>>I'll probably google if the need arises, but are then region-specific RNGs? Period-specific? Ethnic-specific?<<
I have seen some. I usually go out hunting resources when I'm going to need a batch of names in a particular flavor. If you look around, you can find ones that suit your personal needs.
>>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.<<
Yeah, I've used slave narratives too, along with African name books. (I have one character who doesn't hold with renaming unless the original is hopelessly unpronounceable.) Some of my desert characters are named out of the 100 Magnificent Names of God, or the lists based on "If you have 100 sons, name them all Mohammed."
>>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...<<
Now THAT is brilliant. I've done it inadvertently, I think. But I shall suggest this purposely for Torn World. Characters there don't use surnames, but the Empire does use titles. So effectively we could have Smith So-and-so instead of the other way 'round, and the trick still works.
Thoughts
but are then region-specific RNGs?
Period-specific?
Ethnic-specific?<<
I have seen some. I usually go out hunting resources when I'm going to need a batch of names in a particular flavor. If you look around, you can find ones that suit your personal needs.
>>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.<<
Yeah, I've used slave narratives too, along with African name books. (I have one character who doesn't hold with renaming unless the original is hopelessly unpronounceable.) Some of my desert characters are named out of the 100 Magnificent Names of God, or the lists based on "If you have 100 sons, name them all Mohammed."
>>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...<<
Now THAT is brilliant. I've done it inadvertently, I think. But I shall suggest this purposely for Torn World. Characters there don't use surnames, but the Empire does use titles. So effectively we could have Smith So-and-so instead of the other way 'round, and the trick still works.