FUN WITH PHONETICS: Learning How To Pronounce Territory and Character Names in Without Light

Here it is. A little something fun: a pronunciation guide! Because when you make up names and places for a novel, it turns out not everyone hears them in their head the way you do. (Shocking, right?)

The Cird

Pronounced: Like bird with a hard C

Description: The Cird is an underground group with a backstory way cooler than their name. Honestly, I wish there was some profound reason behind it, but nope, it just sounded good... to me. If you’re pronouncing it like “Sird,” do you like that better? We can change it, lol.

Locations:

Lizon (pronounced Lie-zon)

Reasoning: Land-loving Lizon. I wanted you to know it's all about the land, and this one just rolls off the tongue. Say it with pride—Lizon, the growers and nurturers of the earth. It had to start with an 'L'.

Brawn (pronounced Brawn, like you’d flex your muscles)

Reasoning: Brawn, baby! It’s so punchy you might need to growl right after saying it. This name is as straightforward as the territory’s people—strong, muscular, military-minded.

Dobia (pronounced Doh-bee-ah)

Reasoning: Dobia, like “Doe. A deer, a female deer.” A cool name you could shout in the snow or forest perhaps. Rolling over those mountains, feeling cold and rugged, it’s easy to say but hard to forget. It just felt right. Dobia sounds solid and unyielding like it's people.

Trunta (pronounced Troo-ntah, emphasis on the T sound)

Reasoning: The Trunta techies! This one’s for the folks who like to sound cutting-edge. Roll your T—we’re talking sleek tech vibes. I wanted something modern and sharp—an ultra-efficient, precise name that matches the precision of their technological innovations.

Sertoda (pronounced Ser-toe-dah)

Reasoning: Try Sertoda out loud, and you might feel like you’re chanting an ancient sea song. Smooth, but with a history. Say it twice—it’s like you’re summoning a sea god.

Sertoda needed a name that felt old and deep. I envisioned the Greek isles.

Sandric (pronounced San-drik)

Reasoning: I wanted a name for this world that was a little bit mysterious, a little bit sexy, maybe even a bit ruthless—something that captures the shifting nature of the combined territories. It’s alive, evolving, and full of personality—just like the people of this world. You can almost feel she's a little bit of a cold bitch too.

Mass (pronounced Mass, as simple as it gets)

Reasoning: It's short, it's easy, it hits you. It's not fancy, but it’s impactful, just like the center of the world. I wanted it to feel like the pulse; a neutral, no-nonsense name for the central hub of the territories.

CHARACTER NAME ORIGINS

Elisabetta "Betta"

Pronounced: "Eh-lee-sah-beh-tah" but just "Beh-tah"

Name Origin: Betta, not Beta (despite what my best friend might tease me with because she was a Beta reader). It’s definitely a name that has a legacy for me, especially when I consider how many iterations of “Elizabeth” I've been through in all of my past writing. My grandma was Elizabeth, "Betty". I continue to pay tribute to her memory. She'd appreciate Betta's scrappy, snarky personality.

Levity

Pronounced: "Lev-it-ee"

Name Origin: Levity’s a name that sounds as light as her character. It might make you think of a balloon floating away or, like, that one friend who always manages to be cheerful, even when life throws curveballs. Just don’t mistake her sweetness for weakness—she can hold her own when it matters.

Thomas

Pronounced: We should all know this one. No trick to it.

Name Origin: Thomas might sound pretty normal, but trust me, this guy’s life is anything but. Think of him as the solid, dependable type. Also, fun fact, my uncle's name is Tom and he named his son and a horse Tom as well....So Thomas worked for me too!

Garon

Pronounced: "G-air-on"

Name Origin: Garon’s name might sound simple, but underneath it, there's a whole lot going on. He’s the kind of character that sneaks up on you, much like his name. Unassuming is a word that comes to mind, and that is what I wanted his name to represent as well.

Draven

Pronounced: "Dray-ven"

Name Origin: I wanted something smooth, but with a bit of edge that says "I’m not here to play nice." He had to have a 'V' in his name, so you know he’s a character who brings a bit of venom. Draven is complicated—he’s a character with a lot of layers. It sounds like someone you should watch out for but also root for. It carries that strong, mysterious vibe that makes you question everything he’s doing.