Names

[Project G]

Why do FF characters have weird names????

[TheAbominatrix]

1. They're made in Japan
2. They're fantasy stories and
3. Common names are no fun.

[DocFrance]

Would you play a game where the main characters' names are Tom, Harry, and Sally?

[m4tt]

Would you play a game where the main characters' names are Tom, Harry, and Sally?
I would! But I'm just weird.

People have weird names in Japan, I guess.

[crono_logical]

Doesn't Earthbound use rather plain names? :p

I can't imagine even Japanese people having some of the names the characters have though. I guess it adds to the fantasy aspect though, yeah :p I think the non-human characters tend to have the weirder names though :p

[DocFrance]

Doesn't Earthbound use rather plain names? :p I don't know too many kids named Ness, Loid, Picky, Pokey, or Poo. Seriously, Poo, for chrissakes!

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

This is one reason why "Final Fantasy characters in HIGH SCHOOL!" fanfiction lacks credibility: any kid named Cloud would have the crap beaten out of him first day.

[Polaris]

Because while they were makin' the game they mixed very names and got into that!!!!!!!

Rinoa seems Rino in portuguese!!!!!!

It's funny!

[DJZen]

This is one reason why "Final Fantasy characters in HIGH SCHOOL!" fanfiction lacks credibility: any kid named Cloud would have the crap beaten out of him first day.

And anyone claiming to be a black mage would be made fun of all the time by Fighter, who would of course be the popular jock.

[Snowman]

hmmmmmmm could it be because the games are...fantasy :D

[Xander]

I'm gonna call my daughter Kairi, such a nice name. (Okay it's not FF but near enough). And yeah weird names adds to the whole fantasy of it, I think anyway, I like their names.

[Rase]

Well, some names aren't wierd (Cecil, Vincent) But most are.

[Freya Coral]

Would you play a game where the main characters' names are Tom, Harry, and Sally?

I'm with you, Doc. The same thing goes for fantasy books, too. I mean, fantasy books where the protagonist is named Billy isn't very common. :D

[DocFrance]

Well, there is Billy from Xenogears...

A common name in the West is pretty rare in Japan. That's why Schala and Janus from Chrono Trigger are actually Sarah and Jacky in Japan.

[DJZen]

Well, some names aren't wierd (Cecil, Vincent) But most are.

I dunno, Cecil's a pretty weird name. I knew a girl named Rosa in school, but she actually was Italian so she had that excuse... The only actually ordinary sounding name from an FF I can think of is Maria. That's just part of the charm though.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Tina.

[DocFrance]

Would you believe that one of the senators from Arizona is Zell Miller?

[Iceglow]

i'd believe you doc france I laughed my ass of when I first found that out.

Names in FF games when translated are often very different in the japanese form if you look a KH for example they didn't translate the names from japanese they just put them in the romanji form so Sora was Sora in the japanese version and to be honest if you were called Sora sure some people would take the mick but no worse than if you were called Sky or Skye. I just feel sorry for anyone named Marche in real life. Oh and Cecil is a common french name so its not too strange i know four people online from france with the name.

[Rase]

I knew one person with the name Cecil, and have heard of about 4 others. But yeah, Marche = not a good name for you to have.

[DJZen]

Tina.

I don't know many people named Terra :D

[TheAbominatrix]

Up until VII most of the names were pretty normal. Not often used these days, but normal.

[DocFrance]

Perhaps Cloud was meant to be Claude?

[DJZen]

List of weird names from FF games up until FFVII (English and Japanese translations given)

Frioniel/Firion
Lionheart/Leon
Layla/Leila
Golbeza/Golbez
Gilbert/Edward
Rydia
Foo-Soo-Ya/Foo-So-Ya
Palom
Porom
Butz/Bartz
Galuf
Sarisa/Salsa
Faris
Klulu/Krile
Lock/Locke
Mog
Edgar
Mash/Sabin
Banan/Banon
Celes
Cayenne/Cyan
Gau
Realm/Relm
Stragus/Strago
Setzer
Biggs/Vicks
Wedge

That's just the playable characters... Yup...

[TheAbominatrix]

Gilbert/Edward. Neither of those are 'odd' names. I know a few guys named Edward. Gilbert isnt common anymore, but not odd. Leon isnt a weird name. Locke was fairly common a long time ago. Edgar isnt weird at all.

I can only list the ones from IV up, but there were far more normal names in the games than there are in VII up, which is my entire point.

Cecil
Rosa
Cain (not common, but an actual name)
Gilbert
Yang (not uncommon in Asia, I believe)
Cid (not used much anymore)
Reina
Tina
Edgar
Locke
Clyde (Shadow's real name, of course)

Their may be more weird names than normal ones, but there's almost zero 'normal' names in parties after VI.

[DocFrance]

Leon, Edward, Edgar, Layla, and Faris are all real names.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

So is Lydia, and Setzer is an ordinary surname.

[DJZen]

Leon is a somewhat normal name, but Lionheart isn't a first name period. Edward, yeah, I know lots of people named Edward, but not Gilbert. In fact, I probably DO know someone named Gilbert but doesn't use the name. I'd change it or use my middle name personally. Edgar might be normal if you're from Kentucky, but I've never personally met anyone named Edgar. Layla is a real name, but it's not really used. Same with Faris. Actually, I know for a fact that I've never seen Faris used as a name. Ferris, on this other hand.... :D

Anyway, I'm sure you're going to say something about "maybe this name is weird for YOU, but not for everyone" but that's the thing. Weird is a subjective word. It only applies to one person's realm of experience. For example, I know lots of people who like South Park. To me, liking South Park isn't weird. However, for my parents, liking South Park is VERY weird. They only know a few people who like it, and that's pretty much limitted to me and my sister. Now, is liking South Park ACTUALLY weird? That depends on who you ask.