In a previous issue of DRAGON magazine, Mark Whisler (#34,
p. 27) discussed the problem of bland, inappropriate names in
rote-playing fantasy. His solution was a name generating table
producing excellent and evocative last names. Unfortunately,
while names like Horsa Claw Weaver or Euin Hawkwood stir the
IMAGINATION, an uninspired choice of first names can render a
Wilbur Stormblade or a Leroy Sure Shadow. This is to say that
even the best surname is diminished by a character’s unwisely
chosen given name.

For this reason, listed below are several score names from the
chronicles and sagas of Dark Age peoples. The selection is
confined to those European groups who come out of the darkness after the fall of Classical civilization. Undoubtedly, this
period best reflects the spirit of the D&D and AD&D games, a
time when races are young and civilization has not quite dispelled the belief in old gods and monsters of the nightfall.

Anglo-Saxons
Germanic people, the Anglo-Saxons settled in England at the
end of Roman rule. Although neglected by historians, they
excelled both in war and the civilized arts.
 
 

-	Males	-	Females
1	Arwold	1	Aebba
2	Bede	2	Aelflaid
3	Beornwine	3	Asthelberg
4	Caedmon	4	Aethelthryth
5	Cerdic	5	Baldhild
6	Ecgric	6	Bebba
7	Egbert	7	Begu
8	Gefmund	8	Cwenburg
9	Hangist	9	Cyneburh
10	Hewald	10	Cynwise
11	Horsa	11	Eafe
12	Ingwold	12	Eanflaed
13	Luidhard	13	Fara
14	Nothelm	14	Frigyth
15	Octa	15	Hilda
16	Osric	16	Hildelith
17	Raedwald	17	Osthryth
18	Swaefred	18	Ricula
19	Tunberht	19	Saethryth
20	Wuffa	20	Verca

Byzantines
Survivors of the Roman Empire, the Byzantines were a mixed
people of Greek, Slavic and Asian stock. Practical and conservative, the Byzantines maintained the most civilized state in
Europe in the face of invading Bulgars, Arabs and Turks.
 

-	Males	-	Females
1	Adralestos	1	Agnes
2	Adrian	2	Anastasia
3	Akronion	3	Anna
4	Alexius	4	Comito
5	Andronicus	5	Eudocia
6	Bardas	6	Euphemia
7	Constantius	7	Helena
8	Demetrius	8	Irene
9	Eustratius	9	Joannina
10	Euthymius	10	Justina
11	Heraclius	11	Lupicina
12	Joannaces	12	Martina
13	Justin	13	Passara
14	Leontius	14	Sittas
15	Nicephorus	15	Sophia
16	Nicetas	16	Thecla
17	Phocas	17	Theodora
18	Synesios	18	Theophano
19	Theodorus	19	Vigilantia
20	Theophilus	20	Zoe

Irish
Fighters, poets and mystics, the Irish have a way of making
one believe that there is something of magic in their often conquered, but never subdued, island home. The Irish respect for
their own pagan past preserved many early traditions lost by
such peoples as the Germans and the Slavs.
 
 

-	Males	-	Females
1	Ailill	1	Ailinn
2	Began	2	Aine
3	Brendan	3	Aynia
4	Bresal	4	Badb
5	Cerbhall	5	Becuma
6	Colum	6	Brigit
7	Conchobhar	7	Cliodna
8	Culann	8	Deirdre
9	Cynyr	9	Emer
10	Diarmaid	10	Etain
11	Donnan	11	Ethnea
12	Eoghan	12	Fand
13	Erim	13	Fiona
14	Ferghus	14	Grainne
15	Gwiawn	15	Lethrenn
16	Maelen	16	Liban
17	Medr	17	Luchair
18	Morfran	18	Medhbh
19	Senan	19	Niamh
20	Uchdryd	20	Oenghus

Kievans
Long before there was a Russian Empire, there was Kiev — a
little-remembered civilization beyond medieval Europe. The
Kievan was a forester and a farmer, toughened by unending
conflict with the wild horsemen of the steppes.
 
 

-	Males	-	Females
1	Ainalov	1	Alga
2	Andrei	2	Annushka
3	Basil	3	Dobrodeia
4	Boris	4	Evfimia
5	Dimitri	5	Eufrosinia
6	Iaropolk	6	Evpraksia
7	Ilarion	7	Ianka
8	Luri	8	Iaroslavna
9	Leszek	9	Irina
10	Mstislav	10	Lanka
11	Oleg	11	Lybed
12	Roman	12	Maluska
13	Sviatogor	13	Marfa
14	Sviatopolk	14	Natalia
15	Sviatoslav	15	Peredslava
16	Vasiliev	16	Rogneda
17	Vasilko	17	Stefanida
18	Vladimir	18	Tamara
19	Volodar	19	Xenia
20	Vsevolod	20	Yuliania

Lombards
The last of the Germanic-speaking invaders of Europe, the
Lombards struggled long with Byzantium for control of Italy.
They were finally overthrown by Charlemagne, but Lombardy
still evokes their memory.
 
 

-	Males	-	Females
1	Agelmund	1	Alpsuinda
2	Aldoin	2	Aurona
3	Alichis	3	Austrigusa
4	Claffo	4	Brunihilde
5	Cleph	5	Flutsuinda
6	Euin	6	Frea
7	Giselpert	7	Gambara
8	Gisulf	8	Gundiperga
9	Gudeoc	9	Guntrut
10	Hilmaegis	10	Ranicuinda
11	Hildeoc	11	Ratperga
12	Ibor	12	Rodelinda
13	Lamissio	13	Rosemund
14	Rodolf	14	Rumestruda
15	Rodonus	15	Salinga
16	Rothari	16	Theuderata
17	Waccho	17	Walderada
18	Walcari	18	Wigilinda
19	Wechtari	19	Winiperga
20	Zabsn	20	Wisegarda

Merovingians
Frankish invaders, established as a ruling class in Roman
Gaul, the Merovingians were turbulent individualists whose
quarrels made the early history of France colorful and violent.
 

-	Males	-	Females
1	Ansovald	1	Audovera
2	Bertefred	2	Austrechild
3	Chilperic	3	Basina
4	Chlodobert	4	Berthegund
5	Dagobert	5	Chlodosind
6	Dragolen	6	Clotild
7	Eberulf	7	Fredegund
8	Guntram	8	Galswinth
9	Ingomer	9	Guntheuc
10	Leudast	10	Ingoberg
11	Lothar	11	Ingund
12	Malulf	12	Leuba
13	Marovech	13	Macatrude
14	Pharamond	14	Markovefa
15	Rikulf	15	Maroflede
16	Sigibert	16	Radegund
17	Syrivald	17	Regonthe
18	Theodebert	18	Theodohilda
19	Thorismund	19	Ultragotha
20	Trudulf	20	Veneranda

Vikings
    The sea rovers of the Scandinavian north need no introduction. Pirates && colonizers, worshipers of Odin && Thor, the
the Vikings made the world their prey and drove themselves like a dagger into the histories of a dozen other European nations.

-	Males	-	Females
1	Bjami	1	Addrun
2	Bjorn	2	Asa
3	Cnut	3	Asfrid
4	Egil	4	Aslaug
5	Gunnar	5	Bekkhild
6	Grifir	6	Borghild
7	Hamdir	7	Brynhild
8	Horik	8	Fredegand
9	Ivar	9	Glaumvor
10	Kalf	10	Grimhild
11	Ligni	11	Gudrun
12	Magnus	12	Hjordis
13	Ragnar	13	Kara
14	Sigurd	14	Kostbera
15	Skuli	15	Ljod
16	Swein	16	Sieglinde
17	Thorfinn	17	Signy
18	Thorvald	18	Sigrun
19	Tostig	19	Swanhild
20	Yngvar	20	Thyri