[Shimrod]

There are [understatement coming up] a lot of fantasy books with I don’t know how many different names for characters, countries, places and so forth. So each time a writer wants to start a new series he/she has to invent a whole set of new names without any resemblence with existing names in the genre. How do they do that? I have been thinking for a while if there are any doubles in the fantasy world. The best I can come with is Sparrowhawk from Ursula leGuin and Sparhawk from David Eddings. There must be more I guess. Any suggestions?

[Rob B]

Eowen in Shannara and Eowyn in LOTR

[Alle]

Tam in WoT and Tam in the Swan's War. I *know* there are others, but I need to get back to work. :-)

[Lifino]

Wasn't Pug a main character in atleast two different author's books? I forget which ones though... Always hated that name!

[Sammie]

Pug = in Magician. Don't know another, though.

[Loque]

well, Pug was the lead character in Feist's Magician, but other than that I have no idea

[Loque]

hmmm, ooops, got cut-off halfway through posting that so I was a bit late, oh well

[kegasaurus]

There's afew Tanis's going around. The half-human in Dragonlance, a guy from Eddings Ellenium books and another one I come across, but can't remember.

Salvatore generally gets his names from greek mythology.

[Sammie]

A few authors seem to take Welsh names, rather than make up new ones (i actually quite like this), so i believe there are at least a couple of "Gwydion"s floating around, for example.