Occasionally I try to branch out from working on https://searchcode.com/ https://searchcodeserver.com/ or https://github.com/boyter/scc and find something that I find interesting to toy around with. Usually I go for something that will only take a few hours to play around with.
I had recently re-read a book series I remember loving a while ago which is the Empire Trilogy of books by Feist and Wurts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Trilogy One of the things that stuck out to me as I was reading was that the names seemed to be a blend of Korean/Japanese/Chinese/Aztec and seems to follow a standard structure.
I started wondering how hard it would be to generate names of houses, clans, parties and Lord/Ladies based on the names in the book. So I started recording all the names I came across for later use.
If I were more intelligent I would have fed them though some of the more fancy AI/DL techniques that are all the rage these days, but it seemed like overkill. What I did instead was break them up based on syllable’s then randomly join them together. The results I think turned out rather well.
Lady Malia of house Shonpan and clan Omechan member of the Jade Eye Party
Lady Irshi of house Ekecas and clan Shonla member of the Party for Progress
Lady Jaanlan of house Tustai and clan Shonnawai member of the War Party
Lady Kama of house Lucochi and clan Xadama member of the Party for Progress
Lady Anai of house Xowan and clan Ioshoni member of the Party for Progress
Lady Irra of house Shincocan and clan Hani member of the Party for Progress
Lady Mucora of house Komargu and clan Kanama member of the Jade Eye Party
Lord Lukewai of house Ionabi and clan Kanala member of the Party of the Red Rose
Lady Jacoai of house Keni and clan Kanachan member of the Party for Progress
Lady Kalia of house Xani and clan Zhani member of the New Party
Lady Muanai of house Intai and clan Kanadashoni member of the Party of the Red Rose
Lady Maruni of house Xastagu and clan Hala member of the War Party
Lady Maanlia of house Choda and clan Iowai member of the Silver Party
Lord Tadar of house Xacan and clan Kanama member of the Summer Wind Party
Lady Macoai of house Korodgu and clan Iozama member of the Summer Wind Party
Lord Deke of house Kestanabi and clan Zhala member of the Party for Progress
Lady Mucoma of house Xotai and clan Shonwai member of the New Party
Lady Jaruma of house Xowai and clan Shoncashoni member of the Party of the Red Rose
Lord Deke of house Aora and clan Zhazashoni member of the Jade Eye Party
Lady Kasulia of house Anagu and clan Kanani member of the Party of the Red Rose
Lord Kemowai of house Xudo and clan Kanani member of the Blue Wheel Party
Lord Kaidar of house Awati and clan Zhachan member of the New Party
Lord Zankai of house Mintai and clan Iocani member of the Summer Wind Party
Lord Hokai of house Xachaaka and clan Iochan member of the Silver Party
Lord Detora of house Tujun and clan Shonzawai member of the Jade Eye Party
However it made me wonder if this simple technique applies to other things. Could I for instance generate Harry Potter Spell names?
Scourliafy
Exlify Muffio
Epihidtor
Accnerro
Fidra
Stuperus
Homfy
Patda
Releous
Gemrondium Lubus
Rictgrarus Salnesius
Furpellido Difate
Dencantadium Homneslo
Libernitem Bombpellido
Totti Morsalucio
Wadgarcio Stupedus
Locolettem
Incanenius
Bombto
Revhidio Impelrius
Turns out it works reasonably well there. Same technique, get a list of spell names, break them into syllable’s and then combine them together to produce what look like spell names from the series.
You can get the source for both of the above at https://github.com/boyter/spells and https://github.com/boyter/empire-building