Basically: I have scoured the internet for blog posts etc on making sure names are 1) sensible and coherent 2) aligned to the overall vibe in my world/nothing sounds left field 3) sufficiently unique (from each other). The particular thing that has me tearing out my hair: I’ve been specifically trying to make a pantheon of gods. Although the gods themselves aren’t frequent characters, their names appear frequently (so and so’s temple or priest, etc.) as my setting is in the holy city temple complex of the pantheon. The problem I’m facing is that my primary gods (of which there are 12) are one level of a titanomachy style pantheon, and I’ve been trying to toe the line between “this set of gods are related and their names belie that” (the other levels are far less frequently mentioned and sufficiently unique) and “here’s 12 names that sound too similar”. I have tried playing with different methods like distinct names but similar cadence, similar etymology, male and female suffixes, only giving the handful of gods that are more frequently mentioned (about 4) more unique names or with prefixes that are more intuitively remembered with their domain, you name it. I keep waffling between them sounding too distinct where it feels like they will be difficult for a reader to pick up and remember and too similar where they blur together. Anyone have any tips for this?
*note: despite my poor description of it, the pantheon itself is not nearly as complex as it sounds. 12 gods and their parents, very straight forward theogony, readers really only need to grasp the fact that there are 2 levels and a handful of heavily recurring gods. I have no concern for the pantheon itself and feel confident in how it’s supported in the narrative, literally just stuck on the names rn
Source: r/fantasywriters · by /u/KhalenPierce