Medeival & Roman names

[Pangur Bán]

Just to add, names reflect social background. For instance, in republican Rome, an equestrian has only two names (e.g. Caius Marius) and a (Senatorial) aristocrat has three (e.g. Cnaeus Cornelius Scipio) but can inherit more depending on the success of his family (e.g. Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Aemilianus). In the early imperial period, barbarians take the Roman name of whatever Roman patron the family had when it first received citizenship. In the later period, Republican name rules break down completely, and host of barbarian and semi-barbarian names become common.

Just to make the point, if you want it accurate, you need to give names according to the social background, regional background and time period the story is set.

 

[Cashie]

Just us[e] Rome Total War

Do NOT use Rome: Total War as a source for Roman names if you're trying to get any sense of historical accuracy.

Also: Kaeso (or Caeso) IIRC was a first-name (praenomen) which was essentially limited to the Fabii. There were several praenomina limited to certain families. Mamercus is another example, limited to the Aemimilii Lepidi (eg. Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus).

Most of the Famous Families in Republican times had set names and orders in which they were used.
The Julii favoured Sextus, Lucius & Gaius. The patrician Claudii liked Appius (Claudii Pulchri), Gaius, Publius, Tiberius (Nerones) - the plebeian Claudii (Marcelli) did use Marcus, but not the patricians. Cornelii: Publius, Lucius, Gnaeus. The Cornelii Scipiones liked to acculate extra cognina (eg Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica among others) as did the Caecilii Metelli family (eg. four generations of Caecili Metelli, with an adoption to round things out: Quintus Caecilius Metellus Calvus, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Cornelianus Scipio Nasica)

Most Roman women didn't get a name in their own right, Caesar's daughter was simply Julia, if she had another sister she would be Julilla (Little Julia) otherwise they got the incredibly dull Prima, Secunda, Tertia, etc

Naming depends a lot on the time as well, naming conventions tended to vary a lot with time, by the Late Empire the 3-name structure was virtually non-existant

 

[storealex]

Gorm den Gamle (Gorm the Old)
Harald Blåtand (Harald Bluetooth)
Svend Tveskæg (Svend Twobeards)
Valdemar Sejr (Valdemar Victor)
Valdemar Atter Dag (Valdemar an other Day)

Northern medieval King names.