Sumerian necklaces and headgear discovered in the royal (and individual) graves, showing the way they may have been worn. British Museum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finding a character’s name can sometimes be the hardest part of building a character. If you’re looking for something different from the usual fantasy sources and more pronounceable that a random name generator, you may find something here you like.

Beyond ‘Fred’ is an occasional series that provides lists of names from real-world cultures, both past and present. In other posts, I’ve covered everything from Italian to Ancient Egyptian. This time, we’re covering names from ancient Sumer. Some of these names are names of gods and goddesses, some are names of kings, and some are names of ordinary people. A few lists didn’t even have names broken down by gender or seemed to be used for either gender. For that reason, I’m including a third category I don’t normally use: unknown gender or gender-neutral names.

An important note: I’m listing names that I think sound cool for rpg game purposes. I’m not worrying about historical accuracy. If you’re looking for a name for historical re-enactment, please check out my list of sources at the end of this post. I also don’t usually cover name meanings, but again, most of my sources list those. Finally, I tend to stay away from names that are currently in common usage. I figure if you were interested in those, you wouldn’t be looking at this list.

Male Sumerian Names

• Aradegi
• Aradlugal
• Babum
• Balih
• Dadazig
• Dumuzid
• Entana
• Enki
• Gilgamesh
• Gudea
• Hablum
• Hadanish
• Ibranum
• Iltasadum
• Kalbum
• Ludari
• Luninni
• Mageshgetil
• Nanni
• Puzur-Suen
• Tuge
• Undalulu
• Yarlangab
• Zizi

Female Sumerian Names

• Aea
• Anunit
• Bau
• Elutil
• Ereshkigal
• Gemekala
• Gesthinanna
• Inanna
• Ishtar
• Kishar
• Lahamu
• Mesh-he
• Nammu
• Nigbau
• Puzur-Nirah
• Uttu

Sumerian names of unknown gender (or gender-neutral)

• Bauninsheg
• Meania
• Sheshkala
• Urusilim
• Zimu

Sources

• Female Sumerian Names by *SeekHim (DeviantArt)
• Sumerian King List (Wikipedia)
• Sumerian Names – Part 1 (Nook of Names)
• Sumerian Names – Part 2 (Nook of Names)
• Sumerian Names A to Z (Our Baby Names)
• Top Sumerian Names

Related articles

• Sumerians, Anunnaki, Gods, Planet Nibiru And Giants! (mysteryworlds.wordpress.com)
• The Sumerians Then! (lessermystery.wordpress.com)
• Sumerian Disappearance (romaissarimi.wordpress.com)
• Inanna’s Return and Bread and Waters of Life By Deanne Quarrie (feminismandreligion.com)

It’s often difficult to come up with names for characters. I’ve seen enough variations on Tolkein names to last me a lifetime, not to mention those based on movie characters and other SF/Fantasy series. But where can you go to find a name that’s different, but not overly so? How about from another culture, historical or otherwise?

Beyond ‘Fred’ is an occasional series that provides lists of names from real-world cultures, both past and present. In other posts, I’ve covered everything from Italian to Ancient Egyptian. This time, we’re covering Persian names, ancient and newer.

An important note: I’m listing names that I think sound cool for rpg game purposes. I’m not worrying about historical accuracy. If you’re looking for a name for historical re-enactment, please check out my list of sources at the end of this post. I also don’t usually cover name meanings, but again, most of my sources list those. Finally, I tend to stay away from names that are currently in common usage. I figure if you were interested in those, you wouldn’t be looking at this list.

[Photo courtesy of hsivonen via Flickr Creative Commons]

Ancient Persian Names

Male

• Aêtava
• Airyu
• Bêndva
• Byarshan
• Chamrav
• Dahâka
• Drâdha
• Datis
• Erezavant
• Erezrâspa
• Frâchithra
• Frânya
• Gaevani
• Gaomant
• Hanghaurvah
• Hvova
• Isvant
• Jannara
• Jishti
• Kaeva
• Karesna
• Mathravaka
• Mazdayasna
• Nanarasti
• Neremyazdana
• Paeshata
• Parshinta
• Ravant
• Sadhanah
• Sâma
• Stivant
• Taurvati
• Tura
• Usan
• Uxshan
• Vâgerezan
• Varâza
• Vyâtana
• Xexes
• Xshtavay
• Yima
• Zairita
• Zavan

Female

• Ahoo
• Amytis
• Atosa
• Banafsheh
• Dughdhô-Vâ
• Eredat-Fedhrî
• Franghâd
• Freni
• Ghazal
• Humayâ
• Hutaosâ
• Hvôv
• Jagkrut
• Kanukâ
• Khoshfarberan
• Lila
• Narges
• Narpestan
• Paêsanghanû
• Pouruchista
• Sarvenaz
• Thriti
• Tûshnâmatay
• Urûdhayant
• Ushtavaitî
• Uxshentî
• Vadhut
• Vanghu-Fedhrî
• Zairichi
• Zeheratzade

Newer Persian Names (19th century)

Male

• Abadi
• Adarvan
• ANOSH
• Bahadur
• Beramji
• Burzin
• Chaxshnush
• Cirrus
• Dadar
• Delir
• Dorabji
• Edalji
• Erach
• Erachsha
• Fardunji
• Firdous
• Freortis
• Gashtaham
• Goberu
• Govad
• Hardar
• Hirji
• Hutan
• Isatvastra
• Ishvat
• Izadyar
• Jahandar
• Javidan
• Jehangir
• Kai
• Kavas
• Kurush
• Mahdat
• Mervanji
• Mohor
• Nadarsha
• Nevazar
• Nima
• Nush
• Omid
• Orvadasp
• Palash
• Pishkar
• Puladvand
• Raham
• Rashna
• Rushad
• Sahi
• Shahen
• Surin
• Tahmtan
• Temulji
• Tizuarshti
• Ukarji
• Ushah
• Ushedarmah
• Valash
• Varshasb
• Vaspar
• Wehzan
• Yadgar
• Yazad
• Yima
• Zal
• Zand
• Zirak
• Zurvan

Female

• Abanhir
• Aimai
• Arzu
• Avabai
• Bahar
• Banubai
• Behruz
• Chaman
• Cheherazad
• Deldar
• Dinaz
• Dinbanu
• Farida
• Franak
• Friyana
• Gohar
• Gulbai
• Gilshan
• Homa
• Hormazbanu
• Hutoxi
• Iranbanu
• Irandokht
• Jahanaray
• Jarbai
• Javaneh
• Kaniz
• Khubrui
• Khushnam
• Lalagul
• Laleh
• Lilya
• Mahzarin
• Meherbai
• Morvarid
• Narenj
• Nezhat
• Nilufer
• Omid
• Oranous
• Orkideh
• Parendi
• Parvin
• Puyendeh
• Rambanu
• Roshni
• Ruhae
• Samannaz
• Shirin
• Sudabeh
• Tehmina
• Thrity
• Tishtar
• Ushtavaity
• Vahbiz
• Vira
• Virbanu
• Yasmin
• Yazdin
• Yazdindokht
• Zarin
• Zer
• Zoish

Sources

• Arabian Nights/Ancient Persian Names (Girls)
• Ancient Persian Girl Names
• Avesta names; Old Persian names
• Original Persian Names
• What are Your Favourite Ancient Persian Names?

Other ‘Beyond Fred’ Posts

• Ancient Egyptian
• Ancient Greek
• Ancient Roman
• Anglo-Saxon
• More Anglo-Saxon
• German
• Italian
• Russian
• Victorian English

Greek writing from ancient greek red figure pottery (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Looking for a character name that sounds distinctive but doesn’t look like it came out of a random name generator? How about one from Ancient Greece? Often the best names come from real life. Beyond ‘Fred’ is an occasional series that provides lists of names from real-world cultures, both past and present. In other posts, I’ve covered everything from Italian to Ancient Egyptian.

An important note: I’m listing names that I think sound cool for rpg game purposes. I’m not worrying about historical accuracy. If you’re looking for a name for historical re-enactment, please check out my list of sources at the end of this post. I also don’t usually cover name meanings, but again, most of my sources list those. Finally, I tend to stay away from names that are currently in common usage. I figure if you were interested in those, you wouldn’t be looking at this list

Ancient Greek Names

Male

• Abantes
• Agapetos
• Akakios
• Aktis
• Alexios
• Bakis
• Basileios
• Bion
• Burrhus
• Daetor
• Dareios
• Diodoros
• Diokles
• Dryas
• Echemmon
• Eirenaios
• Epiktetos
• Eustorgios
• Eyrx
• Galenos
• Gennadios
• Glykon
• Gurgos
• Harpagos
• Hesiodos
• Hyakinthos
• Hylas
• Iasos
• Iphitus
• Isidoros
• Itheus
• Kadmos
• Kallias
• Karpos
• Kyrios
• Laomedon
• Linos
• Loxias
• Lykos
• Makarios
• Melampos
• Metrophanes
• Myron
• Narkissos
• Nereus
• Nikias
• Nyctinus
• Okytos
• Olympos
• Origenes
• Orthaeus
• Pammon
• Pankratios
• Phaidros
• Philokrates
• Sabyllos
• Seleukos
• Skiron
• Solon
• Talaemenes
• Thales
• Timaios
• Tros
• Xanthos
• Xenokrates
• Xenon
• Xuthos
• Zagreus
• Zenodoros
• Zopyros
• Zosimus

Female

• Achaia
• Agape
• Aikaterine
• Anthousa
• Basiane
• Berenike
• Bito
• Briseis
• Damaris
• Delias
• Demetria
• Drosis
• Eirene
• Euantha
• Eudokia
• Euthymia
• Evadne
• Gaiane
• Galatea
• Galene
• Glyke
• Haidee
• Hagne
• Helike
• Hypatia
• Iaera
• Ino
• Isidora
• Issa
• Kallistrate
• Kallixeina
• Korinna
• Kynna
• Lais
• Lasthena
• Ligeia
• Lyra
• Megara
• Melitta
• Mykale
• Myrrine
• Nemerte
• Nesaea
• Nikaia
• Nysas
• Oitane
• Olympias
• Oreithyia
• Otonia
• Pales
• Pelagia
• Phile
• Pylia
• Raisa
• Rhene
• Rhode
• Rhodope
• Sebasteia
• Semele
• Sostrate
• Sotera
• Thalassa
• Thais
• Timo
• Tryphosa
• Xanthe
• Xanthippe
• Xene
• Xenia
• Zenobia
• Zita
• Zosime
• Zoe

Hints on pronunciation

• Always pronounce the final “e”– it makes an sound like “eh”.
• “Ch” is always pronounced with a “k” sound.
• “Th” is pronounced smoothly, like in “this”

Sources

• Ancient Greek Names – Male. This page contains hundreds of Ancient Greek mens’ names. A good resource if you’re doing a game set in Ancient Greece or don’t like any of my choices.
• Ancient Greek Names – Female. As full a resource as it’s male counterpart, above. Lists of women’s names from the ancient world are often sparse. This is a rare find for female names.
• Behind the Name: Ancient Greek Names. Mixes male and female names together. Also includes the meaning of the names. Not as big a selection as the page above.
• Encyclopedia Mythica: Pronunciation Guide. Lists many names with their pronunciations.
• Hints on Pronouncing Ancient Greek Names. A few quick pronunciation guidelines.

Other Beyond ‘Fred’ Posts:

• Ancient Egyptian
• Ancient Roman
• Anglo-Saxon
• More Anglo-Saxon
• German
• Italian
• Russian
• Victorian English

I can’t believe the end of the year is on us already. It’s been a good year for me and I hope for you, too.

Here’s the eleven most popular posts this year:

1. Character Questionnaire: Just what the name says–it’s a character questionnaire to help GMs and players alike flesh out important characters. This has been the number one favorite page since Evil Machinations began in 2009.
2. “Where are we again?” Creating Unique Fantasy Cities and Towns: List of on-line resources that can help you create cities and towns for your game world.
3. February Blog Carnival: Worldbuilding: Check out the comments of this post for great links to blog articles about worldbuilding. This was the introductory post for when I hosted the RPG Bloggers blog carnival in February of this year.
4. Building Better NPCs III: Character Webs: What are character webs and how can you use them to help bring your NPCs to life. Also a perennial favorite post.
5. X Marks the Spot: 11 Map Making Tutorials: Another list of on-line resources, this one on making great maps for your game.
6. And *Then* What Happened?: Using Adventure Seeds/Hooks/Starts/Ideas: Ever come across an adventure seed you really wanted to use, but you couldn’t figure out how to turn it into a full adventure? This post is the first in a series that can help.
7. Creating the Adventure Outline: Using Adventure Seeds/Hooks/Starts/Ideas, pt. 9: Another post in the above series, this one on how to develop you idea into game outline or flowchart to make running that adventure a little easier.
8. Handling Problem Players: A list of web resources with great ideas on how to handle problem players.
9. Finding Events: Using Adventure Seeds/Hooks/Starts/Ideas,  pt. 8: How to come up with the encounters and challenges that make up an adventure.
10. Campaign Worksheet: The campaign worksheet I use when creating a new campaign.
11. Beyond ‘Fred’: Russian Names for Characters: A list of Russian names for PCs and NPCs.

There they are: the top eleven posts for 2011. Thanks to all my readers–you’re the reason I’m still here and looking forward to a great 2012.

Everyone has trouble coming up with character names, at least occasionally. Especially GMs, who frequently have to come up with names on the spur of the moment. That’s what this series, “Beyond ‘Fred’” is all about: providing lists of names from other times and cultures so you can find a name that feels right for the time and place of your game.

In this series, I’m more interested in finding names that capture the feel of various game settings. Historical accuracy is not a factor here. In the spirit of my new Castle Falkenstein campaign, here’s a list of names common in Victorian England and America:

Male Names

• Aaron
• Alonzo
• Ambrose
• Barnabas
• Bartholomew
• Bernard
• Byron
• Cecil
• Cyril
• Clarence
• Clement (Clem)
• Clinton (Clint)
• David
• Edward (Ned)
• Edwin
• Eldon
• Ernest
• Ezra
• Francis
• Franklin
• Fredrick
• Gabriel
• Garrett
• Harland
• Harrison
• Henry
• Horace
• Isaac
• James
• John
• Jasper
• Julian
• Lawrence
• Leander
• Louis
• Maurice
• Maxwell
• Merriweather
• Micajah
• Morris
• Nathaniel (Nate, Nathan, Nat)
• Nimrod
• Oral
• Orville
• Patrick
• Perry
• Peter
• Reuben
• Richard (Dick, Rich)
• Samuel
• Simeon
• Thaddeus
• Thomas (Tom)
• Victor
• Walter
• Wilfred

Female Names

• Abigail (Abby)
• Agnes
• Beatrice
• Charity
• Charlotte
• Chastity
• Constance
• Dorothy (Dot)
• Elizabeth (Bess, Betsy, Bessie, Eliza, Liza, Lizzie)
• Eudora
• Eva
• Fern
• Fidelia
• Frances
• Flora
• Geneve
• Genevieve
• Grace
• Hattie
• Helene
• Hester
• Irene
• Ivy
• Jessamine
• Josephine
• Judith
• Katherine
• Lenora
• Letitia
• Lily
• Lottie
• Margaret
• Maude
• Mercy
• Minerva
• Molly
• Nellie
• Patsy
• Parthena
• Permelia
• Phoebe
• Rowena
• Rufina
• Sarah
• Sarah Anne (Sarah Elizabeth)
• Sophronia
• Theodosia
• Victoria
• Winnifred (Winnie)

Biblical names were very popular in the Victorian Era, as were virtues (such as Chastity or Hope), and flowers (primarily for women). Both boys and girls were also given “nature” names, such as Forrest, Fern

Sources

• Victorian Baby Names
• Victorian Baby Names – Girl – WikiParenting
• Victorian Era Names, A Writer’s Guide
• Victorian Names

Other “Beyond ‘Fred’” posts:

• Beyond ‘Fred’: Ancient Egyptian Names
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Anglo-Saxon Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: More Anglo-Saxon Names
• Beyond ‘Fred’: German Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Italian Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Roman Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Russian Names