Blogging into Mordor: Finding the perfect name for your "special" character

So far I have explained the common naming conventions for the Race of Men, the Hobbits, the Elves, the Dwarves, and Monster Characters. But what if you are planning to role-play a character in the Lord of the Rings Online that doesn't fit within the boundaries of creation set by Turbine? For instance, when you create a human character you can select between four nationalities: Dale-land,Bree-land,Rohan, and Gondor. But what if you want your character to be a Dúnedain, or a Lossoth? This guide will give you examples of naming in different cultures of Middle Earth, both ones made up by Turbine and discussed by Tolkien. Keep in mind that for some races there are very few examples of naming. However, this guide should help you find a more appropriate name for your character than "Stabbitypwn" or "Bobsteve".

Keep in mind that it is highly improbable that any member of a number of the races below would be obliged to helping innocent hobbits or fighting the forces of Angmar -- many of these races, such as the Gauradan and Lossoth, are reclusive and do not care about the outside world. However, as a role-player it is up to you to decide if your character has motivation to help the Free Peoples of Middle Earth. It is not unheard of to role-play as an "evil" character who does little or few quests, as difficult as that may be. Some races of Middle Earth, such as the Easterlings, are not included. This is because these races serve Sauron and it would be odd for them to want to even be as far north as Bree-land, let alone being welcomed by the people of northern Middle Earth like our characters are. Also, there are next to no examples of naming conventions for these races. The races that are covered in this article are: the Dúnedain, the Gauradan, the Hill-men of Angmar, the Lossoth of Forochel, and Captain Heralds. It will also go into choosing a surname for your character.

Dúnedain

The option to play a Dúnedain is not available in the game (though you can play a Ranger in PVMP). However, many role-players wish for their character to be of Dúnedain descent. Luckily, it's pretty easy. Dúnedain use the same naming conventions that Elves and Men of Gondor do - they use the language of Sindarin. Consult the naming guide for either Elves or the Race of Man to find a good name for your Dúnedan.

Gauradain

The Gauradain are a very reclusive folk that live in the northern areas of Middle Earth in zones such as Evendim,Forochel, the Trollshaws, and the Misty Mountains. It is doubtful that they can speak the languages of other races and are seen as a very primitive folk. Therefore it would be very odd for a Gauradain to associate with and help out the other peoples of Middle Earth. However, stranger things have happened. It will take a lot of creativity to role-play as a member of this race.

There are very few examples of Gauradain names in Middle Earth. For one thing, the Gauradan are a race invented by Turbine, and there are no names in the works of Tolkien for them. Therefore we depend on examples of Gauradan names in the game. However, the majority of mobs in this game from this race do not have names. The only example I could find is a Gauradan mob in Forochel named "Feoc". It is probable that the naming conventions of Gauradan depend on their location as each tribe is reclusive and probably is not in contact with the other tribes. Therefore, you much choose where your character is from. If he is from Forochel, you might wish to choose a name similar to the Lossoth, explained below. For the Guaradan that live in Evendim, the Trollshaws, and the Misty Mountains you will just have to get creative. Using names similar to the Hill-men, also described below, is a good idea. You might also have to do some internet surfing to find a name that sounds good to you. Just remember that nobody will be able to correct you or tell you you're wrong!

Hill-men
The Hill-men of Angmar, though a tight-knit community, are not as way of strangers as some of the other races. They will welcome strangers who prove their worth and vow to aid them in their fight against the Angmarim, a growing threat in Angmar. You can even occasionally find a Hill-man out and among the peoples of Middle Earth, such as in the Shire, though it is rare. So while it would be slightly odd for one of these people to be completing tasks for Bree-landers or hobbits, it is believeable if the Hill-person has a good heart and the willingness to join with other forces to fight against the shadow of Angmar.

Hill-men of Angmar are named according to their own language. Their names have similar elements to men and women of the Dale-lands and Rohan (which can be found in the naming guide for the Race of Man). However, there are several differences. The consonant-cluster "kh" is popular among hill-men names. Some common prefixes used in naimg are So-, La-, Ta-, Tor-, and Cuin-. Some popular suffixes are -a, -g, -kh, -kha, -aith, and -ail. Prefixes tend to be more varied than suffixes. Some examples of hill-men names are "Lakhina, Crannog, Sorkha, Cana, and Donaith".

The best way to find a name that suits you is to send a higher-level character to Aughaire in Angmar and look at the names of many of the NPCs and modify them until you find a name you like.

Lossoth
The Lossoth are a race of people invented by Turbine in order to add diversity to the game. However, that does not stop you from role-playing as one! They are a secluded people located in the Forochel region. Although they are mistrustful of strangers, they have in the past aided (and been aided by) outsiders. Most Lossoth do require outsiders to prove their worth before accepting them into their ranks. However, they are probably the furthest race from corruption of all the races in this guide. They have not really been affected by the forces of Sauron. Therefore it is plausible that an adventurous Lossoth would be willing to go out into the world and aid the other peoples of Middle Earth. And there is really no reason why he or she would not be accepted. While Lossoth have heavy accents, by the time of the Lord of the Rings it is not unheard of for foreign folk to enter areas such as Bree.

The Lossoth language is based on the language of Finnish. Therefore, the easiest way to find a Lossoth-like name for your character is to check an English-Finnish dictionary. Search for a word that you think describes your character. Keep in mind that while Finnish uses accents, they are not allowed in the game, so be sure to use unaccented letters. Some examples of Lossoth names are "Pasi, Kimmo, Lassi, Saila, Nicca, Juha, and Keli".

Captain Herald
Need a name for your Captain's herald? If your herald is a Lossoth, use the same guidelines found in this article for its name. If he is a dwarf, you should consult the naming guide for dwarves. If your herald is a man (or woman) we also have a naming guide, however keep in mind that you will need to choose the region your herald is from -- Dale, Bree, Gondor, or Rohan. It's up to you! My captain picked up his herald in Bree, even though he is from the Dale-lands.

Surnames
Since most of the races described here have few examples of language to go on, you will have to exercise your own judgment on whether or not they should have a surname. The Lossoth do not appear to have surnames, and neither do the Hill-men. However, since there are few examples of Guaradan names, it is very possible that they have them - but remember that they don't speak English, so you should give your character a surname the same way that you have him a first name. Since the majority of people in Middle Earth do not have a traditional family surname, but using the surname slot as a sort of title or description for your character would be fine for any race.