"What's in a name?" Topic

I suspect I am not the only one who finds making up names a chore. I still have old D&D style supplements with name-creation methods or systems. This is the sort of job an AI can now do quickly.

For CYNTHIA ANN'S WAR both sides are going to be dealing with names of characters, especially raid leaders and militia and ranger commanders. In the case of the Comanche, their names were expected to change as a result of major life events.

In the case of the Texans nicknames were often important -- see "Bigfoot Wallace" and "Deaf" Smith -- and there was also "what was your name in the states?"

But it is hard enough to come up with lots of names, much less change them more or less regularly. But my own feeling is that in skirmish level games every fighter ought to be named and the leaders especially so.

What was your name in the States?
Was it Thompson or Johnson or Bates?
Did you happen to draw on your mother-in-law?
Or sink the old lady with weights, my friend
Eh, What was you name in the States?…Oh!

What was your name in the States?
Was it Murphy, MacDonald or Gates?
Did you hold up a bank as a juvenile prank
And pack up the money in crates, my friend
What was your name in the States?…Tell the truth…

What was your name in the States?
Now yuh must have had some honest traits (I doubt it)
Did you try to abscond with a beautiful blond?
Such minor offenses we tolerates
Eh, What was your name in the States?

Sure, an' what was your name in New York?
Was it Clancy, O'Toole or O'Rourke?
Are you wanted for life 'cause you left your poor wife
When she caught you sniffing a cork, my friend
What was your name in New York?

What was your name in the East?
And how recently was you released?
Are you ridin' the rails 'cause you held up the mails?
Or was it the females you held, you beast!
Oh, What was your name in the East?

Oh, what was your name in the States?
Though you've suffered the cruelest of fates
'Way out here in the West ev'ry body's a guest
So line up and fill up your plates, my friend
Who ever you are in the States!

Brings back memories of seeing How the West was Won in san antonio's majestic theater back in my younger days!

Great flick! My junior year in high school. We drove to Dallas to see it.

You can buy it at Amazon for $6 USD I think.

When I was giving name for colonial troops, I found old Methodist hymnals contained a good selection of names for Boer and British troops. So that source would work for frontiersman.