Naming Your Characters

[Yar]

It's so hard! Well if you're unoriginal like myself. :bigsmile:

How do you think of names for your characters, particularly MMORPGs? For the sake of this discussion, there are no default names.

[Bunny]

I randomly hit a letter on the keyboard.

Then I had a vowel.

Then I hit another random letter.

Then I add whatever I think looks good with the first three letters.

Sometimes I look around my room for something. I will soon have a gnome rogue named Calender.

[Yeargdribble]

I agonize about stuff like this. In a game like FFXI where I could play a single personal I just go with Yeargdribble. For WoW where I have to pick a race and a class, etc... I try to be clever. My Tauren (prot) Warrior is named Shieldburger. Partially because of Yeargdribble and partially because of not having a lower jaw my undead Priest is called Dribble. Otherwise I try to come up with a variation on some obscure piece of mythology (usually Norse) to come up with something that is vaguely related so that I can feel cool and 1/1,000,000 people might say, "I wonder if he means like _____ from ____ mythology."

If I can't be originally I hit the randomize button a lot and try to come up with something or just make something that sounds cool in my head.


I lack the originality. I would almost name my FF I characters stuff like FGTR, BMAG, WMAG, THIF... When playing the original FF III on emulator I named my dudes Onion1, Onion2, Onion3... well... you get the point.

[Laddy]

It must sound smooth, sexy, and awesome.

When I played WoW I had a Paladin called Elixe. (eeh-leeks)

It was brilliant. Elixe. It was a shuffling of the 'X' and 'L' in 'Exile.'

[Momiji]

As I mentioned in this thread, (http://forums.eyesonff.com/general-gaming-discussion/124647-renaming-characters-jrpgs.html) I generally name my characters after characters I like from other video games or whatnot-- that is, if my usual screen name 'Momijitsuki' isn't taken.

[Avarice-ness]

WELL, let's see~

When I played Guild Wars, I named my assassin X Sorpia X, I meant to name her X Scorpia X, but I apparently mistyped. I'm a scorpio~

My Troll rogue on WoW is named Alizat, I sat there for a while thinking of names, then I figured I'd do something that sounded trollish.
FFA is one of my favorite games, and I always named the GIRL character Ali. Ali+ZAT = troll.

My mage's name is Ashe, because that's been my nickname for a few years now.

I had a hunter named Odellia because it means gold.

I have a NE rogue named Avaricious. (Greedy)
I have a human Mage named Glaciate. (To Freeze)
I have a Death Knight named Kuolettava (according to dictionary.com it means death in finnish or something)

My low level alts on my main characters server are all named in forms of Alizat. Lizata (BE hunter), Tazila (Troll shaman), Atzlia (BE Priest).

If it's a class that has a specific role or obvious meaning, I'll go to dictionary.com and look it up, I'll either find synonyms or I'll go to the translate section of the site and find translations of the words for a name.

[Heath]

In Ragnarok Online, when I played that, my first character was called Heath which was a nice Wizard. Then I would use Welsh names because they often sound quite fantasy-ish anyway and they're almost certain not to be taken. I had a Knight called Talyessin, for example.

[Quindiana Jones]

Quintonir. Always. Mainly because it sounds pretty groovy, but also because anyone who knows me will know it's me.

[Vermachtnis]

Sometimes I be original and sometimes I pick characters from what I was just reading. Like for example, I'm playing Class of Heroes and I have Hayate, Nagi, Saku, Kaoru, Shiho, and Aoi running around the labyrinths killing everything.

[Shattered Dreamer]

I normally name the lead character after myself then random names I think of at the time

[Laddy]

It's so hard!

Oh! I bet. ;)

[musashius]

Hank Hill.

http://media.jsonline.com/images/28007159_hank-hill.jpg

[~ Kain ~]

It depends on the game and the characters. My FFIV guys are always their rightful names.... VI has such great characters with actual personalities so i can usually relate them to one of my friends.... I'm always edgar though. VII was all normal names except Red XIII being nanaki and Cait Sith being Reeve. I love 9 but for some reason hate the names so... Zidane=Locke Eiko=Rydia I think my Steiner was Cyan Amarant=Edge..
I never like to make up my own names but i guess ive never really tried.

[Reeno the Alchemist]

I usually think of a word and then change it in a way that is yours... mmm for example "Random" I can change that to Randonzem >.> well that'a just me...

[Masamunemaster]

Hank Hill.

http://media.jsonline.com/images/28007159_hank-hill.jpg

I sell Propane and Propane accesories lol

I usually go with Masamunemaster, or even Mr. evilastic nowdays

[arcanedude34]

Coming up with stuff on the spot. It's how I got names like Danim, Bins, Vasil...

Sometimes I'll name them something that means something. For example, Terra and Celes are meant to contrast in almost every way, so I usually give them some kind of naming scheme that in (Jade/Ruby, Violet/Indigo, etc,)

Play through Chrono Trigger with Marle named Nadia, Frog named Glenn, Robo named R66-Y, Magus as Janus... it gets funny at points.

[Breine]

I don't know, I just try to come up with names that I think suit the character I'm naming.

[Yeargdribble]

Some people have poor foresight when planning MMO character names. Always hated seeing someone in FFXI whose name was "Healeroflight" who was playing something like Dark Knight as their main. This happened soooo often. XxAssassinxx would be a White Mage obviously.

Happens also in WoW with people ending up playing a totally different spec even though they obviously planned to play one that matched their name. Flamesthatscorch playing a frost spec Mage... /sigh


EDIT: Oh... and an addendum. Making a partial sentence into a name is effin' lame. It's also harder to make the above mistake if you actually pick a name. Names like "Imeltfaces" are so friggin' retarded. Sometimes they may have some irony value, but usually you can tell they are just made by some 13 year-old jack@**. More often than not people will these types of crappy names are the types that feel good about themselves for sitting around one-shotting people who are 60 or more levels lower than them to make them feel better about their tiny little e-penis.

[Bunny]

Oh... and an addendum. Making a partial sentence into a name is effin' lame. It's also harder to make the above mistake if you actually pick a name. Names like "Imeltfaces" are so friggin' retarded. Sometimes they may have some irony value, but usually you can tell they are just made by some 13 year-old jack@**. More often than not people will these types of crappy names are the types that feel good about themselves for sitting around one-shotting people who are 60 or more levels lower than them to make them feel better about their tiny little e-penis.

They are also against the terms of service for WoW and I make a point to report them whenever I see one.

[Yeargdribble]

Ooooh... I thought that was only true on RP servers... if it's true everywhere that's good to know.

It's still too bad you can use any bastardized form of Legolas (or something similar) that you like. Really hate seeing these.

[ljkkjlcm9]

Jackel, Kaine, Leonard, Kailah, Sarah, Skylash.... or any combination of those names usually serves me pretty well.

THE JACKEL

[Blue Harvest]

I use my one of my screen names or nicknames. My Warrior on Oblivion is named Anduril (username on another forum)

[Sephex]

Well, before I used Sephex as a screen name, this was my original name I use (and still use) for main characters/profiles/file names if a game lets you do that.

However, when playing Castlevania games, I have to name the file "J-Dawg". I don't know why.

[smittenkitten]

I keep them linked to my username smittenkitten so smitten, smitzy and so on. ^__^ I try all those three and if no luck then I just think of names I like for example Terabithia.

[Garnie]

Garnie!

It's always been Garnie! Unless someone has taken it then its
Garnz

[Iceglow]

I have generally used the names:

Beoran (mix of viking/tolkein's elvish)
Lasuria (made up by myself)
Iceglow (my nick)

In guild wars I have several characters my main ones are called "Marilith Exodus" and "Kailas Stormborn"

[Quindiana Jones]

I use my one of my screen names or nicknames. My Warrior on Oblivion is named Anduril (username on another forum)

Anduril as in Flame of the West? That's tres cool, monsieur bleu.

[Markus. D]

I like to include in names:

Hinanai, Calyce, Bernelli, Idge and Adelina.

[Blue Harvest]

I use my one of my screen names or nicknames. My Warrior on Oblivion is named Anduril (username on another forum)

Anduril as in Flame of the West? That's tres cool, monsieur bleu.

Yep.

[Carl the Llama]

It normally depends on what im reading at the time I name the character but sometimes I just think of random names, for instance now im playing FFVII again iv named Cloud as Endless (for some reason I always end up naming him that) Barret as Chase and Tifa as Valkyria, when I name Aerith I'll name her Valhalla, havent decided what ill name the rest yet.

In MMO's I ted to try all the usual names only to find them already taken, although suppriseingly I managed to name my character Pug on a new game iv been trying out. That aside I will sometimes come up with a very obscure reference to a program or book like in wow my Warlock is called Jazizikiki, which to date (almost 4 years now) only 2 people have know where the name originates.

[Evastio]

I think you guys are probably getting sick of me posting that list of names I made up repeatedly, so I'll tell you something you don't know.

I actually use the name "Player 1" every now and then for some games.

Maybe I should change my EoFF name from Evastio to Player 1...

[Lawr]

Lysander is common in a lot of places, and Lenid is the name of my Tankadin. I have a subconscious tendency to include at least one L, or create an L name, all but my own name.

Really now...people named Lawrence do not save worlds. Would you be happy if some random schleaze named Lawrence saved the world? I don't think you would.

[Araciel]

I just thought of three character names

Graelin
Wixster Windblade
Kraille Ectar

It's never hard but then I always had to think of names on the spot playing D&D.. a little bit of cheese goes a long way.

[Jessweeee♪]

I just ask Mogi for names xD

[Wolf Kanno]

Surprisingly enough, I don't bother naming my characters after myself (sometimes I'll use Kanno). I get pretty sick watching WoW or FFXI and seeing 8 billion variations of Wolf____ So I forgo it completely. I came up with the Tilos some time ago for a story I was writing and for some damn reason it sticks. I keep trying to remember where it came from.

For Suikoden, I always name the main character Hiro until I learn their true names later. For MegaTen games, I always try to give a Japanese name cause it looks weird when Junpei and Yukari are talking to "Bob". In Nocturne, where I have to come up with a nickname/demon name, I go with Kamui cause I'm a hopeless fanboy...

I have only once tried a game where I name my characters after people I know and must say I will never do that again...

[Rase]

My friend gave me the idea of using bands or songs as names as long as they work and look decent. Hasn't steered me wrong so far.

[ReloadPsi]

Single-character games: ReloadPsi, ReloadXPsi if it'll fit, rXp if neither will fit.

Party-based games: Whichever of my friends I currently see the most (usually my band these days). With me as the leader, natch.

[Timekeeper]

a little bit of cheese goes a long way.

I was told cheese was being mentioned in this thread and now I will become a part of it.
I love cheese, it's the best.


As for naming characters, I usually fail at it and end up using some name generator with which I mutated to make another, better name.

[Jiro]

Lysander is common in a lot of places, and Lenid is the name of my Tankadin. I have a subconscious tendency to include at least one L, or create an L name, all but my own name.

Really now...people named Lawrence do not save worlds. Would you be happy if some random schleaze named Lawrence saved the world? I don't think you would.

I'd be happy if you saved my world :love:

But I agree, I like to use outlandish or heroic names for my heroes.

[The Unknown Guru]

Here are the 700 hobo MMO character names you have requested. (http://e-hobo.com/hoboes/list/)

Yes, I seriously use them.

[oddler]

I usually like to use names of obscure characters in old games (Erdrick, Oddler). If I use an original name, it's usually Teyvn, influenced by the name of a river in the Prydain Chronicles. I find making original names an awesome creative outlet. :choc2:

[xXsarahXx]

Im terrible at making up names lol
So i put my name into a name randomiser and it came out with Suriel. Im happy eith that.
My mule character on ffxi was less original, surimule lol.

[Old Manus]

Something stupid. DICK:bou::bou::bou::bou: (all caps) usually.

[DK]

In online games I usually use 'penilewarts', this came about when I used to play GB and they had that stupid feature that let players click a persons character and hit enter and just spam their username into the chatbox over and over and over again. If they were going to spam my name constantly, by god, I was going to make them spam something stupid. And then the reactions it got from nubs were usually quite entertaining as well so I ended up sticking with it. S'good, because it's usually always available. :freak:

Other than that I generally just go the lazy route of doing theme games like naming everyone after famous 80's action movie stars or something. Apart from I always name the most failridden character after one of my best friends, such as Cait Sith. Dunno how that started but it has produced some pretty good comedy moments so I still do it now.

[Selphie]

Sometimes I think of brand names that sound cool and just change up the spelling a tiny bit.

For example: Audix microphones. I had a character in WoW named Audyx.

Or I'll use silly puns like AlCapwn, MyLilPwny, and RobertELeet.

[Lawr]

For example: Audix microphones. I had a character in WoW named Audyx.

http://www.pokemonelite2000.com/sprites/dpmfa/dpmfa095.png

[qwertysaur]

I'm very sporadic about names. Sometimes I use the default name, other times the first thing that pops into my head is the name. Like naming Cloud muffin in my first ever playthrough of FF VII. :p