Make neutrality part of the culture
A neutral name is convincing when the community has a reason to use it. Names might come from birth order, seasons, places, ancestors, or adult choices without encoding gender.
State the convention in your notes and demonstrate it through several characters. Readers learn patterns from repetition more readily than from an explanation paragraph.
Separate names from pronouns
A name does not have to announce pronouns. In a game, list both on the character sheet. In prose, introduce pronouns through narration or another person's speech when it becomes relevant.
Do not turn identity into a guessing puzzle unless the character has chosen ambiguity and the story treats that choice with care.
Create variation within the same rule
If everyone can use endings such as -en, -is, and -ar, vary length, initial sounds, and stress. The shared inventory marks the culture while individual names remain distinct.
Families can share a surname or one sound pattern. Avoid making every sibling begin with the same letter unless the cast is small.
Handle translation and social change
A name read as neutral in one city may be gendered elsewhere. That difference can reveal history, migration, or a generation gap without making either interpretation universal.
Chosen adult names, professional titles, and translated nicknames give characters control over how they are addressed. Decide who respects the choice and who does not.