> > There were 319 entries from 19 people. Here's how I've proceeded so far:
> >
> > 2 entries were removed for having non-alphabetical/punctuational characters.
> >
> > 60 further entries were removed for being too difficult to pronounce or for having overly unwieldy spelling.
> >
> > 65 further entries were removed for being obvious joke names, being too goofy-sounding, being existing proper nouns or slight variations thereof, having other possible ill connotations, or having multiple words, hyphens, or apostrophes (many of these were very good otherwise).
> >
> > 91 further entries were removed because...well, I didn't think they sounded like good names for a world (though many could be used for names of other places, people, or creatures). I just went through the list once at this step, so further removals could occur for the same reason later. Oh, and a few names were remarkably similar to names I already have in the game, so out those went too.
> >
> > The 100 names that survived the first round: Arden Arula Avekros Avendan Azurland Baikal Bedivah Brinaria Brunoria Cades Cagnaise Chaudesse Cohl Commoria Constinus Contrale Coridan Cretus Decidlim Dioland Dium Dominae Elvandalay Galapha Gardia Gensia Ghanst Ghartho Glamis Glimeria Gliretna Halliway Hinsop Hykuca Illyria Indire Ivee Juinig Kanda Kertal Kieran Krangor Kyon Leras Leuti Liland Llanran Lochidia Loffoar Loniniria Lutius Madoetis Mantae Mantos Mayana Megela Melochia Nalal Negish Norud Nuparia Nystrom Oncrist Pallyont Pembroake Perthana Plothor Pordio Quetzel Quise Rasulda Remious Rethukyon Rhistam Riben Ritsma Rivulet Ryglan Ryshia Sagua Sarta Scinth Solesta Spica Sulamica Sullahar Talerion Tanas Tannit Taylon Telenor Tintica Vanat Varnoglyn Velzador Whuria Xilvia Yeata Yinote Zebes
>
> I thought you said you did not allow existing proper names? Kieran is a boy's name in some European countries. Spica is a star's name. Nystrom isn't a real proper name - but if you add diaeresis so it becomes Nyström, it's a Swedish surname, literally "new stream".

I might add that Spica is not one of those stupid, obscure, fake names -- which astronomers never recognize -- for ultra-dim stars that the star-"selling" frauds advertise. Spica is an actual, well-known, recognized-by-astronomers name for one of the 21 brightest stars in the sky.

In addition, Baikal is a HUGE, deep lake in Russia, near the Mongolian border.

And Illyria is a region in what used to be Yugoslavia. Specifically, it refers to a coastal region that Napoleon annexed during the war.

Lucky "Something that just occurred to me: why do we refer to Napoleon by his first name? It just occurred to me that, with the sole exception of Napoleon, when most people know both a first name and a surname for a famous leader, they refer to him by the surname -- and Napoleon's surname is certainly well-known... OK, I'm off on a tangent..." Wizard