How to Create Trendy Fantasy Names for People and Places in 2024

Hey there! So, you've decided to dive into the world of fantasy, huh? Awesome! But wait, what are you going to name your characters and the amazing places they live in? Don't worry, I've got you covered! Creating fantasy names can be super fun, and today, I’m going to show you how to do it like a pro. Or at least, like a cool middle schooler who knows what's what. 😎

1. Mix and Match Old Words

Okay, first things first. Old words are cool. No, seriously! They sound all mysterious and stuff, which is perfect for fantasy names. You can dig into ancient languages like Old Norse, Latin, or even Middle English. For example, "Eyr" means "air" in Middle English. Imagine your character being called Eyr the Airbender or something. Epic, right?

If you're feeling a bit lazy (hey, no judgment here!), you could use a nickname generator to help you brainstorm some ideas. Sometimes, you just need a little push!

2. Get Creative with Prefixes and Suffixes

Here's a fun trick: take a regular word and slap a cool prefix or suffix on it. It’s like magic! For example, if you have a place full of trees, why not call it "Treevale" or "Woodwick"? The possibilities are endless. Plus, it makes your world feel more real because, you know, places in the real world often have names like this too.

J.K. Rowling did it with "Hogsmeade" in Harry Potter. She combined "Hog" with "meade" (maybe from mead, the drink). You can do something similar, and boom, you've got yourself a rad place name.

3. Smash Some Words Together

Word smash time! No, not literally smashing your keyboard (although, that could be fun). What I mean is, take two words and combine them to create something new. For example, let’s say you want to name a kingdom. Take "Storm" and "Haven," smash them together, and you get "Stormhaven." Sounds like a place where epic battles happen, right?

Sometimes, though, you might come up with a name that already exists. I once thought of "Mother's Embrace" for a fantasy town, only to remember it's from a game I played. Oops. But hey, just flip the words around, and you've got "Embrace Mother" or even something cooler like "Embther."

4. Borrow from Other Languages

Using words from other languages is like having a secret code in your story. Your readers might not know what it means, but that’s what makes it cool. For example, "Himiná" could be a mountain name, and it comes from the Icelandic words for "heaven" (himinn) and "reach" (ná).

You can get super creative with this, especially if your story is inspired by a particular culture. Just make sure the names fit the vibe of your world. You probably wouldn’t name a city in a fantasy Japan-inspired world "Glasgow," right?

5. Amalgamation and Clipping

Let’s get fancy with amalgamation and clipping. What’s that? Basically, it’s mashing parts of words together or cutting them down to make something new. For example, if you have a place called "Na-Yun," you could shorten it to just "Yun." It still sounds cool, but now it’s quick and easy to remember.

This method is also great for creating character names. You could take a long, complicated name and chop it down to something punchy, like turning "Bartholomew" into "Bart." Simple but effective!

Conclusion

There you have it! Now you’re all set to create some trendy fantasy names for your characters and places in 2024. Just remember to have fun with it. Names are a huge part of your story, but they don’t have to be stressful. If you get stuck, just mix, match, smash, and borrow until something clicks. And hey, if you’re still having trouble, why not give that nickname generator another go?