Hi everyone,
how do I name my alien race? Everything I think of turns out to be too similar to something else someone else has written. I think the problem is, I've read too much science-fiction and now its impossible not to plagarise!

Any ideas?

What a fab question!

A quick google turned up a brute-force approach provided by an article from Recreational Computing that generates names:

http://www.abooks.com/alien/

but I wonder if there's a better version like those programmes that generate your hooker name from the name of your first pet and the street where you first lived, etc.

Anyway, here's a couple more alien-naming sites:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LawOfAlienNames

http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/humanoid.htm

You will probably never see a race of peaceful agrarians with names such as "Gorthog" or "Churgzak," nor will you ever see a race of bloody warriors with names like "Mathiella" or "Farlian". You can bet that someplace called "Jakrizag" isn't going to be a world of green meadows and fluffy bunnies.

So true.

Thank you so much Toast.

I had considered naming them Toastarians, but then I thought, nah...

Seriously, they now have a name for their species, and a home planet. I've even checked its not a rude word in other languages.

I had considered naming them Toastarians, but then I thought, nah...

Have to say I agree - they would sound like a race that just sits around on the sofa eating, well, toast and watching Midsomer Murders.

Seriously, they now have a name for their species, and a home planet. I've even checked its not a rude word in other languages.

I think that's essential and it's a pity that other authors don't have your forward-lookingness. Norwegian Jo Nesbo's thriller hero is called Harry Hole, even though JN speaks perfect English and must have known. Very unfortunate.