Naming Conventions
"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,"
spoke the Beast, in a voice that was one great roar.
"Who are you, and why do you seek me?"
Ozian names are not very tricky. The national language is English, so while the names are not the same as ones from English, they are similarly structured.
You could take a name that you like from Earth and rearrange it to make an Ozian name. For example: take the name Naiome. I could take the letters and move them around to make Omenia. The rules for reading the name are the same as in English; no tricky new sounds.
Another way to come up with a name is to take an existing English word or name and change it only slightly. Example: Vernon becomes Hernon or Verno; Lake becomes Trake or Lape. The new names sound like they *might* be English names, because they follow the same naming rules.
It's also important to keep your character's race in mind when picking a name.
- Immortals are often given names after real words, or twists on real words: Arachna, Bungle, Flutter, Indigo
- Constructs' names can vary, since their origins all vary. They were once human, and many of them retain their human memories... or at least parts of them. A construct might still have their human name, or a given name from their creator: Scarecrow, Glitch, Bell
- Viewers are animals at heart and keep simple names, usually one or two syllables and without consonant or vowel blends. In other words, they usually follow the CVCV pattern: Raw, Lylo, Ar
- Nome names don't resemble English names. They are a mixture of consonants stuffed together with some vowels thrown in for color and pronounceability: Arbrog, Gorlak, Drox
- Changelings usually have human names, since they are most often born and raised in regular human villages.
- Munchkins many have names that are very close to human names. These are classic examples of when to take a regular world name and change it slightly. They are simple folk and choose simple names: Clio, Evrose, Herby, Ojo
- Humans are from everywhere, and so have names that are from everywhere. As said in the beginning, names can be from Earth, a twist on a name from Earth, even a word from Earth.
- Mangaboo first names are often plays on words or a rhyme of their Mangaboo type. Their last name is their Mangaboo type. Examples: Nakafarrot Carrot, Torrumtum Plum, Sol T. P. Nut
I hope that this has helped! Below, we've listed some names from the various Oz books, to give you more ideas. Have fun!
Allegro Azure Cobalt Indigo Sapphire Tip Turquoise Arachna Bell Snicker Bobbin Braid Bungle Salt Gig Flutter Paramount Pansy Jam |
Aurex Clia Coralie Evanna Evardo Evella Evrose Gaylette Ianu Jellia Margolette Nanda Rora Tandy Chiss Erikna Glinda Hardas Herby Lurline Nikko |
Cerulia Jinjur Nellary Fyter Dauntless Cayke Chopfyt Fattywiggens Jinnicky Oztrich |
Elvira Henry Inga Kiki Zeke Betsy Zebediah Bobup Fruax |
Ojo Ozma Quelala Sacho ZiXi Arbrog Badmannah Drox Enirul Evoldo Glimmo Gorlak Kabumpo Aur Rinkitink Skamperoo Locasta Loxo Malvonia Mar Mombi Nandywog Nox Oorfene Pajuka |