Centipede Name Generator

Begin with a quick sighting

Generate a few centipede names and imagine the moment the animal crosses a gap in the leaves. Undulating Dart brings the movement to mind. Claw Tunnel could fit a creature that someone keeps finding near the same crack. Read both names in a line about what a person saw. If you are drawing, try the names under the same picture and see whether each makes you notice the movement or the hiding place.

Say the full name and a shorter form

Viper King might work when a story introduces a centipede with a reputation. In a quick exchange someone might use only part of the name. Read the full and short forms aloud. You can keep the full name under an illustration or in the first line of a scene, then try the short form in dialogue. Let readers see both near each other if you plan to use them later.

Compare the names of animals in the same scene

If two centipedes turn up together, say their names in the order you see the animals. Try Undulating Dart and Amber Legs. The first suggests motion and the second brings color to mind. Write a sentence in which one animal crosses a bare patch and the other stays against a stone. If you cannot tell who moved without reading the first line again, try a different beginning for one name or give one animal a shorter name.

Try the name after the centipede disappears

Save two candidates and write a line someone would say after the sighting. They might point to a crack or draw a curve in the dirt to show where the animal went. If you are making an illustration, put both options under a second sketch where only part of the animal is visible. Choose the name that brings back the first sighting and that a person could say again after the surprise has passed. Read it once more in the observer’s own voice.