Imaginative ACW unit names

I'm running an ACW game this coming weekend, and I thought it would be a good idea to generate some fictitious names for units. Some fellow wargamers across the pond probably might consider this sacrilege, but why not? As a European, I don't have a strong emotional connection to the American Civil War, so some playful imagination-style names wouldn't harm our wargaming. After all, for other periods, scenarios are full of "Bratwurst Grenadiers" and "Kartoffel Cuirassiers" fighting for the bridge over the "Schnaps River".

That's all very well, but how to come up with invented names that sound plausible? Or to be more exact: that sound plausible for a European whose native language is not English ... It's a small pet-peeve of mine: lots of the pseudo-French, -German or -Dutch used by English-speaking wargamers doesn't sound at all plausible to me ;-)

This is exactly the sort of problem why ChatGPT was invented (yes, they had wargaming imaginations in mind!), so I decided to have some fun:

Me: Can you generate some fictitious names for units in the American civil war?

ChatGPT: Of course! Here are some fictitious unit names for the American Civil War:

1. Stonewall Brigade
2. Liberty Rangers
3. Ironclad Infantry
4. Blue Ridge Rifles
5. Confederate Guardsmen
6. Union Sharpshooters
7. Dixie Dragoons
8. Prairie Scouts
9. Mountain Warriors
10. River Raiders
11. Thunderbolt Brigade
12. Wilderness Wolves
13. Rebel Rangers
14. Union Avengers
15. Keystone Cavalry
16. Bayou Battlers
17. Crimson Hussars
18. Appalachian Avengers
19. Shenandoah Sentinels

Hmmm, some of these sound more like American Football teams. Let's try to refine ...

Me:  Can you make them somewhat more inspired by historical units?

ChatGPT: Certainly! Here are some fictitious unit names inspired by historical units from the American Civil War:

1. Iron Brigade of the West
2. Louisiana Tigers
3. Bloody First Minnesota
4. Texas Rangers Battalion
5. Fighting Irish Brigade
6. Black Hat Brigade
7. 54th Massachusetts Volunteers
8. 69th New York Militia
9. Stonewall Jackson's Foot Cavalry
10. Pennsylvania Bucktails
11. Cherokee Legion
12. Kentucky Orphan Brigade
13. Michigan Iron Brigade
14. New Jersey Blue Devils
15. Ohio Light Artillery Battery
16. Virginia Black Horse Cavalry
17. Georgia Hussars
18. Alabama Red Warriors
19. Tennessee Mountain Rifles
20. Indiana Graybacks

Ok, but I need Confederate units ...

Me: Can you limit the names to Confederacy units?

ChatGPT: Certainly! Here are some fictitious unit names inspired by historical Confederate units from the American Civil War:

1. Palmetto Riflemen
2. Mississippi Rebels
3. Georgia Sharpshooters
4. Alabama Volunteers
5. Texas Legionnaires
6. Louisiana Grenadiers
7. Florida Swamp Rangers
8. Virginia Cavalry Raiders
9. Arkansas Mountain Rangers
10. Tennessee Volunteers Brigade
11. North Carolina Tar Heels
12. South Carolina Palmetto Guards
13. Kentucky Long Rifles
14. Missouri Border Ruffians
15. Maryland Southern Defenders
16. Confederate Hussars of Mississippi
17. Georgia Ironclad Infantry
18. Alabama Hellhounds
19. Texas Lone Star Battalion
20. Louisiana Tigers Heavy Artillery

Ok, this looks better. But if 18th century imaginations all sound like Bratwurst and Kartoffelsalat, why not have some more fun?

Me:  Can you also draw some inspiration from brands of bourbon?

ChatGPT: Certainly! Here are some fictitious Confederate unit names inspired by historical units and brands of bourbon:

1. Rebel Reserve Rifles
2. Dixie Derby Distillers
3. Bluegrass Bourbon Battalion
4. Kentucky Colonel Cavalry
5. Tennessee Whiskey Warriors
6. Magnolia Mash Militia
7. Rebel Yell Rangers
8. Old Dominion Dragoons
9. Bayou Bourbon Brigade
10. Virginia Vintage Volunteers
11. Cornhusker Cavalry
12. Bourbon Barrel Battalion
13. Rebel Oak Infantry
14. Peach State Potentates
15. Bourbon County Brigade
16. Kentucky Mash Maulers
17. Deep South Distillery Defenders
18. Rebel Rye Riflemen
19. Whiskey Rebellion Regiment
20. Moonshine Mountain Militia

Me: How about adding some unit numbers? 

ChatGPT:  Absolutely! Here are some fictitious Confederate unit names inspired by historical units, brands of bourbon, and including unit numbers:

1. 3rd Rebel Reserve Rifles
2. 1st Dixie Derby Distillers
3. 7th Bluegrass Bourbon Battalion
4. 5th Kentucky Colonel Cavalry
5. 11th Tennessee Whiskey Warriors
6. 4th Magnolia Mash Militia
7. 9th Rebel Yell Rangers
8. 12th Old Dominion Dragoons
9. 6th Bayou Bourbon Brigade
10. 8th Virginia Vintage Volunteers
11. 2nd Cornhusker Cavalry
12. 15th Bourbon Barrel Battalion
13. 10th Rebel Oak Infantry
14. 13th Peach State Potentates
15. 17th Bourbon County Brigade
16. 14th Kentucky Mash Maulers
17. 20th Deep South Distillery Defenders
18. 16th Rebel Rye Riflemen
19. 19th Whiskey Rebellion Regiment
20. 18th Moonshine Mountain Militia

Ok,  this sounds promising, we can use these for inspiration. But I need names for the Union as well.

Me: Can you give me a list of historically sounding fictitious unit names for the Union army in the American civil war, inspired by whisky brands?

 

ChatGPT: Certainly! Here are some fictitious Union unit names inspired by whisky brands with a historically sounding twist:

1. Old Charter Chasseurs
2. Four Roses Rifles
3. Eagle Rare Rangers
4. Buffalo Trace Brigade
5. Knob Creek Cavalry
6. Woodford Reserve Riflemen
7. Maker's Mark Militia
8. Basil Hayden's Battalion
9. Colonel E.H. Taylor's Troop
10. Widow Jane's Warriors
11. Jim Beam's Dragoons
12. Rebel Yell Rifles
13. Bulleit Bourbon Brigade
14. Elijah Craig's Infantry
15. Wild Turkey Volunteers
16. Jack Daniel's Jaegers
17. Old Forester Fusiliers
18. Gentleman Jack's Guards
19. Larceny Legion
20. Old Fitzgerald's Fusiliers

Ok, all set!