Hmmm... I'll probably google if the need arises, but are then region-specific RNGs? Period-specific? Ethnic-specific?
Previously, I got names of Jewish characters from Remarque's novel about Jewish refugees in the US, and for the novel set in the 1850s, I got names from slave narratives and Uncle Tom's Cabin, since those could be assumed accurate for time and place. Japanese-American character names I got from the published collection of diaries of the 100th Battalion and 442nd regiment. (Those diaries had been confiscated by the War Department, which is how they were all preserved.) But I'm wandering.
Another thing that's occurred to me, and maybe you've thought of it already. Smith is a common name because it was a common profession, and Ferrar, Ferrari, and Kovacs, are all just Smith in another language. Also, most surnames ending in -er are of occupational origin. Anyway, if you've got a world you've created and a language to go with it, whatever that word for "smith" is will probably be a common surname in the world. Same with farmer, miller, booker, and so on...
And another thing- Anyone named Goldsmith is probably Jewish because Jews in Europe for centuries were not allowed to own land, so they tended to become money lenders, which led to them becoming pawn brokers which led to them becoming jewelers, which led to so many of them being named Goldsmith. This same thing could happen in a created world.
no subject
I'll probably google if the need arises,
but are then region-specific RNGs?
Period-specific?
Ethnic-specific?
Previously, I got names of Jewish characters
from Remarque's novel about Jewish refugees in the US,
and for the novel set in the 1850s,
I got names from slave narratives
and Uncle Tom's Cabin,
since those could be assumed accurate for time and place.
Japanese-American character names I got from
the published collection of diaries of the 100th Battalion and 442nd regiment.
(Those diaries had been confiscated by the War Department, which is how they were all preserved.)
But I'm wandering.
Another thing that's occurred to me,
and maybe you've thought of it already.
Smith is a common name because it was a common profession,
and Ferrar, Ferrari, and Kovacs, are all just Smith in another language.
Also, most surnames ending in -er are of occupational origin.
Anyway, if you've got a world you've created and a language to go with it,
whatever that word for "smith" is will probably be a common surname in the world.
Same with farmer, miller, booker, and so on...
And another thing-
Anyone named Goldsmith is probably Jewish
because Jews in Europe for centuries
were not allowed to own land,
so they tended to become money lenders,
which led to them becoming pawn brokers
which led to them becoming jewelers,
which led to so many of them being named Goldsmith.
This same thing could happen in a created world.