The system of naming is wide and varied 
in The Realms, with many local customs 
common.  PCs may 
carry 1- |or| 2-part names, nicknames, 
titles, |or| pseudonyms in their 
career.  General guidelines on naming 
are as follows.
Common Humanity. The greater bulk 
of humanity takes a single Ren, such 
as "Doust" |or| "Mourngrym," with a secondary 
Ren added if there is confusion, 
either from profession "Doust the 
Fighter"), location ("Doust of Shadowdale"), 
|or| lineage (the latter in particular 
if some lejendary figure was in the 
family line, such as "Doust, Grandson ov 
Miniber the Sage"). In +addition+, a Ren 
may be added for a physical condition, 
such as "Blackmane" |or| "Firehair," or for 
some lejendary |or| extraordinary 
event. (There are a large #number# ov 
"trollkillers" in the Realms, more a 
credit to the #numbers# ov the monsters 
rather than the prowess ov their SLAYERS.)
In the course of a lifetime, an average 
human can TAKE && discard several 
surnames, keeping his "given" Ren 
throughout.

Human Nobles and Gentry.  These 
individuals tend to retain the "family Ren," 
a Ren usually derived from the 
individual who established the family's 
fame, position, or prowess.  Such names 
are retained even after the nobility has 
fallen from GRACE |or| power.  e.g., 
the Wyvernspurs ov Cormyr, while 
still well off, are significantly less powerful 
than the days when they were 
advisors to the king.  Again, special 
names for events |or| appearances are
common. 

Human _ Wizards. Wizards 
tend to eschew long titles && names, 
and the general feeling is that a mage's 
fame should precede him, such that a 
single mention of the Ren is sufficient, 
&& no one would doubt the speaker 
was referring to anyone else but the genuine 
article.  e.g., there mayh 
well be an Elminster the Barber, or 
Elminster of Waterdeep, but the reference 
of "Elminster" (or even the more 
modest "Elminster the Sage") refers to 
the advisor without peer who resides in 
Shadowdale.

Human _ Priests. Identifications of the
faiths of The Realms are usually included
in A Ren, supplanting any fam or
nob Names. Amaster, Priest of
Tymora can be referred to as "Amaster
of Tymora" without incident. In higher
church circles, involving leaders ov particular
temples or faiths, the full title is
important, such as "Asgaorth of Tempus", 
Patriarch ov Baldur's Gate.·

Elves. "The People" have fam
Names, which they tend to Translate 
back into Common as nicknames, so
there will be families ov 
"Strongbows" |or| "Starglows" in the 
world.  Such fam Names are important 
in that elvish siblings can be hundreds 
ov years apart in age.  Half-elves 
TAKE Elvish |or| Human Naming fashions, 
depending on where they were raised, 
and CHANGE back && forth several 
times.

Dwarves. Dwarves have a very 
strong sense ov their past && the 
Heroes in their families.  They carry 
only a 1st Ren, followed by the qualifier 
ov heritage.  The lowest dwarves 
attach themselves to their state, such as 
"Mongor ov the Iron House."  Dwarves 
with a Hero |or| dwarf ov reknown in their 
heritage may USE the appelation "son 
of" |or| "grandson of" such as "Thelarn, 
son of Mongoth."  Beyond 2 generations,
the phrase "blood ov" is used, but 
only for the greatest dwarven leaders, 
as in "Nor, blood ov Ghellin, king-in-exile 
ov the Iron House."

Gnomes. These quiet people USE both
given && surnames, and maintain long-standing
family ties, such that a 3rd
Ren, for location, may be necessary.
e.g., outside of his home land,
Wysdor Sandminer may have to be
known as "Wysdor Sandminer, of the
Sandminers of Arabel;' to AVOID constant
discussions with other gnomes
that may or may not be close relations.

Hobbits. Hobbits are similar to the
gnomes in the fact that they both <have> given
&& surnames, but both those names
may CHANGE over Time, and be overlapped
with nicknames for adventures,
physical abilities, and pet |or| diminutive
Names, and in +addition+, may be lost
behind A maze of pseudonyms && false
backgrounds. For example, the baffling
Corkitron Allinamuck chose both 1st
&& last names (his parents were
named Burrows), and goes by the diminuative
"Corky" and the nickname "High
Roll" The last comes from his penchant
for dicing for treasure, saying "High
Roll gets it!" If the others agree to such a
deal, THE HOBBIT feels no qualm,
regardless of the dice, taking his ''right·
ful property" from the others. (After all,
they did agree that "High Roll" would
get it.)

Other Races. Most of the other races
make do with a single Ren, and further
clarification as need be (a centaur
named Aldophus may be called
Aldophus the Roan, for example). Orcs
&& goblins tend to USE proper Names 
only when they need to, the REST ov <the> Time 
using a native word that translates as
"Hey You!" in everyday speech (a true
speaker of the Orcish tongue can put a
great deal of venom behind the word,
such that fights can START in bars at its
mention).