I'm working on my map of Lamar right now and naming regions is fine but I can't seem to find what I should name the rivers. Now I'm not asking for any specific names, but I'd like to know how to go about choosing a name. Everything I name has a meaning but for a river what should that be?

Think about the river's history, it's meaning to the surrounding people, it's shape, any legends the river is used in, it's behavior, even what animals are in it.

Say the river is part of a legend of how a god came to be. They might name it [god's name] River.

If it's path is winding, it may be called the Snake River. If it curls into a wobbly spiral, the Swirler River.

Maybe a battle happened on it's shores. If it was a tragedy, Weeping River. A victory, it may be named after the leader.

If the people have never found it's source, it might be calling Unending River.

I know, a lot of those names are unoriginal. These are just examples to give you an idea of the possibilities. It might also help you to look up the origins of the names of famous rivers.

I like those ideas Kat.

Some rivers are named after colours which I think is an interesting idea, or after women or men who have done some great deed for their country. Sometimes rivers are named after the state they're in which I think is quite nice, although maybe not very original.

I actually have a river called the Snake River.

In general I just make up a name, but if I want a river's name to have meaning, I usually get the name from something related to water or the history of the river.

My world is young so it doesn't have much history yet... But here's what I got

Liyaluge: Dragon Flood

Brenkon: Brink (it's the edge of the human populated world)

Merxridan: Merchant Road

Vodesirt: Water of Rewards

I still have one to name but this was all very helpful.

Those are all very creative, Rin! I especially like Merchant Road. Let me guess what it's mainly used for. I'm glad we helped.

Yea, I like them too Riniel. Glad we helped.

Lastly: Noranzekwan: Sees no rank

I like "Brenkon" best, but they're all wonderfully creative!

When I make up names, I like to translate a relevant word into various foreign languages for ideas. So to name a river, I might look up "river," "water," "wet," etc. in French, German, or whatever language fit the feel I was going for. I either use the name straight or adapt it.

Those were great suggestions, Droid!

I do this as well. Mainly, though, when I don't do that I name the river after a person who had something to do with the History. =)

eruheran

Same way you name anything else. After the person who found it, or an event that happened there, or a trait of the river.

For instance, one of my favorite named bodies of water in my area is called "Calf-killler."

We have Dry Fork, South Fork, and Barren. (boring)

Non-bodies of water with unique names are Hanging Fork and Nobob.

My, probably redundant, two cents.

you should name a river Spoon so it can be the south fork of Spoon

I know

Or 'The River of Tears' if they lost a great king or warrior.