Naming New Champions

Chillee·6/1/2019, 5:04:01 AM·5 votes·8,124 views

So, I make a lot of rough draft concepts for champions. And I must say, naming is a lot harder to do than it looks. How does someone consistently create names that fit a personality well?

I look forward to any advice [slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

35 Comments

RiotFauxSchizzle6/1/2019, 3:31:32 PM9 votes

Lots and lots of iteration + google image search (with filters disabled) + regional sensitivity checks.

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO6/1/2019, 11:21:03 AM1 votes

Have you tried reading dev diaries to see how other designers came to arrive at the names they make?

demonicthomas6/1/2019, 5:08:08 AM1 votes

Find a name that fits well, For example, If you have a badass viking warrior, you could name them in english then translate it... Like 'Badass" translates to 'Tuffing' in Scandinavian, and, between you and me, that fits a Viking pretty well...

lolipopevelynn6/1/2019, 5:09:25 PM1 votes

most champions are a pun on their base theme. Ekko for example.

Stars Shaper6/1/2019, 5:45:04 PM1 votes

I guess a decent maount of good names can e achieved with sound-a-like of real names or things connected to the champion (like Echo and Ekko).

Bootleg Gay6/2/2019, 3:21:27 PM1 votes

I've done a few champion concepts, and the best thing that works for me is to use a combination of naming tactics.

First I'll decide what just sounds right. Rolls off the tongue and pops in your head.

Then I take to translators. Translating adjectives to various languages helps to find something more unique. If you can't find fun adjectives, I find Thesaurus.com to be incredibly useful.

Then I start reworking the name. Mashing translated names, adjusting spelling and pronunciation, swapping letters. Even randomly translating the Frankenstein name to see how it works.

In the end you get names like Atillok, which roughly means darkness slayer. It's badass, but has an air of mystical origins to it.