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What is the worst bit of naming in 40k, that you know of.

Whether that be players naming their minis, or GW naming characters.

Personally, I think Corvus Corax is by far the worst name in the 40k universe, simply because it means 'Raven Raven'

Oh sweet summer child....

There are far worse names in 40k than that. (Which IMO it is not. It's a nice pun like Ferrus Manus).

Now, Murderfang wielding his Murderclaws who was discovered on the planet Omnicide OTOH...

 gummyofallbears wrote:
What is the worst bit of naming in 40k, that you know of.

Whether that be players naming their minis, or GW naming characters.

Personally, I think Corvus Corax is by far the worst name in the 40k universe, simply because it means 'Raven Raven'

Corvus Corax is the Latin name for the common raven, which is fine. It sounds like a proper name.

Canis Wolfborn, for instance, does not.

 Ashiraya wrote:


Corvus Corax is the Latin name for the common raven, which is fine. It sounds like a proper name.

Canis Wolfborn, for instance, does not.

It fits in with the rest of the existing SW nomenclature. "Canis" is a little on the nose but the surname slots in well next to "Stormcaller", "Blackmane" and "Grimblood" of the original special characters (And "Rockfist" from the same book in which Canis first appeared).

A lot of the planet names range from silly to "why would they name a planet that, they were basically asking for it to be eaten by chaos"

 amazingturtles wrote:
A lot of the planet names range from silly to "why would they name a planet that, they were basically asking for it to be eaten by chaos"

Wazdakka's current base of operations on Scalex VI is a work of fething genius.

Quoting the Emperor when told of the Spacewolves and their units.

"All I got out of that was wolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwoflwolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwolf and wolf"

I get it they are space wolves. In Dorn's words "The Space wolves are incredibly uninspired". They are space Viking at the same time. They could have named their stormwolf (or whatever the flying box is called) after the ships that Vikings used in battle!
Like rename it the StormKarve (Karve is a ship design used by Vikings). Something ANYTHING other than (name)-wolf!

 gummyofallbears wrote:
What is the worst bit of naming in 40k, that you know of.

Whether that be players naming their minis, or GW naming characters.

Personally, I think Corvus Corax is by far the worst name in the 40k universe, simply because it means 'Raven Raven'

Corvus Corax is the scientific classification genus species of a raven.

Primarch names tbh were probably come up with rather on the fly, because they were originally intended to be about as much of the focus of the setting as the Fabricator General and other High Lords of Terra - in the background, random legends, not the focus of the storyline.

But now they are, thanks to "epicness creep" and we have reminders that yes, these names were just chosen randomly. Leman Russ was originally an imperial guard commander (hence the tank) who was retconned into the SW primarch. Lion El Johnson is just Lionel Johnson (english poet whose most famous work was called "The Dark Angel.") etc, etc.

I can't fault some random english dude 35 years ago figuring out the mythology for his silly game world on the fly for coming up with dumb names.

What I can fault is when a company has focus groups, marketing, creative teams, art teams, and a whole corporate structure and the best thing they can come up with is "Murderfang, with murderclaws, from Omnicide, with the special rule Murderlust."

I have to admit that "Lion El'Jonson" was slightly clever, but I still groaned when I realized the connection.

Canis Wolfborn is pretty silly. Murderfang err, kinda murders the joke.

Ferrus Manus is a little doofy: a guy called "Iron Hand", primarch of the Iron Hands, whose hands are literally made of iron? Maybe that's laying it on a bit thick, belike.

the_scotsman wrote:

 gummyofallbears wrote:
What is the worst bit of naming in 40k, that you know of.

Whether that be players naming their minis, or GW naming characters.

Personally, I think Corvus Corax is by far the worst name in the 40k universe, simply because it means 'Raven Raven'

Corvus Corax is the scientific classification genus species of a raven.

Primarch names tbh were probably come up with rather on the fly, because they were originally intended to be about as much of the focus of the setting as the Fabricator General and other High Lords of Terra - in the background, random legends, not the focus of the storyline.

But now they are, thanks to "epicness creep" and we have reminders that yes, these names were just chosen randomly. Leman Russ was originally an imperial guard commander (hence the tank) who was retconned into the SW primarch. Lion El Johnson is just Lionel Johnson (english poet whose most famous work was called "The Dark Angel.") etc, etc.

I can't fault some random english dude 35 years ago figuring out the mythology for his silly game world on the fly for coming up with dumb names.

What I can fault is when a company has focus groups, marketing, creative teams, art teams, and a whole corporate structure and the best thing they can come up with is "Murderfang, with murderclaws, from Omnicide, with the special rule Murderlust."

This.

Pretty much all of the Primarches are like this. Konrad Curze is a nice favourite of mine. A combination of Joseph Conrad and Kurtz (or Colonel Kurtz, which ties nicely to the Callidus (M'Shen) who assassinated him ),

the_scotsman wrote:

 gummyofallbears wrote:
What is the worst bit of naming in 40k, that you know of.

Whether that be players naming their minis, or GW naming characters.

Personally, I think Corvus Corax is by far the worst name in the 40k universe, simply because it means 'Raven Raven'

Corvus Corax is the scientific classification genus species of a raven.

Primarch names tbh were probably come up with rather on the fly, because they were originally intended to be about as much of the focus of the setting as the Fabricator General and other High Lords of Terra - in the background, random legends, not the focus of the storyline.

But now they are, thanks to "epicness creep" and we have reminders that yes, these names were just chosen randomly. Leman Russ was originally an imperial guard commander (hence the tank) who was retconned into the SW primarch. Lion El Johnson is just Lionel Johnson (english poet whose most famous work was called "The Dark Angel.") etc, etc.

I can't fault some random english dude 35 years ago figuring out the mythology for his silly game world on the fly for coming up with dumb names.

What I can fault is when a company has focus groups, marketing, creative teams, art teams, and a whole corporate structure and the best thing they can come up with is "Murderfang, with murderclaws, from Omnicide, with the special rule Murderlust."

Careful, your soapbox might tip.

Ruin wrote:
<dillsnip>

Pretty much all of the Primarches are like this. Konrad Curze is a nice favourite of mine. A combination of Joseph Conrad and Kurtz (or Colonel Kurtz, which ties nicely to the Callidus (M'Shen) who assassinated him ),

Heck, even Nostramo is a Joseph Conrad reference, there.

Murderfang was obviously named by a six-year-old on Take Your Child To Work Day.

jade_angel wrote:
I have to admit that "Lion El'Jonson" was slightly clever, but I still groaned when I realized the connection.

Most of them can definitely use a little work to sound natural. For example, this one could be Ellis Jonson with "the Lion" being a nickname.

LunarSol wrote:

jade_angel wrote:
I have to admit that "Lion El'Jonson" was slightly clever, but I still groaned when I realized the connection.

Most of them can definitely use a little work to sound natural. For example, this one could be Ellis Jonson with "the Lion" being a nickname.

That's my problem with a lot of the primarchs names they are just a bit too awkward.

But most of the really bad names are probably to be found in the Space Wolf codex now sadly.

Most of the newer GW stuff is atrociously poorly named, seemingly intentionally so. Space Wolves probably have the worst of it currently, but the Chaos stuff is also increasingly awful these days, as is most of the AoS stuff, and the ridiculous and unnecessary renaming of the Imperial Guard and Stormtroopers doesnt help either.

This should be a throw down between ridiculous "blood" names from Khorne and equally absurd "wolf"names from the Space Wolves. They're almost all terrible without exception.

Every once in a while I hope for the Space Wolves to fall to Chaos just to get some truly hilariously juvenile names.

The entire Khorne Bloodbound range sounds like it was named by Nathan Explosion.

Inquisitor Obi-Wan Sherlock Cleuseau from Rogue Trader.

Everything space wolf related since the 5th edition codex. Seriously, it's that bad.

They've pretty much entirely lost their original schtick of being space Vikings now. I honestly don't understand how anyone can play them with a straight face. Why on earth GW doesn't give more focus to their Viking roots, or even just stuff like their cool ideas for frost weapons and runic magic, is beyond me. It's taken past the point of parody now, they have to realize what they're doing. It was a cool concept absolutely ruined by taking it too far, in a setting where everything is supposed to be turned up to 11. Then they went a step further, and gave the wolves wolf sleghs, wolf mounts, and wolf claws, and wolf Wolf's and whatever other asinine ideas marketing came up with.

The blood Angels aren't much better, but at least they don't shove the word "blood" or "angel" into every single character and item's name, and they actually drink blood.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Everything space wolf related since the 5th edition codex. Seriously, it's that bad.

They've pretty much entirely lost their original schtick of being space Vikings now. I honestly don't understand how anyone can play them with a straight face. Why on earth GW doesn't give more focus to their Viking roots, or even just stuff like their cool ideas for frost weapons and runic magic, is beyond me. It's taken past the point of parody now, they have to realize what they're doing. It was a cool concept absolutely ruined by taking it too far, in a setting where everything is supposed to be turned up to 11. Then they went a step further, and gave the wolves wolf sleghs, wolf mounts, and wolf claws, and wolf Wolf's and whatever other asinine ideas marketing came up with.

The blood Angels aren't much better, but at least they don't shove the word "blood" or "angel" into every single character and item's name, and they actually drink blood.

I think the above Inquisitor won. Small text, but boy that name is hilarious.

Otherwise, I agree with the Space Wolves Wolfy Wolfing Wolf stuff as what I find the most absurd.

Blood Angels get right up to the edge of the absurdity ledge for me, but they have not made the leap yet. The moment they start adding Vampire Bats to the model range is the moment they descend into Space Wolf hilarity IMO.

Also, is KDK really that bad? Btw, actual question. No one around here plays them and all of the codexes are shrink wrapped, so I have been unable to look. Examples are nice. I love these naming threads for a laugh.

I looked like a crazy person with my maniacal laughter on the ferry reading off that Inquisitor in my brain.

Edit: I swear autocorrect hates me.

The names for stormcast units. Judicators, retributors, decimators, prosecutors, something-tors, something-tors, something-tors. I can't for the love of Gork and Mork remember this gak. And it doesn't help that they're all the same guy with weapon swaps.

 Don Savik wrote:
The names for stormcast units. Judicators, retributors, decimators, prosecutors, something-tors, something-tors, something-tors. I can't for the love of Gork and Mork remember this gak. And it doesn't help that they're all the same guy with weapon swaps.

I can be fine with stuff like Judicator or Retributor, it summons themes like a Paladin or Archon from DnD. But names like "Heraldor" just make me cringe.
The infamous Bloodsecrator. But all the "Sylvaneth" and "Orruk" stuff of AoS is just disgusting on many levels.

Dark Angel's "Interromancy". I mean really?

The Space Wolves Wolf Lord Harald Deathwolf is the worst thing ever.

Astra Militarum Tempestus Scions.

Tempestus Scions.

By the Emperor, that name makes me shiver. Storm Troopers was so much better. (Frankly, kind of preferred the old models too, would have been cool if they simply "updated" them with plastic sculpts)

Everything in the entire space wolves codex.

 Engine of War wrote:
Quoting the Emperor when told of the Spacewolves and their units.

"All I got out of that was wolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwoflwolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwolfwolf and wolf"

I get it they are space wolves. In Dorn's words "The Space wolves are incredibly uninspired". They are space Viking at the same time. They could have named their stormwolf (or whatever the flying box is called) after the ships that Vikings used in battle!
Like rename it the StormKarve (Karve is a ship design used by Vikings). Something ANYTHING other than (name)-wolf! Hell the only character without "Wolf" in their name is Logan Grimnar but he is still called the "Old Wolf" Which is fine as its a nickname, but everyone else is (something)-wolf!! gaah!

They used to be vikings in space but by this point the guys writing it lost track of what a viking is and after the bloodbloodbloodbutnotkhorneyouguys worked for the blood angles it was probably easier to just dumb them down to wolfwolfwolfalsonotchaoticmutationsyouguys.

 Kaiyanwang wrote:

The infamous Bloodsecrator.

Bloodsecrator sounds so much better if you change it to "Blood Secretary". Try it!

 Lord Damocles wrote:
Inquisitor Obi-Wan Sherlock Cleuseau from Rogue Trader.

While the aforementioned classic is the worst, I think a lot of the new AoS Khorne and Stormcast Eternals are taking the naming conventions to a low possibly lower than the Space Wolves.

My biggest gripe is "Codexes." GW actually copyrighted a grammatical mistake. Close behind is using dice as the singular form. I have no idea what form of bastardised Anglo-Saxon English is taught in England, but in Scotland, that widnae float, and would result in having to do laps of Loch Lomond while reciting Rabbie Burns. I even doubt it would be okay in the colonies, infamous for aloominoom and other spellings specifically forbidden by the Geneva Convention.