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Ninjaxenomorph The best and the worst. from Texas, Texas, Texas Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
The best and the worst.
#1: May 8th 2011 at 1:24:54 PM

Well, I am in the process of building a fantasy world, and it needs a name. Tolkein had Middle-Earth (Though that was supposed to be Europe...), and I remember R. A. Salvatore had Corona for his Demonwars saga, and I need mine. I don't want to make up a word, and I want it to be related to the world's geology (Mostly islands, most successful are Japan/Britain sized, largest known continent is about Australia size). Any help?

Me and my friend's collaborative webcomic: Forged Men
blueharp Since: Dec, 1969
#2: May 8th 2011 at 1:55:10 PM

Isn't it obvious? Waterworld!

But seriously, well, you could do with a water theme, or island, with a word-derived from some language which evokes a cultural feel you're going for. Or some creature common to the world.

SakuraTenshi Since: Nov, 2010
#3: May 8th 2011 at 1:57:14 PM

That depends, do you want the name to have real meaning in a real language (which you might need a Fantasy Culture Counterpart to explain) or one that sounds fantastic.

For my own fantasy setting, I went with one that had a vague (albeit butchered) meaning from Latin and French, easy enough to handwave since I make unabashed use of Fantasy Culture Counterpart and Istanbul (Not Constantinople). The end result was the name "Ferris Terra" which, in my mind had an outwardly fantasy name to it, but broken down into meanings, it applied strongly to the sort of steampunk setting. Just try not to think about what made them decide to call it "The Iron World" back when Iron might not have been so understood.

Ninjaxenomorph The best and the worst. from Texas, Texas, Texas Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
The best and the worst.
#4: May 8th 2011 at 2:04:17 PM

I do like Latin and redundant names. One of the races is called Umber Shades (Meaning approximately 'shady shades'), so I might consider something like that.

Me and my friend's collaborative webcomic: Forged Men
annebeeche watching down on us from by the long tidal river Since: Nov, 2010
watching down on us
#5: May 8th 2011 at 2:15:13 PM

What do you think the people themselves, would call it?

If the entire world is only islands, I'm betting a generic name just meaning "The Islands" or some such in the local conlang. Not too different from the name "Inuit" just meaning "The People".

Or they may name it after the soil (Germanic, erda is OE for soil), or they may call it home, or after the ocean or sea if they consider the sea to be part of their world and not something unknown and alien. Names for the entire world actually tend to be pretty generic.

edited 8th May '11 2:16:11 PM by annebeeche

Banned entirely for telling FE that he was being rude and not contributing to the discussion. I shall watch down from the goon heavens.
Ninjaxenomorph The best and the worst. from Texas, Texas, Texas Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
The best and the worst.
#6: May 8th 2011 at 3:15:49 PM

Yeah, I think I'll call it the Islands, since it sounds very smallish, which is a good vibe. Plus, it gets across that this isn't the traditional Heroic Fantasy world.

Me and my friend's collaborative webcomic: Forged Men
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