Naming your worlds

Naming towns, cities or worlds can be a challenge. A name speaks volumes when it comes to world building so the pressure to get it right is real. To help overcome the struggle of finding the perfect name, here are some tips you can use to really nail it.

Consider the time in which your world takes place
Even though your world is fictional, it is bound to have a parallel in the real one. Take Game of Thrones for instance. Even though there are dragons, wizards and ancient magic, it’s set in medieval England; going so far as to be based on an actual conflict during that time. When you look at the names of places, “King’s Landing”, “The Reach”, “Stormlanding” they are all based in this era of history. Take inspiration from your world’s corresponding “era” and soon you’ll find a perfect and well grounded name for your place.

Get cultured
Every world has a culture and, as a result, tends to name things after important people, events or things in their environment that holds significance for them. For example, imagine a society that is close to nature. They’re more likely to name their town after something they find in their environment. Names like “Lakeside”, “Amber Valley” or “Wildflower Landing” immediately highlight the culture that lives in that area.

How advanced is your society?
The technology and level of immigration and commerce your people have access to inevitably affects how they name things, places and people. Say you have an industrialised culture. They are more likely to name things after objects or inventions or famous innovators of the time. On the flip side, if your area is predominantly quaint farming villages that don’t see many travellers the naming of places will reflect that. Keep in mind how advanced your society is and who they might come into contact with and soon enough you’ll nail that name!

How do you find the perfect name for your world? Let us know in the comment section below! And join us on Sunday evening for our Quackchat at 5:30PM(EST)!

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