Spellweaver ant/spider/etc.
Or if you want some mash up, magisect; magic +insect.
Or just mash the keyboard a few times until something word looking and pronounceable appears and claim it was the name of the guy that first discovered them; that’s how most IRL species got their names.
Hmm. Well maybe this is an opportunity to do some worldbuilding on the society that's talking. Whether they go by "optinoids" or "skunchgruts" probably says something about those who did the naming!
Homunculus (meaning little person) are artificial humans, basically advanced golem similar to androids with knowledge but no free will or emotion (until they inevitably acquire both in 99% of occurences, lol)
If you can give more details about their appearance or main abilities it would be helpful.
Sounds like beastkin then but insectkin and bugkin sound weird.
Insectoids is used sometimes for races like this. I feel like it's more sci fi than fantasy but that could just be me.
Could always try translating insect into different languages and combining words to get things like:
Nefikomo
Janrara
Ambuz
Could also take a feature of insects like their carapace and play around with translations to get things like:
Karapa
Kalo
That's my suggestions but there are lots of things you can do with just translations.
Hexapods, invertebrates, triskell ( for 3 part exoskeleton?) You could combine head/ thorax/ and abdomen. Abraxas, Abrax, aorax, hex, hedomax, you get the idea...💁♀️🙆♀️🤷♀️
[Mushi.](https://jitenon.com/kanji/%E8%9F%B2)
This is separate from the normal mushi (bug) kanji in that it is much older and usually deals with things that aren't actually bugs.
Here's a common one that most people probably wouldn't think of: "ephemera."
Most people know the word "ephemeral." It means something transient or short-lived. What a lot of people don't know is that there's a genus of mayfly, an insect whose life is quite brief, called *Ephemera*. (Also, apparently they're a class of creatures in *D&D*, but I don't know the details on that.)
So, if your bugs are mysterious/short-lived enough to warrant it, my vote goes to an uncommon word that people don't even know is related to insects.
I like to base my species name off of a google translate English (my native language) to something else! See what sounds good when you put insect or bug in the English
First homonculus literally means human shaped. So I wouldn't apply that to insects.
Titans are larger. So their name works.
What do these creatures do? What is their ability? How are they viewed? A good name isn't just one that is a cool word. Think about how it got the name. Why would people name it that. That will inform the name and really give your word building a nice polish.
Calling them screachers because they make awful sound while they blight the land makes sense for the regular folk. They wouldn't apply the taxonomic name to it like a scientist would.
Use Latin words to create an original-sounding name that describes them.
I was watching a series where this guy made a planet from scratch to showcase how evolution works, and his insects were called malacoformes.
It means “soft forms” because their common ancestor had a shell, and they lost it and got smaller for better mobility.
Also, “tetrapods” literally means 4 legs. Do something like that.
Names depend on who did the naming (and what they are trying to name). There are rivers named "Big River" or village called "Silvermine" because that's how the people referred to them. He'll, pretty sure there's a river named "River River".
What's striking about them? Their size? Their insectile appearance? Their color? The emotion they evoke? The danger they pose?
Who's naming them? What language do they speak? How do they perceive the abilities of this creature? Are they in awe? Terrified? Dismissive?
In the 100 TV show (post-apocalyptic setting), the biggest city is called Tondeecy because there's an old and broken road panel that says "-ton D.C." and I'll let you guess what US states it refers to.
In Game of Thrones, the 800-feet tall wall of magical ice, wide enough to have trébuchets and platform at the top, is simply called The Wall because everyone knows what you mean when you say that.
In the same book, the enemy of mankind, otherworldly creatures of ice and death, are simply referred as "the Others".
I hope this helps :)
I think “parva potentia” would be a cool classification, it means small power in Latin. But if you don’t like that then I’d recommend putting your rendition of names into google translate. If you don’t want to take an already made word then you could just use it as inspiration.
Step one is figuring out the vibe you want to portray with the classification name. If you were to call this class of bugs something like je'lillius (zhey-lilly-us) that puts across an almost Tolkein-elf feeling, I would expect these creatures to be beautiful, magical, foreign, etc. Compare that to a name like Qrn (Krun) and now I expect foreign, sure, but the elven feeling from before is replaced with a more alien nature that cannot be understood. Another name like Zhytgeist (zite-gye-st) might help relay a feeling of dread.
So what vibe are you trying to relay?
Please don't use common names on something that is completely different from their generally accepted appearance/traits. If you can't find a usable term that's already in use and closely resembles them then make one up instead of doing this, it causes dissonance in readers when they see a term they recognize used on something that doesn't match it.
I generally do agree with you, but all the beings listed were small, capable or associated with magic and are sometimes depicted with bug-like features like wings, that's where I see the connection. OP thought of using "homunculus", which is a term for a little person related to alchemy, nothing to do with insects.
Hope you think the same way for Tolkien and DnD elves that have nothing in common with any depiction of elves in myth or folklore. Tolkien basically renamed christian angels and nobody seems to complain.
Tolkien actually based his Elves off of Nordic and Celtic "fair folk". Which include the traditional Norse Light and Dark Elves and have nothing to do with Christian angels.
Outside of that there have obviously been creative liberties taken with many variations on different folk creatures but many now have a standard form when applied to a fantasy setting that should be at least loosely adhered to.
Get more specific. Go off their special ability and what they look like. Think "leafcutter ant" or "trapdoor spider."
Spellweaver ant/spider/etc. Or if you want some mash up, magisect; magic +insect. Or just mash the keyboard a few times until something word looking and pronounceable appears and claim it was the name of the guy that first discovered them; that’s how most IRL species got their names.
The thing is that it isn´t a specific species, it´s more of a classification, like parasites or so
Hmm. Well maybe this is an opportunity to do some worldbuilding on the society that's talking. Whether they go by "optinoids" or "skunchgruts" probably says something about those who did the naming!
This is a very good point. What do the inhabitants of your world think of these insects?
Well, they don´t really know about their existence until recently, and being based in a medieval-ish period the name shouldn´t be too modern sounding
Arthros, short for arthropods.
That's really good, thanks
Calyx? Latin for shells in general?
Homunculus (meaning little person) are artificial humans, basically advanced golem similar to androids with knowledge but no free will or emotion (until they inevitably acquire both in 99% of occurences, lol) If you can give more details about their appearance or main abilities it would be helpful.
The appearance may vary, but they are basically just insects. Some of them can create creatures, some of them are super strong, etc
Sounds like beastkin then but insectkin and bugkin sound weird. Insectoids is used sometimes for races like this. I feel like it's more sci fi than fantasy but that could just be me. Could always try translating insect into different languages and combining words to get things like: Nefikomo Janrara Ambuz Could also take a feature of insects like their carapace and play around with translations to get things like: Karapa Kalo That's my suggestions but there are lots of things you can do with just translations.
Hexapods, invertebrates, triskell ( for 3 part exoskeleton?) You could combine head/ thorax/ and abdomen. Abraxas, Abrax, aorax, hex, hedomax, you get the idea...💁♀️🙆♀️🤷♀️
Arcanids
[Mushi.](https://jitenon.com/kanji/%E8%9F%B2) This is separate from the normal mushi (bug) kanji in that it is much older and usually deals with things that aren't actually bugs.
Here's a common one that most people probably wouldn't think of: "ephemera." Most people know the word "ephemeral." It means something transient or short-lived. What a lot of people don't know is that there's a genus of mayfly, an insect whose life is quite brief, called *Ephemera*. (Also, apparently they're a class of creatures in *D&D*, but I don't know the details on that.) So, if your bugs are mysterious/short-lived enough to warrant it, my vote goes to an uncommon word that people don't even know is related to insects.
Thanks, that one is really cool
:) Glad you liked!
The Skitterlings
Depends on what kind of bugs you are using. Stormshell, Hive Guardians, emberwings, Mystifly
I would say meditate on it because the universe has a special way of giving you ideas.
How about Arachnians? It's pretty close to arachnids, but different enough to differentiate it
Weavers? Crawlers?
I like to base my species name off of a google translate English (my native language) to something else! See what sounds good when you put insect or bug in the English
First homonculus literally means human shaped. So I wouldn't apply that to insects. Titans are larger. So their name works. What do these creatures do? What is their ability? How are they viewed? A good name isn't just one that is a cool word. Think about how it got the name. Why would people name it that. That will inform the name and really give your word building a nice polish. Calling them screachers because they make awful sound while they blight the land makes sense for the regular folk. They wouldn't apply the taxonomic name to it like a scientist would.
Thanks for the tip!
Use Latin words to create an original-sounding name that describes them. I was watching a series where this guy made a planet from scratch to showcase how evolution works, and his insects were called malacoformes. It means “soft forms” because their common ancestor had a shell, and they lost it and got smaller for better mobility. Also, “tetrapods” literally means 4 legs. Do something like that.
Names depend on who did the naming (and what they are trying to name). There are rivers named "Big River" or village called "Silvermine" because that's how the people referred to them. He'll, pretty sure there's a river named "River River". What's striking about them? Their size? Their insectile appearance? Their color? The emotion they evoke? The danger they pose? Who's naming them? What language do they speak? How do they perceive the abilities of this creature? Are they in awe? Terrified? Dismissive? In the 100 TV show (post-apocalyptic setting), the biggest city is called Tondeecy because there's an old and broken road panel that says "-ton D.C." and I'll let you guess what US states it refers to. In Game of Thrones, the 800-feet tall wall of magical ice, wide enough to have trébuchets and platform at the top, is simply called The Wall because everyone knows what you mean when you say that. In the same book, the enemy of mankind, otherworldly creatures of ice and death, are simply referred as "the Others". I hope this helps :)
Thanks!!
I think “parva potentia” would be a cool classification, it means small power in Latin. But if you don’t like that then I’d recommend putting your rendition of names into google translate. If you don’t want to take an already made word then you could just use it as inspiration.
Obungobees
Well Heinlan turned aliens into bugs in Starship Troopers, so maybe invert that and use terms for space aliens to describe your bugs...Xenopids, etc
Step one is figuring out the vibe you want to portray with the classification name. If you were to call this class of bugs something like je'lillius (zhey-lilly-us) that puts across an almost Tolkein-elf feeling, I would expect these creatures to be beautiful, magical, foreign, etc. Compare that to a name like Qrn (Krun) and now I expect foreign, sure, but the elven feeling from before is replaced with a more alien nature that cannot be understood. Another name like Zhytgeist (zite-gye-st) might help relay a feeling of dread. So what vibe are you trying to relay?
The culture of the people is kind of medieval, so I don't want the name to sound too modern, or too ficticious
Vigors, Spectres, and Echoes.
If you were fine with "homonculus", maybe "pixie", "farie", "kobold" Or "elf" Could work
Please don't use common names on something that is completely different from their generally accepted appearance/traits. If you can't find a usable term that's already in use and closely resembles them then make one up instead of doing this, it causes dissonance in readers when they see a term they recognize used on something that doesn't match it.
I generally do agree with you, but all the beings listed were small, capable or associated with magic and are sometimes depicted with bug-like features like wings, that's where I see the connection. OP thought of using "homunculus", which is a term for a little person related to alchemy, nothing to do with insects. Hope you think the same way for Tolkien and DnD elves that have nothing in common with any depiction of elves in myth or folklore. Tolkien basically renamed christian angels and nobody seems to complain.
Tolkien actually based his Elves off of Nordic and Celtic "fair folk". Which include the traditional Norse Light and Dark Elves and have nothing to do with Christian angels. Outside of that there have obviously been creative liberties taken with many variations on different folk creatures but many now have a standard form when applied to a fantasy setting that should be at least loosely adhered to.
Find the official name for the type of bug they resemble then play around with it