TheCrazyWorldbuilder's Guide to Generative Name-Making
1: Jasontank's GenWord
GenWord is a pretty handy tool. While it has its cons, it can be used for generating names just fine.
Define categories, put categories into syllable arrangements, and see the results. The site is specifically useful for creating lists of all possible syllables in a given naming system - Or all possible combinatoric names - Automatically without RNG involved. Warning, though - It might lag your browser if the parameters result in very large number of names in the output. Automatically alphabetizes names and possible syllables, as well as that it is capable of generating mockup text of a language meeting the structural parameters given by the user.
Personal score: 6.6/10 ⭐
2: Samcode's Markov NameGen
Based on Markov chains, this generator requires input in form of names the "vibe" of which you want to capture, and returns an output loosely matching said vibe.
With a pretty large selection of inbuilt presets you can throw together into a potluck input, the user is met with both a pro and con: The presets are useful, yet many of them are not quite fit for name generation per my personal judgement, resulting in odd-ish sounding names and trash data patterns in the output. Thus, the biggest con is having to format your own input by filtering text and copy-pasting it into the input field.
I have a blog where I post names generated using this site.
Personal score: 8/10 ⭐
3: VulgarLang
Generative language generator with fleshed out features, yet with many of them hidden behind paywall. Feels predatory.
Personal score: 3.3/10 ⭐
4: Woowspace Awkwords
Tricky syntax that pays out big-time. Fantastic generative capabilities with RNG categories, in-category branching, with the only cons being no enforcement of numbers of generated names with Filter Duplicates option enabled, and the maximum of generated names being 9999 and no higher.
I have a blog where I post names generated using this site.
Hi! My name is Arcee and I am a worldbuilder with a BIG interest in neography.
This blog is nothing more than a stash of ALL of my neographies that I have documented since I began doing neography by the beginning of 2022. You can view the scripts faster by using the archive.
Mainer blog is @thecrazyworldbuilder, visit it and also my other blogs, @444names, @cryptolangsguy and @verical.
I will begin listing my neographies from the very beginning of the documented list, tagging each with the blog's tag, as well as couple more.
I have open commissions for artistic designs using my neographies, or I can create a neographic script for you!
If the project takes less than an hour to finish, you get the end result free of charge (accepting tips, you pay what you think the script is worth), longer than that depends on the amount of symbols and time spent designing the script; the standard English alphabet cipher with 26 symbols costs 30$.
On my pfp is Ahimiko, the mascot of this blog. She is an anthro canine of mixed heritage, and is a powerful symbolomancer (mage specializing in casting via projecting symbols of different kinds: the stronger the symbolism, the deeper the mysticism, and the more complex the symbol the more precise and specific is the spell she casts). Say hi! :D
Most of my scripts are purely ciphers for English. I do not care to make conlangs for every single one of them, for I enjoy the act of creation.
On creation: Some anon asked for the methods I use to create cohesive and constant-style scripts. A good post on my other blog might help, listing the methods.
NOTE THAT ALL OF MY CREATIONS ARE FREE TO USE, BUT YOU MUST CREDIT ME AS THE CREATOR/NOTIFY ME BEFORE USING THEM IN YOUR COMIC, ART, BOOK OR ANYTHING
As well - feel free to ask for assistance and guidance in usage of my scripts in DMs; Some of them lack explanation, and might be bit confusing.
And finally, please, if you like my work, spare a bit of money for my Ko-Fi.
ASK BOX RULES:
Refrain from using anonymous asks, since it cuts off the possibility of me responding more directly into your DMs if I deem them impossible to answer via post and won't be able to notify you about it, making me look rude.
You can send positive feedback - it will be stored in the bottom of this post (see below).
You can send requests for scripts, like "Futhark but more like Ogham", or "a Katakana chart inspired by Klingon". Those are free, unlike the commissions, hence I am not required to do adjustments, follow the idea 1:1, nor I am required to make them in the first place.
Don't ask for tips, guidance, or tutorials: This blog is purely an archive of my works. If you need help, go to @conlangcrab where I will answer your asks directly, just remember to address them to "Arcee", since the blog is run by two people there.
Updates on this post below:
I make neographic scripts for already existing writing systems (like Latin or Katakana) because I can't create a conlang for every single aesthetic I can come up with for a writing system.
By Ides of March, 2023, this blog has 350 distinct scripts documented, all created by me.
A pinterest user has been repeatedly stealing my works I've posted on Reddit without notifying or crediting me.
By 4/4/2023, there are over 400 scripts documented.
By 3rd of May, there are over 500 scripts documented.
By 27 of June, there are exactly 600 scripts documented.
By 7th of July, there are exactly 700 scripts documented.
By 25th of August, there are exactly 800 scripts documented.
Another pinterest user has been stealing my works from Reddit.
By 17th of October, there are exactly 900 scripts documented.
By 12th of November, there are exactly 1000 scripts documented.
By 23rd of December, there are exactly 1100 scripts documented.
By 2/10/2024, there are exactly 1200 scripts documented.
By 3/29/2024, there are exactly 1300 scripts documented.
By 6/13/2024, there are exactly 1400 scripts documented.
By 8/12/2024, there are exactly 1500 scripts documented.
By 10/29/2024, there are exactly 1600 scripts documented.
By 12/25/2024, there are exactly 1700 scripts documented.
By Ides of March, 2025, there are exactly 1800 scripts documented.
By 7/19/2025, there are exactly 1900 scripts documented.
Positive anon asks under the cut (you are encouraged to send more!)
<3
Sure thing! Thank you UwUb
Thanki ;w;b
Well, I do have some WIP or UFO (never meant to be finished WIPs) conlangs, but I don't have scripts for them really. I do ciphers because they are A) Simple to make, B) Are a good display of just enough symbol styles for a demonstration of an idea, thus, a good "advertisement" for my product, which are neographies.
QoQb
I will never stop indeed, as long as I can move my hands xD
In fact I answered this one, but didn't say thanks for the warm words Q~Qb
How did you go about making the maps in this post? In other words, what was the process?
I ask because I really like the look of it and want to make something similar, if that is even possible for me.
TUTORIAL ON #STIMMAPS
First: Create a custom gradient in Krita,
Something along these lines.
Second: Apply it to an image via gradient mapping. The brighter a pixel is, the closer it will be to the elevation limit on the map. The darker - The lower to the abyssal sea depths.
Third: Take the image pre-application of the gradient and apply phong bumpmap on it. Set the layer to be above the gradient-ed one, and make the layer type to overlay. You can then copy-paste the layer a couple times to increase contrast of the elevation. Remember that the phong bumpmap is colored by default, so you can either edit the premade settings or just set saturation to zero after the fact.
Zompist has a word frequency list that lists words by their frequency. While this resource was made for constructed languages with fully original lexicons, I feel it would be useful for language encryption as it gives you words that appear the most and, thus, could warrant the most focus in a cryptolang. If that makes sense.
I usually use the double pangram below:
I tell you, "Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow" as the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Since it covers every letter twice + in somewhat different positions, as well as using the tricky pronouns "I" and "You".
Plus, just so share, here's a list of 700 words I posted on Reddit in a similar type of resource.
What kind of notes do you take and how do you keep track of them?
Several levels of officiality and urgency.
- Handwritten notes in notebooks. Oftentimes formatted in thought maps or graphs.
- Notes app on the phone, pre installed.
- Two entire private Discord servers with notes on RPs I DM, plot points for stories I ought to write, mechanics for Caramel Dice I want to implement, et al.
- A couple Google Docs with topmost officiality, like an official Ilutanverse sophonts list "Raclis" and massive outlines of lore/narrative for settings/stories like Raskol, Wiendell, Mirves, "Tikitaka", RWBB, StF et al.
Aside of this, I've tried doing music OST/AMV playlists to narrate the story of GWS, but so far the completeness gets stumbled on a couple spots.
Is it bad worldbuilding to make a world based mostly on vibes and aesthetic rather than trying to realistically connect everything? Not that I don't want to make sure there is an interconnectedness to most things in my worlds, just that I have an image or feeling or prompt in my head for nations, planets, etc. when I get started on a project.
What is worldbuilding?
Worldbuilding is an art of creating a fictional setting in which a narrative can occur.
Thus, the question of "what is good worldbuilding" revolves around "what is good art".
Art is communication
Between the author and the audience - In most cases, it is a monologue from the author, but rarely, a dialogue is possible.
Thus the question of judgement of art is about judgement of communication, and,
Good communication is about sending a message and having it understood.
While of course, by eponymous law the name of which escapes me at the moment, "There's always going to be misunderstanding of what you say," judgement of communication requires ability to detect the message (Which way too many folks have only in rudimentary or vestigial stages, since they paid no attention in literature class).
...
Finally we arrive at the answer.
If you wish to create something simply for the vibes and feel of it, do it. It won't be bad worldbuilding in terms of judging it as art, as the message it propells would be "I wanted to make X," which you very well did.
The rule of thumb for judgement of worldbuilding as a craft, on the other hand, all goes to the rule of thumb:
For worldbuilding, verisimilitude (internal realism) is what matters most.
There are no unicorns in real life. Yet, in fiction, they can freely exist and no one would bat an eye, unless off course they really really want to.
Depth of explanation
of various features in-setting is usually the greatest benefactor to the Worldbuilding Rule of Thumb. Two or three layers, sometimes looping back in, are enough for a believable idea. Everything else comes from storytelling - The other face of the coin of fiction to worldbuilding.
If the narrative contradicts itself, or so does the statements about the setting, the internal realism rates drastically fall. Too many "buts" and the statement you want to make starts to look humorous or outright begging the question of why is it there in the first place. Good wording helps present the setting, and that's usually best done through encyclopedic style of description (except for in-narrative; There, it could be given to the reader in any shape or form, as the rule applies to presentation of the setting unbound by narrative).
A concept for angelhood vs demonhood where both kinds have their own halos, yet, it is the angels who have symmetrical halos. Demons on the other half have broken symmetries, or were never symmetrical in the first place (aka fallen angels vs pure demons whatever).
