation to Contractor to boot! also led me to the term "Oathbound" which sounds like a Mad-Lib Fantasy Title.


delegate/deputy has zero alternate connotations (unlike, as mentioned, "contractor" which can logically mean someone bound under a magical contract/deal with a powerful being);


Envoy/Emmissary have "messenger" (and hence, angel/malach) connotations, and are words more likely used on holy men.


anyway, looks like i got the words I'm looking for! now, I'm gonna need help in choosing among 'em.


So which of these would be the best name for a Willing Channeler under a contract with a Guardian Entity that allows them to use their Powers via Possession at a price? The Pledged, The Oathbound, The Proxies, The Executors? you can ignore the "The".


also, this isn't a "true" poll. just tell me which of these terms would you people most likely use for Willing Channeler types if it was you and why.


I think i'm going with Oathbound, personally. because it has the same connotations as "contractor" with addition to implying that the Oathbound have the short end of the stick in the contract, and sounding pretty fantasy-ish. (despite being spot on i haven't actually decided on using this yet)

edited 18th Jul '13 6:18:15 AM by ShanghaiSlave

Is dast der Zerstorer? Odar die Schopfer?

@Shanghai Slave:

I think that "Oathbound" would work best, but that's just me. It sounds nice to the ear.

Hi, it's me again.

I've got a small array of questions to ask (all of which are related to the last setting I asked help for*

):

1. How does "Ural Heavy Shipyards" sound as the name of a capital ship manufacturer?

2. What would be a good name for a manufacturer of space/air superiority craft? Assume they're based in Russia.

3. Does Kinzhal*

sound like a good name for a heavy fighter, albeit one that's deceptively agile despite its size?

4. I need a name for a quadripedal automated walker; its role is to provide supporting fire for infantry units, act as a pack mule, and behave as mobile cover. For reference, it doesn't walk 100% of the time, only in transit mode. Otherwise, it lets its legs partially fold and instead drives around on a set of wheels. Its main weapon is a heavy machine gun that essentially fires miniature versions of depleted uranium penetrators. A human would come up to just beneath shoulder height.

5. One of the alien races in my setting has a chemical/genetic engineering enhancement method that*

results in much larger*

Think "13 feet tall" or more - the usual high end of the species is 10 feet tall

, physically stronger, and all-round better soldiers. Unfortunately, I can't think of a good name for the process, so any help would be much appreciated*

Bonus points if it is a Spanish word

.

6. Not quite "What's a good name for this?" but rather "What's this a good name for?": what sort of vehicle do you imagine when you hear Klinok*

?

Thank you again in advance!

edited 18th Jul '13 9:22:25 AM by Flanker66

Locking you up on radar since '09

2245 Flanker 66 — I see, that's mainly my reason too. few more yea's to it then i'm going with that.


as for your question:


1. yep great. seems to have a reputable ring to it as well.
2. erm, hard one. Obsirnyj (vast)?
3. not quite for me. but it is a good name. more fit for a fast ship that looks like and is fast personally.
4. Quadriga/Kvadriga?
5. Aberraciones (quite obvious, sorry)? sounds something straight out of Bleach though.
6. A large warship equipped mostly with heavy artillery and a hidden Wave-Motion Gun somewhere with a Used Future look.

edited 18th Jul '13 7:09:30 PM by ShanghaiSlave

Is dast der Zerstorer? Odar die Schopfer?

@ Flanker66

1. "Ural Heavy Shipyards" sounds fine at first as the name of a ship builder, except for the fact that the Ural Region only borders the sea to the north, in a region of the Arctic ocean I highly doubt one would want to be building ships. I say use it if you think you can get that to work, but don't be afraid to change it.
2. How about Provoloka?
3. Kinzhal sounds fine.
4. Call it the Kartografo. No reason.
5. Realzamiento.
6. I imagine a Klinok being a T4 lorry, with a crew of 3 crossing barren deserts at high speeds.

edited 18th Jul '13 6:45:28 PM by porschelemans

I'm so sorry that my avatar doesn't appear fully in the shot, but the cat was threatening the photographer.

@Shanghai Slave: "Oathbound" sounds best to me as well. I like 'Pledged' as well, but it also makes me think of college fraternities. Proxies sounds weird for the late medieval setting you're going for to me, and I can't hear Executor without picturing a certain pokemon.

@Marq FJA: My suggestion is Pvt. Anno (for no other reason than it suggests 'Anonymous')

@Flanker 66:

1.) Sounds good to me.

2.) Siberian Spacecraft, or perhaps Siberian Space Systems & Technology.

3.) No strong feelings on this, for or against.

4.) The name 'watch dog' comes to mind, perhaps more as a nickname then an official title. Perhaps an acronym like 'TSR' (For Tactical Support Robot) which could lead to a nickname like 'the Tsar'.

5.) How about Genetic Augmentation? Or, in Spanish: Aumento, or, Aumentacion Genetico.

6.) I imagine some sort of gunship. Reminiscent of the kind used by the clones in Star Wars, but bulkier, loaded with more weaponry.

edited 18th Jul '13 6:50:04 PM by LittleBillyHaggardy

Nobody wants to be a pawn in the game of life. What they don't realize is the game of life is Minesweeper.

Has anyone some suggestions of names for the following fictional locations?:

• A smoky city in the US, with an industrial background slowly being replaced by an attempt to appeal to modern luxury property developers, and a small international airport lying at its outskirts, which is occasionally closed so that events such as concerts can be held on the large expanses its runways, taxiways, and parking areas take up.
• A remote rural area of Japan, with many steep hills and very few inhabitants, but surprising accessibility to tourists visiting from the cities.
• A tourist focused US city, somewhat like Las Vegas or Reno, with a large shopping mall at its centre and many dual carriageway roads criss-crossing it. A surprisingly large dairy industry exists in the local area.
• A once run down industrial area in the British Midlands, now experiencing a surprising amount of investment in an attempt to turn it into a commercial centre.
• A forest in Austria.

Any help would be much appreciated. I'm afraid if I do use any names you suggest I probably wouldn't remember to credit you for your help... Sorry.

I'm so sorry that my avatar doesn't appear fully in the shot, but the cat was threatening the photographer.

Anyone know if there's a single word in Greek for "infancy"? All I'm getting from online dicitonaries is "παιδική ηλικία", literally "child age".

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.