'Oprah's Next Chapter': George Lucas On Naming All Those Characters In 'Star Wars' (VIDEO)

George Lucas Talks With Oprah About Creating Names In 'Star Wars'

George Lucas certainly has a vast imagination. But as wild and crazy as the "Star Wars" universe is, it would be nothing without all the colorful characters and their names that fans have come to know and love.

People always ask writers where their ideas come from, but on "Oprah's Next Chapter" (Sun., 9 p.m. EST on OWN), Oprah Winfrey asked Lucas additionally about all those names, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca, R2-D2, Jabba the Hutt, Greedo, Leia Organa and even the controversial Jar Jar Binks.

"Everyone goes, 'how do you come up with the names?'" he said, after she asked if names just came to him. So she mirrored his question.

"I have a little book and I just write names all day long," he explained. "You just riff on that idea and you end up with a bunch of names. I have hundreds and hundreds, even thousands of names."

Sometimes it's just a matter of keeping his ears open, as he did when one of his production partners asked for "Reel 2, Dialogue 2" or "R2-D2" while they were mixing "American Graffiti."

Just imagine pages and pages of random names, with familiar ones sprinkled throughout. And as the universe keeps expanding, even if Lucas were to never come up with another name, there's a good chance he's got the perfect one sitting on one of those pages. Maybe even just above or right beneath the likes of Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader.

Watch "Oprah's Next Chapter" unfolding every Sunday at 9 p.m. EST on OWN.

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