# Real world place names that would make awesome fantasy names



## Huw (Aug 21, 2010)

In the spirit of the "Worst fantasy names in our Real World" thread, how about some names which are just, well, awesome.

Some starters:

Ormskirk: literally "Church of the Dragon" (Lancashire)

The Isle of Foulness. (Essex)

Dunwich. (Suffolk). Yes, it was a real place. Before it fell into the sea. Which makes it more awesome.


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## Muad'dib Pendragon (Aug 21, 2010)

Anghor Thom:  "Great City"
Anghor Wat:  "City Temple"


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## EP (Aug 21, 2010)

There's a place in Quebec called "Kamouraska" that we passed by on a cross-country trip out east. I pulled over on the side of the road, wrote it down, and used it for the name of a recurring villain in my homebrew. A devourer who was pulling the strings on a lot of heavy heavy in a pirate city.


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## InVinoVeritas (Aug 21, 2010)

I always liked the city of Astrakhan in Russia.

The Taklamakan Desert in China means "Place of Abandonment."


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## IronWolf (Aug 21, 2010)

Isis Temple, specifically thinking of the formation in the Grand Canyon.  It is particularly fitting for the home brew world we play in.


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## jonesy (Aug 21, 2010)

Arkkukari = coffin reef
Arkala = timid
Halivaara = hug hill
Hammaslahti = tooth bay
Hankala = difficult
Elinmylly = organ mill (not the musical organ)
Hepojoki = horse river
Hiljaistenmiestenlaakso = valley of the silent men
Kalmankaltio = spring of death (drink from that, if you dare)
Kalmaniemi = cape of death
Katinhäntä = cat's tail
Kissanpiiskaajankuja = cat-whipper alley
Kuoppa = pit
Kuuma = hot
Kylähiisi = hiisi is a kind of troll, kylä means village, so it's a village called "villagetroll"
Livohka = escape
Loukussa = trapped
Löytö = a find
Mailmanlopuntie = end of the world street
Mestauskallio = execution-rock
Meteli = noise
Murtovaara = break-in hill
Myrkky = poison
Niska = neck
Onpahanvaanlampi = "oh my, what a pond" or maybe "now that's a pond"
Pomovaara = boss hill
Risteys = crossroads
Taikavarvuntie = probably closest would be "magic-wand road"
Varisvaara = crow hill
Veneheitto = boat throw

The entire section of Helsinki called Roihuvuori (= blazemountain).
 Kääpiöidenpolku = path of the dwarves
 Tuhkimontie = Cinderella's road
 Punahilkantie = Little Red Riding Hood's road
 Keijukaistenpolku = path of the fairies
 Untuvaisentie = road of down (as in the fluffy feathers on a bird)
 Vuorenpeikontie = road of the mountain troll
 Prinssintie = road of the prince
 Prinsessantie = road of the princess
 Jättiläisenpolku = path of the giant
 Tulisuontie = fire-swamp road
 Porolahdenkuja = raindeer-gulf alley


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## AdmundfortGeographer (Aug 21, 2010)

There is a point when a non-modern-English placename enters the realm of Birthright-like in its unpronounceability. It is only seem as a pattern/blur of letters.


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## the Jester (Aug 21, 2010)

The Empty Quarter (a chunk of pretty much desolate desert).


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## jonesy (Aug 21, 2010)

the Jester said:


> The Empty Quarter (a chunk of pretty much desolate desert).



Is it next to the Not So Empty Quarter, Somewhat Filled Quarter, and Full Quarter?


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## Nifft (Aug 21, 2010)

*Death Valley* - "_Like fer shur, I mean like totally gag me with a stake, like, y'know?_"

Cheers, -- N


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## Clarabell (Aug 21, 2010)

Estonia, just because it sounds AWESOME! Best country ever.

Theres an online game with nearly the same name, only spelled Astonia.


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## Thunderfoot (Aug 22, 2010)

Instead of giving a list (because I can't convert it even if I could find the code)...  I once had a list of 2,000 names that could be used by players to name their characters, they all came from the Index of the National Geographic World Atlas (dated 1993 at the time).

There are thousands upon thousands of names for both place names and people names.  Go to the source and drink full from the fountain, you won't be disappointed.


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## questing gm (Aug 22, 2010)

Cappadocia - an awesome name to an equally awesome place.


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## Michael Dean (Aug 22, 2010)

Huw said:


> In the spirit of the "Worst fantasy names in our Real World" thread, how about some names which are just, well, awesome.
> 
> Some starters:
> 
> ...




Wow, that is too coincidental.  I spent the day yesterday drawing a color map of a halfling kingdom.  Towards the end I googled English Town names and randomly chose cool sounding names for halfling villages.  And Ormskirk was one of my choices.

I also chose "Firth of Forth", "Roseberry Topping", "Grimsby", and "Chipping Norton."  They sound like cool places to visit.


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## Michael Dean (Aug 22, 2010)

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I don't know if I posted this right, but here's the map.  Ormskirk is in the north west quadrant.


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## Huw (Aug 22, 2010)

Michael Dean said:


> I don't know if I posted this right, but here's the map.  Ormskirk is in the north west quadrant.




Know what's really scary? I've lived or worked in four of the (real world) places on that map.


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## Greatwyrm (Aug 22, 2010)

Iron Mountain and Crystal Falls are both within a couple hours' drive of me.  I gotta use one or both of those in a game someday.


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## Aloïsius (Aug 22, 2010)

There is a lot of cool sounding name in ancient Greece. Places like Arcadia, Thessaly, Aeolis...


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