Are you copy+pasting the culture (e.g. Viking "but in fantasy!"), or are you being inspired by the culture to create something new?

If the latter, call it whatever makes sense within the fictional culture you create - maybe use that fictional culture's language's word for 'warrior' or something (Viking might mean "men of the bay" - but apparently that isn't certain). In English, we seem to name the people off of the geographical region (Chinese = China, Greek = Greece, Persian = Persia, Roman = Rome).

If you are just copy+pasting the culture, it'd depend on the feel of your game. Depending on the game's style, maybe you just call the Vikings "Vikings". Or maybe you mutate the name - "Vikes"/"Vikelairs" - or one of the actual permutations of the name, like Vikingerne (wikipedia lists them). Or maybe you use the Viking word they use for themselves - whatever that might be. Or what other cultures called them (Wikipedia says the Germans called them 'Ashmen', which sounds cool, and the Greeks called them Væringjar - "sworn men" or "faithful men").

Are you copy+pasting the culture (e.g. Viking "but in fantasy!"), or are you being inspired by the culture to create something new?

If the latter, call it whatever makes sense within the fictional culture you create - maybe use that fictional culture's language's word for 'warrior' or something (Viking might mean "men of the bay" - but apparently that isn't certain). In English, we seem to name the people off of the geographical region (Chinese = China, Greek = Greece, Persian = Persia, Roman = Rome).

If you are just copy+pasting the culture, it'd depend on the feel of your game. Depending on the game's style, maybe you just call the Vikings "Vikings". Or maybe you mutate the name - "Vikes"/"Vikelairs" - or one of the actual permutations of the name, like Vikingerne (wikipedia lists them). Or maybe you use the Viking word they use for themselves - whatever that might be. Or what other cultures called them (Wikipedia says the Germans called them 'Ashmen', which sounds cool, and the Greeks called them Væringjar - "sworn men" or "faithful men").

Honestly, you don't need to name them anything that relates to the real world counterparts at all. You have complete creative freedom. If you want your Chinese culture in the game to be Chinese, you can just name it Chinese. But if you want it to be something else that is just based on Chinese culture, you have no bounds at all. You can name your cultures after flowers if you want. :)

Honestly, you don't need to name them anything that relates to the real world counterparts at all. You have complete creative freedom. If you want your Chinese culture in the game to be Chinese, you can just name it Chinese. But if you want it to be something else that is just based on Chinese culture, you have no bounds at all. You can name your cultures after flowers if you want. :)

Of course you have imagination!! I believe in you. You can do anything you set your mind to. ^..^

You don't have to come up with the perfect names right away. Just make a list with 100+ names, no matter how silly or nonsensical. It will be good practice. With 100+ names, there will definitely be a few that you like. ^^

One idea is you could do a different iteration of Jacqueline Carey's alternate history model in her Kushiel books.
She named most countries Anglicized versions of what they called themselves. For example, Ireland as Eire (Gaelic language) and Scotland as Alba (scottish-gaelic language). You could do something similar and pick a language that is most connected to the main character's real world roots and use that language's names for other places, for instance.

One idea is you could do a different iteration of Jacqueline Carey's alternate history model in her Kushiel books.
She named most countries Anglicized versions of what they called themselves. For example, Ireland as Eire (Gaelic language) and Scotland as Alba (scottish-gaelic language). You could do something similar and pick a language that is most connected to the main character's real world roots and use that language's names for other places, for instance.

One idea is you could do a different iteration of Jacqueline Carey's alternate history model in her Kushiel books.
She named most countries Anglicized versions of what they called themselves. For example, Ireland as Eire (Gaelic language) and Scotland as Alba (scottish-gaelic language). You could do something similar and pick a language that is most connected to the main character's real world roots and use that language's names for other places, for instance.

This has helped quite a bit thanks how can I find these books?

http://www.amazon.com/Kushiels-Dart-Jacqueline-Carey/dp/0765342987

Here is a link to book 1. Jut to give you a heads up, there's sexual content and it can be racy, but if this sort of naming scheme is what you're looking for, it does a very good job. If I recall, the third book "Kushiel's avatar" involves a lot of places, since they are traveling, so it might also be a good bet.

All of the books will have maps in the first few pages as well, that you can peruse.

Hope this helps!