Naming characters

[CimminyCricket]

Darn near every role playing game out on the market right now let's you name your character in some way. How do you come up with the name? Do you use all capital or all lower case letters or do you capitalize the first letter like a normal person?

I use the same 4-5 names in all of my games, but whether or not they're all capital or if only the first letter is capitalized depends on how the other characters' names appear. I like uniformity, so if the first character I meet has an all capital name I'm going to have an all capital name as well. If it turns out I named my character prior to meeting another and they aren't the same I will start over just to make sure they match.

[Jowy]

First letter capitalized like a normal person.

[Polnareff]

Only the first letter capitalized. I can't stand when they're in all caps. Usually the all caps thing comes from names being in Katakana originally (which is part of the Japanese alphabet, and is used to emphasize Japanese words, names, or used for loanwords). Thus in games like Pokemon you get stuff like "A wild PIKACHU appeared!"

[Futan]

Depends on the game. If it has all the other names capitalized, then I'll capitalize the letters. Basically whatever so it's consistent with everything else. Main character is usually Futan. Sometimes I'll just name him the default. Not creative enough to come up with a name for every character so usually the supporting characters are the default.

[Laddy]

Always go default with only the first letter in caps.

[Heath]

I'm a stickler for the first letter capitalised only. I'm pretty sure I've even started games over when I've made a character called NIGEL because the game suggested I use all caps and then realised I was the only jerk in the game who had an all caps name.

I don't tend to use my own name and am a bit boring and use the defaults/canon names (e.g. Link in Zelda). Occasionally I'll just use somewhat unusual names that don't suit the game at all. Case in point: my most recent Fallout 3 and Pokemon Black characters are both called Conrad. No idea why.

[Quindiana Jones]

Main character has my name if male. Usually capitalised like a normal person, although if everyone is all caps, then I will be too!

[Formalhaut]

I abhor the whole CAPITALISATION business. It really irks me and I hate it when Pokemon still insists on doing it. As for the actual name, I am incredibly non-creative, so it's normally the default name, I don't use my own name has it's also boring (Jordan) though with Final Fantasy games I like to cross names together; naming Cloud Squall instead.

[Bunny]

I have a small pool of names, 4-5 for each gender, that I choose from depending on how I am feeling and what name best suits the character. First letter always capitalized because I am not an imbecile.

If I want a new name, I pick a letter and a few vowels and then fill in the blanks.

[Jiro]

I have a small pool of names, 4-5 for each gender, that I choose from depending on how I am feeling and what name best suits the character. First letter always capitalized because I am not an imbecile.

If I want a new name, I pick a letter and a few vowels and then fill in the blanks.

I do the same thing here. I like a few names and choose them based on which I think suits the character best. I've stuck to default names in recent times, but for games like Fallout and the Elder Scroll series where there is no default, I use this pool of names.

[Madonna]

I like picking a category and picking names out of it when it comes to getting to name a party. When I play Disgaea, I generally name males after elements from the periodic table, females after liquor brands, and monsters after webcomics. I have experimented with pizza toppings, fruits, vegetables, famous scientists, and dead presidents, all with varying success.

A little juvenile, but my favorite name for a main character has been Kids; I played Lufia II and there was a lot of remarks about needing to trust Kids, ask Kids what the best course would be, and so on and so forth.

It gladdens me how non-retarded all of you are; going the all caps route is so aesthetically unpleasing.

[Balzac]

All lowercase like a rebel

[Skyblade]

Only the first letter capitalized. I can't stand when they're in all caps. Usually the all caps thing comes from names being in Katakana originally (which is part of the Japanese alphabet, and is used to emphasize Japanese words, names, or used for loanwords). Thus in games like Pokemon you get stuff like "A wild PIKACHU appeared!"

The single, best thing Pokemon Black and White did was to change Pokemon names to standard capitilization.

Yes, I know, changing anything from the original game is heresy for the series, but for goodness sake, this was annoying.

You know what else can change? The sound of Pokemon cries for the original Pokemon. Yeah, the original Gameboy could only handle basic tones, and the team did a great job making them distinct and interesting. But is there a reason why my Gastly sounds more like a Porygon than Porygon's evolutions do?

[Mercen-X]

Word-Cool association: most elements (Air/Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning/Light, Darkness) thus what pertains therein ( Twister, Tornado, Sky, Breeze, Tempest, Burst, Gale, Storm, Blast, Gust, Whirl, Sora, Breath, Sirocco, Boreas, Zephyr, Mistral, Levantine, Singe, Flare, Sear, Flame, Smoulder, Blaze, Brand, Kindle, Tinder, Smoke, Torch, Cinder(ella), Sizzle, Volcano, Vulcan, Bourne, Gasalier, Shower, Geyser, Driz, Pour, Sleet, Ice, Mist, Cloud, Ocean, Seas, River, Monsoon, Nimbus, Deluge, Serein, Hyetal, Flood, Indra, Stratus, Cumulus, Ombro, Pluvieus, Torrent, Lake, Pool, Sluice, Parjanya, Zamang, Snow, Graupel, Berain, Marine, Estuary, Aegea, Atlantis, Pacifica, Leviathan, Nereid, Triton, Anemone, Billow, Firth, Kraken, Nereus, Drought, Peter, Bluff, Rock, Terra, Firma, Flora, Digger, Burial, Grave, Granite, Stone, Sandy, Pebble, Obelisk, Geo(de), Lithium, Adamas, Celt, Pumice, Cameo, Marble, Obsidian, Dusty, Clay, Silica, Copper, Pearl, Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amber, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli, Zircon, Tourmaline, Citrine, Coral, Beryl, Alexandrite, Amethyst, Carnelian, Serprentine, Hyacinth, Aquamarine, Jasper, Chandrakanta, Bloodstone, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Topaz, Bolt, Aurora, Aura, Sparky, Surge, Sunny, Solaris, Luna, Flash, Beam, Fluoresce, Luminesce, Jet, Black, Coal, Sable, Ebon(y), Negro, Darke, Raven, Crow, Eclipse, Panther, etc.) also, things that hunt and or fly (Shark, Hawk, Falcon, Tiger, Lion, Leo, Cougar, Wolf, Spider, Eagle, Aquila, Bear, Kodiak, Cat, Canine, Dragon, Bee, Wasp, Hornet, Tiamat, Bahamut, Hyena, Aardwolf, Croc, Jackal, Coyote, Condor, Fox, Mantis, Snake, Ocelot, Swan, Dove, Angel, Chopper, Aves, Bustard, Kori, Peregrine, Diptera, Draco)

[Del Murder]

I name all my characters 'caps lock'.

[Mercen-X]

Captain Schlock?

[Madame Adequate]

Like some others I have a small selection of names I use across most games. When a game has a large number of nameable characters, say Dorf Fort, I'll either go with a theme or I'll use names from this awful forum. This does lead to side-benefits like being able to wall Shorty up in an abandoned mine. "For the love of God, MILFtresor!" she cries. Well no she doesn't because she doesn't get that reference. Because she's a hippy.

[*Laurelindo*]

"Rudolph" works for most characters.
Especially Steiner from FF9.