Halflings: By Any Other Name

[hewhosaysfish]

Mine were called "korrigans" and "gelflings" for a while.

Gelfings? Did the women have wings?

[Stubbazubba]

In my game, they are hobbits. Because that's why we want to play them.

This. I spent a lot of time trying to engineer a name that wasn't hobbits, but I realized everything was just trying to find a way to say "hobbits" without saying it. Giving in and saying "hobbits" was a big improvement.

[Cealocanth]

In a game world where halflings, gnomes, and deep gnomes were all the same species that stemmed from an island population with close ties to the Feywild, they were called Littlefolk. Their language was Littlespeak.

[Xania]

Gelfings? Did the women have wings?

Hahaha, it crossed my mind, but never turned them into real gelflings.

[Lord Torath]

Hahaha, it crossed my mind, but never turned them into real gelflings.

Another name from The Dark Crystal: Podlings.

[Luccan]

As others have said, presumably the race names are the Common (the language) term. If I were speaking Spanish with someone and they asked what country I was from, I would not say "the United States", I would say "los Estados Unidos". In other words, halflings might call themselves halflings in Common because that's the term anyone speaking that language will recognize. In fact, if you go with some of D&D's default lore (at least in 3.X) I think halflings would be the most likely race to use the Common term for themselves when speaking to others, since they don't like sharing their language. But, if you don't like the term or your halflings have a different attitude about sharing their language or essentially being called half-men, then it might be useful to consider the halfling's history for the setting. If they're closely tied with fey in your world, then perhaps borrowing the name of a fey creature would work (choosing one that isn't already in your setting, of course). In fact, I'd actually recommend doing that anyway, so your players might recognize and it won't sound like you made it up. Maybe Brownie? But I know you can get those as a familiar in AD&D, so it will partially depend on edition you're playing.

[Xania]

Another name from The Dark Crystal: Podlings.

True, could serve, besides they are less likely to be made in a whim.

As others said, they being called hobbits is better, along with goblinoids being simply orcs. Nobody really toke "gelflings" seriously.

[Mike_G]

As others have said, presumably the race names are the Common (the language) term. If I were speaking Spanish with someone and they asked what country I was from, I would not say "the United States", I would say "los Estados Unidos".

You don't just say "America" louder and slower?

[shawnhcorey]

Hobbits are gnomes. The major hint is that hobbits are good at gardening and (garden) gnomes are good at gardening.

[RedMage125]

I made a goblin character based mostly on the concept of viewing other races as wicked, rampaging giants who wrong the poor goblin race at every turn. Yes, it's hilarious - but it's also a first step towards deciding, for every single race, how they view themselves in relation to every other race, and what is socially acceptable and what isn't, and ... that way madness truly does lie.

That's delightful.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

According to my research, in the Greyhawk setting they were called "hobniz," while gnomes were apparently called "noniz."

[Dr_Dinosaur]

The close equivalent to (Athas’ version of) Halflings in my pet setting borrow the name “Kith” from Magic the Gathering.

[Anonymouswizard]

According to my research, in the Greyhawk setting they were called "hobniz," while gnomes were apparently called "noniz."

Aristocratic halflings are called 'Hobnobz'.

[The Insanity]

I call them "vertically challenged."