All of Tamriel - not just Skyrim - are filled with people who have the weirdest names I've ever heard.

Balgruuf
Ulfric
Galmar
Irileth
Lydia
Faendel
Sven
Alvar
Ralof
Hadvar

And the list goes on and on.

Now, to be fair, different cultures have different names. "Shigeru" is a fairly common personal name in Japan, even though it sounds totally bizzare in the English language. So, I'm trying to be as unsensitive as possible.

However, most personal names, in the real world, have legitimate etymologies behind them. For example, the common English first name "Jacob" was originally a Hewbrew word. Not even a Hewbrew name, just... a Hewbrew word. Biblical characters Isaac and Rebekah gave their second born son that name because he came out of the womb grasping his fraternal twin's ankle. "Jacob" is a Hewbrew verb that means "to grasp an ankle." Why? Because, apparently, back then, grabbing people's ankles was such a common practice that it society saw fit to coin a single word to describe the act. Yeah... I wouldn't wanna live in that time period either.

Speaking of Jacob's father, Isaac got his name because Sarah, upon being told by God that she would be a mother despite her age, found the concept to be so absurd that she burst out laughing. "Isaac" was a Hewbrew noun that translates to "laughter" (well, that makes a little bit more sense that there would be a single word to describe that conduct).

But in the TES universe, the only people whose names are explained through etymology are the dragons!

Paarthurnax: Ambition Overlord Cruelty
Alduin: Destroyer Devour Master
Ohdaving: Winged Snow Hunter

Why doesn't anybody else have their names explained? It's like Bethesda just through some random syllables together and said "that's good enough; let's not worry about giving the people real names."

All of those ARE real names.

This. It's a fantasy game, I'm not expecting (or hoping) to run into a guy named Bill or Joe anytime soon.

Besides, there are some "normal" names, like Lydia and Carlotta.

Also, all the names he listed are actual Nordic names.

I really like the names in Elder Scrolls.
I'm surprised to see Lydia and Sven on that list, though. They're pretty common names where I live...

Lydia and Sven=weird name? Its really common names were i live.
And I even have a relative named Ulfric.

But other then that,Remember its a fantasy game,Fantasy name needs epic names.