Museum of Placeholder Names

During the writing process, you sometimes need to name things, like a place or a character, but have nothing in mind. So you write a placeholder, often crummy and lacking in originality, then leave it there until you have something better. Other times, you write what you thought was a permanent name, then change your mind later. Here's a list of placeholders and rejected names, along with their origins.

1. Therioworld-  Since 'therio-' derived from a Greek word for 'animal' or 'beast', I thought I'd incorporate it into the name of the world. This was during a different fantasy project involving a region with talking animals. It was a placeholder name until I decided on an ending for the name. I later decided against 'therio-' entirely, and started messing around with different ideas until I came up with...
2. Talavcein-  Phase two of the world-naming process. I later decided against the 'i', and it became Talavcen.
3. Homeland-  This was the name of the kingdom my main character, Xander, lived in at the beginning of the book. Now called Pruweth.
4. Island-  The name of an island which some of my fantasy stories take place on. Now the Isle of Aesora.
5. Ruthalia-  A kingdom located in a region north of the Isle of Aesora. It was supposed to be the actual name, but was later changed to Rutholle.
6. Lwcusia-  Since Xander had such a miserable time while travelling though a certain kingdom, I thought it would funny to give it a name that means 'good fortune'. But I hadn't decided precisely what to call it, so I just wrote the Welsh word for 'lucky', tacked -ia at the end, and left it to rot in my manuscript. Now called Lucisead (to my characters' relief).
7. L- What Lucisead was called before it became an official kingdom in the timeline.
8. Katherine River-  This was supposed to be the name, until the setting changed and it didn't fit well any more. Since I was attached to the name for whatever reason, we compromised and it's now called the Cathrin River.
9. Draig-  I hadn't decided what to name a dragon species, so I wrote 'dragon' in Welsh. Now called a Rubellius Fire-Drake.
   
10. Whozit-  This name had a remarkably short lifespan, because I couldn't stop laughing when I saw it, wrote it, or even thought it. Now Gwalchmai.
11. Cass-  Taken from an artist name on a playlist. Though I haven't needed to write the name of this elven kingdom, it's technically the placeholder name should I need to reference it. Not replaced yet.
12. Eve Palace-  Another name of a music artist. Currently in use.
13. Coch-  Well, the character was red, so... Still plaguing my characters with its lack of originality.
14. Cerdd-  I didn't know what to call the city, so I took a word from the title of a song I was listening to. I'll fix it someday.
15. King Umm-  Why name the guy when you can just say "Umm..." Still in use.
16. Whatsit ap Whozit-  Two placeholders in one fell swoop. Go me. Still in my manuscript.
17. Indecision- I couldn't decide what to name the character, so... Now called Meinir.
18. Cwm Something-or-another-  Uh, yeah. Also in my manuscript.
19. Llyn Aidynno-  I dunno what to call this lake.
20. Sakhmet-  I started a side project in a new setting, and wound up taking its name directly from a fictional place on Neopets. Eventually I'll replace it with a more original and fitting name.