Naming Magic Terms and Gods

[kibou]

So, there's something I've been thinking about for awhile, and that's terms and naming characters in this idea for an RP that's been mostly just floating around my head.


It's fantasy, and there are deities and spirits and god-like beings and magic on a world that isn't Earth, soo....


Which is where the naming and titling of stuff comes in.


Originally I didn't want to give the Gods Latin or Greek names. I don't really remember why, maybe because when I thought this up "overused" came to mind but I'm thinking maybe that's the best way to go now.


Because although having gods named things like "Jim" and "Helen" would be pretty hilarious, I didn't want them to have. Idk what you'd call "Jim" and "Helen" as names. Common names? Way-to-human-sounding names? Normal and very not spirit-like?


Originally I was looking up names from a still-in-use language simply because the OC I made that this idea for an rp came out of had a name that turned out to be from said language, but I'm thinking now it was a bad idea. There was really no other good reason to pull names from the language, and idk if I've simply been on tumblr too long, but I don't want to be offensive by mistake or be culturally appropriative.


So I was wondering how you guys would think up names for gods in a fantasy setting!


Would you make up names from mushing together English names, kind of like how Pokemon are nammed? (Trubbish- trash and rubbish for a pokemon that's literally just a pile of trash in a bag, Misdreavus- mischievous and dread for a ghost pokemon)


Grab Latin roots and words, like the spells in Harry Potter?


Use a different dead language?


Give them "normal" names?


And when it comes to dead languages, how would you choose names if you knew next to nothing about the language?


While I am going to use these responses as some form of advice, I'm just asking how you'd do it personally!


(Wow, I hope there isn't already a similar thread somewhere.)

 

[Portal]

When it comes to deities a spirits I use name tht relate to what they represent. So you get names from multiple cultures that you can default on or mush with another name.

 

[2SEATER]

When it comes to magic/aalien/odd sounding names, I generally just look around my surroundings and find a word or two and try and mix up the order or join them together. It takes a little thinking to come up with something that sounds good, but when you do I guarantee it will sound more original.

 

[Grey]

Used to just go with what sounded cool.


Now I'd do some research, and pick stuff from appropriate cultural backgrounds - whether dead languages or living.


And then possibly run them through Grimm's law a couple of times.

 

[kibou]

How do you decide what cultural background would be appropriate?


Also, I've never heard of Grimm's law before. :0 *pulls up google*

 

[Grey]

Based on the setting, of course. Like most things, religion evolves according to environmental pressures. Ancient Egyptian theology would have been very different without the Nile.

 

[kibou]

Thanks!

 

[Grey]

Happy to help and curious to see what you're working on.

 

[kibou]

I'm really busy since it's the end of the school year, but I'm hoping that I can get my ideas organized enough to make an rp sometime this summer...