Naming contest top picks so far (Update: We have a winner!)

[x4000]

This is referring to the contest here: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12768.0.html

Basically, that thread is getting huge (which is great!), and I wanted to have a thread where I could just list all my top picks.  I don't have time to give specific feedback on every name that is being suggested thus far, so I'm just going to collect the ones I really like into this locked thread for now.

Vanadia - Coppermantis
Valoria -- nas1m
Archean -- Diazo
Precipice -- Aspect
Canthor -- Oralordos
Mythorin -- Teal_Blue
Astra -- Histidine
Arinor -- Moonshine Fox
Aethra -- Aquohn
Tairel -- Misery
Asanthia -- Misery
Vyneria -- Frelor
Alerius -- Frelor

[x4000]

Okay, I've been away from this contest for a while while I've been working and people have been piling on the awesome suggestions!  Here are the standouts to me from since I've last gone through the thread:

Chronaria - Faulty Logic
Estia - Hearteater
Farrow - Hearteater
Luminith - Hearteater
Følån - zharmad
Gaios - zharmad


I think that I've made my decision, but am going to give these one more once-over before being absolutely sure.

[x4000]

And the winner is... Luminith!  By Hearteater.

There were a ton of suggestions that I really liked a lot, but this one has pretty well everything I was looking for:
- It doesn't sound like other names I've heard before.
- But it's not hard to pronounce or read.
- It has not one but TWO relevant root words "Lumen" (light) and "Zenith" (the top of something).  Those are thematically super relevant, too.
- As a small bonus, it also has a word ending that does not end in "ia," which as some folks has pointed out is super common in world names in fiction.
- Beyond that, it's just the one that struck me the most, though everything on the list above struck me.


Congratulations (and huge thanks) to Hearteater!  Please PM me on how you'd like your name to appear in the credits; just Hearteater is fine, or we can do something else if you prefer.  Josh will also make sure you're included in the first round of the alpha, with a free copy of the game.

Thanks for participating, everyone!  It was a tough choice, as there were so many great submissions even that were not listed in this thread.

[Aquohn]

No free game .

Oh well. Onward with the development!

[Histidine]

Congrats!

"Lumen" (light) and "Zenith" (the top of something)

Spire sue for copyright infringement.

[LayZboy]

Murdoch should be the Muns named after a god who was fighting the devils army had to retreat to the Mun to build up his forces to strike back and eventually won, and the Mun has bore his name ever since.

[x4000]

Actually, Murdoch is incorporated into the game, via the yellow bandits.

[PokerChen]

Added bonus: They both have roots in the same language (Latin). I looked up the etymology of Zenith, and it was apparently invented via a translation error of arabic.

Also curious on pronunciation - I would put first syllable stress on Luminith. What do people think?

[Aklyon]

Not to be spoiling the fun, but That is really close to the name of the Luminoth from Metroid Prime 2. No one in this game (I assume) are giant alien moths who were good friends with the chozo, but I thought I'd mention that.

[x4000]

Ah -- well, everything is similar to something else, I guess.  In this case that's a rather older game and not something that would be confused with this one.  From a legal sense there's no issue at all in general, but I also don't like stepping on the toes of other game devs.  I don't think that's happening here.

[PokerChen]

Well, for anything older than X years, it's considered a homage?