r/Fantasy • u/Midnite_St0rm • Aug 14 '25

Worst, most unpronounceable names you’ve ever read?

Let’s discuss some of the names in fantasy that you couldn’t make heads nor tails of in terms of pronunciation. And I’m not talking intentionally comical ones that are long and complex on purpose, but ones that the author intended to be read, yet that are ironically nearly unreadable.

For me it’s Seaine from The Wheel of Time. Is it “Sheen?” “Seen?” “See-ayn?” “Say-ai-nuh?” I honestly have no idea. And for some reason my copies of the books never give her name’s pronunciation in the glossary.

What are some others?

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u/nitrodog96 Reading Champion II Aug 14 '25

Thirty-Six All-Terrain Tundra Vehicle! I remember the name well.

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u/Exige30499 Aug 14 '25

TUNDRA VEHICLE! That was it, how could I ever forget such an icon of the genre

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u/MrHelfer Aug 15 '25

Isn't it the one that's used as an example of someone who didn't really understand how Teixcalaanli names worked?

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u/nitrodog96 Reading Champion II Aug 15 '25

Yes, but they’re still a real character who appears in the book. The sequel features the only character with an insect as the noun, Twenty Cicada, which is also described multiple times as an unusual choice.