These world building prompts come from 3000 World Building Prompts, which you can get at Amazon. This section is focused on creating names.
- Do people have only a given name and no surname?
- Do people have more than one surname?
- Are there multiple given names?
- Who bestows the given name? Parents? The state?
- Are there cultural restrictions on the given names or does the giver have total freedom to choose one?
- Are there any forbidden names and why?
- How are given names chosen? What criteria is used?
- Are they just given a number instead of a name?
- Do people ever change their given name?
- If so, is that official/legal?
- From what or whom is the surname derived?
- Does the state control surnames?
- Is any name changed when someone hits a milestone? Which name, which milestone, and why?
- If so, is it an insult to use their previous name?
- Which name comes first when spoken or written?
- How many syllables are given names?
- How many syllables are surnames?
- Are names so long that they are shortened in casual usage?
- Are apostrophes common? Why?
- Are hyphen common? Why?
- Are silent letters common?
- Do names, especially surnames, come from places?
- From occupations?
- From nicknames?
- From given names?
- Is it common to add “son” or “daughter” to produce a name like Jackson?
- Are there any common articles used in names?
- Are given names ever used as surnames?
- Is there a letter or combination of letters that, when added to a name, denote a relationship to someone (father, employer)?
- Is there someone (alive or dead) revered enough that their name is very common? What is that name?
- Are nicknames ever turned into actual names?
- Do compound names exist and from what are they derived?
- If so, how much meaning or information can people derive from those names?
- Are places ever named after people?
- Are places named after events?
- What suffixes exist (burg, ville)?
- What prefixes exist?
- Are there letter combinations that distinguish this naming style?