The results were predictable.
(Inspired in part by Janelle Shane’s New paint colors invented by neural network. Tom Taylor did similar work in 2016, generating English village names.)
Method:
- Find a list of British placenames. Here’s one you can download as a CSV. You just need the names, so strip out all the other columns. To save some time, you can use the one I prepared earlier.
- Pick a multi-layer recurrent neural network to use. The first time I did this, Karpathy’s char-rnn was all the rage, this time I used jcjohnson’s torch-rnn.
- If you’re using a Mac, don’t bother trying to get OpenCL GPU support working. I wasted 3 hours. Just use crisbal’s CPU-based docker image. (If you know what you’re doing, then you’re already comfortable doing this all on AWS or you’ve got an nVidia GPU).
- Follow jcjohnson’s instructions in the readme (pre-process your data, etc.)
- Go and have a cup of tea while you train your model.
- “Mess around” with the temperature when you sample based on your model.
- Take a look at some of my favourite neural network generated British placenames (and if you’d like more, here’s 50,000 characters worth):
root@themachine:~/torch-rnn# th sample.lua -checkpoint cv/checkpoint_8450.t7 -length 1000 -gpu -1
- Ospley
- Stoke Carrston
- Elfordbion
- Hevermilley
- Ell
- Elle’s Chorels
- Eller’s Green
- Heaton on Westom
- Hadford Hill
- Hambate Combe
- Manory Somerstow
- Buchraston-on-Ter-Sey
- Brotters Common
- Normannegg
- Twettle Row
- North Hill Row St Marne
- Torston-le Taney
- North Praftton
- Tonton’s Coss
- Topswick End
- Brumlington
- Boll of Binclestead
- Farton Green Pear End
- Wadworth Mayshyn’s Wiwton
- Wader Bridge
- Weston Parpenham
- Oarden of Land Park
- Batchington Crunnerton
- Larebridge Heath Brook
- Capton Briins Forehouint Eftte Green
- Waryburn Torner Midlwood
- Wasts Halkstack
- Maggington Common
- Stach Helland Neston
- Stoke Hills
- Sutsy Compton
- Stoke of Inch
- Upper Somefield
- Rastan-on-croan
- Wadway Dynd-Rott End
- Wattings Ward
- Harhester Willey
- Marrock
- Saxford
- Salton Southen’s Hovers
- Salt, Earth
- Stamorn Vale
- Stouth Wiesley’t Bhampton
- Upper Brynton
- Knines’s Gartes
- Webury Hill
- Eastbridge Brook
- Wallow Manworth
- East Holmsley Anby
- Hallaid or Humme
- Galling Compton
- Hamper’s Hill
- Hangyd’s Hain
- Wasland Commone
- Wantham Mount on-by Langham
- Kinindworthorpe Marmile
- Dompton Ole
- Dimmer Common
- Keston Upper Rhington
- Towerhaite Mank
- Cockhanford Vales
- Porcoft Green
- Newtons St Pethen
- Silmer’s Hill
- Crocken-on’s Clow
- Prrighstock Tabergate
- Crisklethe’s Chorn
- Cross Gorburster
- Storton of Brook
- Cartswood C’sters
- New Amherston
- Wascood Woot’s Corner
- West Dottisley
- Westovel (Blingwars
- Sandeside Backton
- Waledon of Bandsead
- Rald Bockan-Sea
- Boleland Brase
- Stoop Heath
- Stittleworth
- Borton Melvery
- Lunsel’s End
- Filton-on’s Forton
- Colban’s St Pelant
- Cottingley Cross
- Skepley Meyton
- Stroby’s Hill
- Ponkham Bark
- Ponworth East
- Kenninish
- Bankinghead
- St Hart Charley
- Houck Scars of Pithard Dgawley
- Buchlingtomptop
- Bux Onxar
- Inglasdale Nello’s Corn-on-rrie
- Neth Cross
- Top-Road Quinting
- Sorton Cross
- Fotterwell
- Munealion Wick
- Broad Romble
- Bockerundstone Don Ourford
- Furst Down-Nenkton
- Burton Salerux
- Fuckley
- Lower Simscorns
- South Pickste-derbridge
- Rumpley
- Sumpsley
- Corthm St Kining Leigh Heaths
- Cockbeach
- Chorkwheal
- Toldsey-on-on-y — n-Valker
- Forcholmbry
- Grinachard St Ringley
- Stouth Villagston
- Stote S’ster
- Stowford Killfield
- Stony’s Heath
- Chipper Brooknant
- Warris Botton
- East Pleyhamf-Artour Weyket Wisher Brook
- Eastle-Vale
- Pairinggleat
- Braerton Park
- Burston Hale
- Burting Heat End
- Hest’s Botton
- East Brottome
- Mairton-on-Breaw
- Old Bedr’s Commot
- Dauz wick
- Sotten Mile Cossay
- Bapnington-on-Faith
- Watch Uppe Borney
- Backen Holm Corner
- Flarton-chergh
- Mastersley Ferry-the Green
- Hatlet Backlingham
- Hall of urn-in Head
- Maishop Gog
- Maviston’s End
- Faenton West Moor
- Baver-y-y-bnieston
- Minton-on-y-chyde
- Bulkes Rishing Walland
- Burton Shyfield
- Bunnershead Manes
- Lovers Cormon Log
- Kilby Mill
- Knyne Forest Knare
- Burton Soughthoston
- Dyfird-y-moy
- Pellingrouth Vale
- Thrainton Shenant
- Newton Hows
- Jickley ucherfield
- Lower St Perton
- Bandle Bink Wewland
- Burnernleyskau
- Bockstangham Beck
- Borton Bittefell
- Hisillise St Marsh
- Holtenham Stye’s Wood Icklets
- Westington-courding
- West Waplest Latford
- Fackle Village
- Undwinton Woathiston
- Bunn-Anchridge in Barry
- Froddington Island
- Sattle Boslaw
- Ratterboroug-End
- Fapton
- Waterwither Well
- Thorps Crosk
- Shiver Valley
- Ston-ington
- Thorton Stowin
- Sketton Brittree
- Ham’s Courd
- Matton Oston
- Lackley Copesley
- Braeling’s Boke
- Stoppard Wilberry
- Storringthornfery
- Catley Holtbridgeham Ruse
- Colon-in Mead
- Stoulton water
- Nockpop
- Hacking Woodleigh
- Cocken Northen
- St Hittle Carthton
- Oasterton St Nesmell
- Theffield
- Cunding
- Bryn’s Heath
You might also like:
- Fake Oregon Placenames, generated in a similar way, by Paul Bausch
- An etymology of AI generated placenames, by Dan Connolly
