Naming a kingdom

Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by Shandeh, Aug 18, 2015.

  1. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    It's not the German-ness that's bothering me. English is a largely Germanic language and a LOT of our names have German roots. There's Scandinavian, Roman, German, French, and much more which we have bastardised and adopted as our own. Even the classically British name "William" has roots in other languages - it comes from "Guilhelm", a Frenchman known to the Bretons as "William the Conqueror". It's the connotations of the name's meaning. Brennen. Burning. While this allows for some interesting opportunities for plot development and foreshadowing (I could make his name itself a foreshadowing device!) I'm not sure I'm fond of it for the man it belongs to.

    Unfortunately, Brennen refuses to allow me to change it. He likes his name as it is, he says. The most I'm allowed to do is swap the second E for an A, but he's not even keen on that. My characters write my stories. I'm just the instrument they use to do it. If I want to successfully write I need to get out of the way and let them name themselves. I'm allowed to disagree with them but if I push they shut down. Which means no more story. I have so many unfinished works sitting in the sidelines because I pushed when I should have conceded.

    But this thread is beginning to digress. Character names are usually not an issue for me. Place names make me want to bash my head on my keyboard until I either break my keyboard or my head. I have a very durable keyboard. And bloody Brennen refuses to help me name the damn kingdom, the bastard.
     
  2. Shadowfax

    Shadowfax Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2014
    Messages:
    3,420
    Likes Received:
    1,991
    Call it Brennenburg in honour of the megalomaniac!

    When my daughter moved to Townsville, I thought that was a stupid name for a town (a bit like Llyn Tal-y-llyn, which means Lake of the valley of the lake...). I mean, Town-town? Then I discovered it was named in honour of the founder, a certain Mr. Towns.
     
    Ivana and Shandeh like this.
  3. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    I nearly spat my drink all over my computer screen and keyboard! Hahahah Bren doesn't have his head far enough up his own ass to name his city (or his kingdom) after himself, and even if he did, he's the third King the kingdom's had. But it wouldn't be beyond the first King to name the entire Kingdom after himself. As much history as has gone into the making of this world I haven't named anyone from the King's lineage yet... so that's not very helpful. Ugh. Names are actually the worst.
     
  4. Hwaigon

    Hwaigon Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2012
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    184
    Location:
    Second to the right, and straight on till morning.
    @Shandeh

    "But this thread is beginning to digress."

    It truly is so.
    And as it seems the king leaves you no other option than to accept his name, I say on his behalf get down to writing.
    I want to read this!
     
  5. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    I'm writing! Hahaha I've put an excerpt up in the critique boards if you're interested ;) it's a very rough draft and isn't even close to publishing quality but that's the point of drafts, is it not?

    I have (kingdom) as a placeholder for now, until my brain decides to cough up whatever it's percolating. I spent two hours poring over a map of England today, and I can only let my mind process what it took in and then eventually regurgitate something I'm happy with.
     
  6. Hwaigon

    Hwaigon Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2012
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    184
    Location:
    Second to the right, and straight on till morning.
    I'll certainly have a look on your piece ;)
     
  7. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    I eagerly await your thoughts :D
     
  8. Enyo

    Enyo Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2015
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    14
    My fictional world's name is an anagram of my name and the person who encouraged me to write the story. :)
     
  9. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    I can play with something like that for the world itself but I need something that feels English for the kingdom and my mind is still refusing to give me anything. *sigh* It'll happen. Eventually.
     
  10. GuardianWynn

    GuardianWynn Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2014
    Messages:
    2,392
    Likes Received:
    843
    I liked the post for this alone. :)

    On topic. Probably was already said I assume but usually take a word associated with the term you are thinking of and than look it up in another language.

    A guy named his comic book using this method actually. Its funny because he gave his reasoning in an interview.

    Something along the lines of this.

    "My book was about souls and souls are pure or unstained. So I looked up the word term in different languages. One source said 'Bleach' is a word for that in English. So I named my story Bleach."
     
  11. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    That has indeed been said already but it's good advice :)

    Unfortunately it doesn't really work for my setting (which has quite a British feel to it so needs British-y place names) and staring at a map of the UK for two hours only helped me with a few cities (the capital Buckhaven being one of them). My mind will eventually give me something, I guess. It's very frustrating though!
     
  12. semicolon

    semicolon Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2015
    Messages:
    27
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Northern Illinois
    I doubt that this would work for a kingdom, but you never know what's out there. What I did when I was trying to come up with a name for the setting of my novel, I just google'd "famous paper towns" and chose from the list. I ended up with Relescent, Florida.

    The idea to do that came as a sort of nod at the John Green novel, Paper Towns, which is one of my favorite novels. Since the novel I'm writing is realistic fiction, I figured why not make it happen in a paper town, as I sort of wanted it to be *a bit* similar to Paper Towns, as that's what it was inspired by.
     
  13. Shandeh

    Shandeh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    271
    Likes Received:
    29
    Location:
    Australia
    That's an interesting idea, @semicolon - I'll have to remember it. I have to admit to having no clue what a "paper town" is, but I'll google that later.

    Might be worth looking up old names for British countries - England itself would be ideal but Scotland, Ireland and Wales would also work with my setting. I'll do that soon. :)
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice