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LoreNamer
M

Mack

Fantasy Name Algorithm Researcher · LoreNamer

I got into this because I was frustrated. Every fantasy name generator I tried was doing the same thing: randomly splicing syllables with no understanding of what made a Norse name sound Norse, or why Tolkien's Elvish names have that particular flowing quality.

So I started building my own. The core of LoreNamer is Markov chain models trained on actual historical corpora — I pulled from Old Norse saga names, Tolkien's published linguistic notes and name indexes, medieval English parish records, and Erin Hunter's Warriors series for clan cat naming conventions.

The etymology cards are the part I'm most particular about. Every lore card on LoreNamer either cites an attested etymology or clearly labels it as a cultural-style description — never invented meanings.

Research focus

  • Markov chain language models for phonetically authentic name generation
  • Old Norse onomastics and saga-era naming conventions
  • Tolkien's constructed languages — Sindarin, Quenya, and their name-formation rules
  • Medieval European naming across England, France, Germany, and Italy
  • Fantasy naming conventions in tabletop RPGs (D&D 5e, Pathfinder)

Articles by Mack