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I've created my own Astartes chapter, and named them The Red Raptors. Primarily because they used to be Blood Angels and as a non codex chapter they weren't entitled to use all the lovely new tactics that had become available in the S.M. Codex Vol 5, but also because their new paintjob wasn't too stressful to swap to. Just darker red really.( a bit lazy ya see!! )
So, as i'd created a brand new chapter, I thought that i'd have a bash at some creative biographical stuff, so they seemed a bit more real, or thought out whichever ya like really.
Anyhoo, as they have no homeworld and are based in an Imperial Fists type 'Phalanx' fortress monestary, I began to name this and the accompanying fleet. At first this posed no problems as Google does a wicked line in latin/ english translation thingies, and as 40k is quite big on the old latin names for stuff, Bobs ya Dads brother!!!

It was when I came to thinking up names for the main players within the chapters organisation that I hit the proverbial brickwall !!
I find it very hard to create names that sound plausible. I mean, i've got a few that are ok, like Slykal Oridar for my Chapter Master and Roxus Torr is my 1st Chaplain, and I have Captain Ixar Cavori as the commander of my 10th Cpy, but that's about as far as i've got.

Does anyone else suffer with this malaise, whether for fiction or DIY chapters? Also, if anyone has any tips on how to select names for members of a chapter, I would be very grateful.
Many thanx brothers,
The Emperor......... well, sits on his mouldy ass really, but also protects too!!!!

HUFFSTAR

http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/4250/

just start typing names of people you know, it fills out pretty quickly

POSSIBLY!

Oh, sorry, I was deafend by your title

I personally don't have much of a problem with naming characters etc.

Dammit, Silver, the ringing in my ears had just stopped and now it's back again.

Here's a fun trick I occasionally use. Take two words that define the character, or his role, or some such, and then make anagrams out of them until you find one that sounds suitably exotic. Although on the most part I just high-jack real world cultures' names and weird them up a bit.

Nope, not just you.
As it stands my guard commander is beardy McBearderson and I got sick of my marine colour scheme and have begun stripping them without ever having named my chapter.

I'm fine with names...
I can understand the difficulty but otherwise i'm all shiny...

Generally speaking, no. If I can't find a name to fit the theme, I'll just make one up. Hence my Warsmith's rather odd name of Kaitos Morenze.

Latin dictionaries are your friend...

When in doubt: Captain KittenNips is a good name.

I would pick and ancient culture (usually with a strong mythological grounding) that fits the character of your Chapter... then steal away (I would use similar, not same names... Master Zeus and Captain Achilles would be a little lame).

Norse or Aztec would fit well, I think

I steal the names of monsters and locations from Final Fantasy 12 and just swap some vowels around.

Shakespeare...
Steal a few appropriate names and run with it.

Mustela wrote:Latin dictionaries are your friend...

When in doubt: Captain KittenNips is a good name.

This is true It's amazing how many latin roots 40K has. They can be quite clever like Sanguinus means bloody and wise wich shows both sides of his personality. Think of your characters role and find a word that fits.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I ALWAYS STRUGGLE WITH THINKING OF NAMES FOR ALL OF MY CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vladsimpaler wrote:I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I ALWAYS STRUGGLE WITH THINKING OF NAMES FOR ALL OF MY CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find it pretty easy to come up with names for my CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT!

Yes i do, but i found a way by looking up specific names. Like Angel names = my chapter (wanderers)
Templar names = storm crusaders
etc.

I recommend the following approach to creating good fantasy/sci-fi names. Take a regular name. Then change one or two letters. Wham. Instant awesome name.

James Masters - Jomes Marvers
Simon Blake - Samon Blyke
Peter Smith - Peten Snath

I usually find that this yields pretty good results if you play around with it for a little bit.

In this day in age Imagination is hard to come by, so no your not the only one

Nightwalker wrote:In this day in age Imagination is hard to come by, so no your not the only one

Why should it be harder now as opposed to 20 years ago?

I named my Ultramarines characters after friends and pets. Captain Apollo, Ancient Brother Ivan, Chaplain T and so forth. Then someone asked me, "Why are all your guys named after 'Rocky' characters?" I hadn't noticed till then.

Yeah, loot your friends names, and then celebrities. Then, for lulz, have them be die on purpose. For example, Sgt. Beiber was was eaten by a carnifex.

Also, I named my favorite CRASSUS ARMORED ASSAULT TRANSPORT CHARLIE SHEEN, 'CAUSE MY TRANSPORTS ARE WINNING.

My chapter's based off of the Round Table, and each company's headed by a notable knight and his posse, so it's easier for me to futurify what I see in Mallory.

No, but it's only you who is obnoxious enough to capitalize the entire title of this thread.

i find it hard too. Orks are easy to name but my SW wow, Cid