What's in a name?
EntropyXII
Member Posts: 656
Had a look across the forums and figured this hadn't been brought up yet. Part of my profession is in the study of languages and in particular name variations. This is why naming a character in Baldur's Gate - and many other RPG's and PnP games - is very difficult for me. I always get sucked into the regional varieties of names, especially in worlds such as FR. There are Chondathan, Illusk, Rashemi, Elvish, Drow, Dwarven names and so much more.
For example: I figured Sarevok (or at least his father) originated from Rasheman or Eastern Faerun. It's not mentioned in game - as far as I know - but the evidence is in his name (Sarevok Anchev).
Anyhow, my question is: What do you guys name your characters?
- Do you stick to FR lore? (or whichever fantasy setting you're playing)
- Do you have a name you use for all your characters across all settings?
- Do you use a name generator?
- Do you name the character after yourself?
- Do you use real world examples? For example: Odin, Thor, Osiris
- Do you 'borrow' from other games?
I use a variety of the above for my own characters. For a number of years I used 'Islude' which I stole from an old Final Fantasy game. I have moved away from that more recently.
'Aelthas' is one I use for good characters. Took right out of page 12 of the FR campaign book (unoriginal I know) and Revakyr for my evil characters (as original as I can get).
'Iselas' and 'Irevan' for my Elven/Half-Elven characters.
For example: I figured Sarevok (or at least his father) originated from Rasheman or Eastern Faerun. It's not mentioned in game - as far as I know - but the evidence is in his name (Sarevok Anchev).
Anyhow, my question is: What do you guys name your characters?
- Do you stick to FR lore? (or whichever fantasy setting you're playing)
- Do you have a name you use for all your characters across all settings?
- Do you use a name generator?
- Do you name the character after yourself?
- Do you use real world examples? For example: Odin, Thor, Osiris
- Do you 'borrow' from other games?
I use a variety of the above for my own characters. For a number of years I used 'Islude' which I stole from an old Final Fantasy game. I have moved away from that more recently.
'Aelthas' is one I use for good characters. Took right out of page 12 of the FR campaign book (unoriginal I know) and Revakyr for my evil characters (as original as I can get).
'Iselas' and 'Irevan' for my Elven/Half-Elven characters.
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Comments
My icewind dale characters have really exotic names, too.
@Malicron - I don't think it's lazy. We all get attached to names we've used over the years! Like I said - it took me a long time to bring myself away from 'Islude'.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article5.asp?x=dnd/dx20010202b,0',500,630)
I usually try to refrain from stealing names from other games/books etc. (like naming your elf Drizzt)
But being a RolePlayer, I tend to name my characters after various aspects of my own personality and nicks I actually use (or used) on the internet. And sticking to English language despite (or because) it's not my native lang. My second favourite language is Chinese. (also not native)
Southpaw or Xiuke - for fighter/monk types.
Crow or Hei - for thief/mage types.
+ occassionally Garou for druid/werewolf types (after Loup Garou) and Venom when playing assassin/alchemist types.
...and I never play females as main character. If I create a female (Black Pits), then any good sounding female name will do.
My first character was a Fighter/Mage named Elmina; she was named after a character in the Playstation 1 RPG Wild ARMS.
@EntropyXII: I believe it was Jack van Burace, since he was the Vambrace of the Fenrir Knights Armour-themed schtick. I can't remember which part Elmina was, though. (EDIT: She was the sword, of course, hence why Jack had to protect her).
Personally, my favourite character was Alhazad.
@Samus - I get that. I try to think of Anglo-Saxon or Brythonic names personally. They sometimes feel out of sorts in FR though. I can't think of a locale in FR that corresponds to them. Japanese has Kara-Tur, so there's that.
@Eudaemonium - I have to often resist using old video game characters I love. A big problem with me. I have used Islude, Revan and multiple others. It has only been the last five years or so I have tried to be more original.
Oooh, just had a thought.. How does 'Islane' sound? Isleyn? Islayne? Isleyne? ....-sigh- I could spend all day doing this.
Without going into too much detail a child who did not have any english skills turned up to school with a letter in an envelope... Mom had no english, but dropped the little fella into the classroom fine. The child produced the envelope and exclaimed his name, gave me his envelope, which contained his dinner money, (nice for the parents to put his name on it so we would know who's it was, some parents are so... disorganised...) and sat down without a qualm. I introduced him to the class and things went well and he settled in quick, language being no barrier to making friends and playing copious amounts of tag, cartwheels and football on the playground.
About a two months later at parents evening, Dad asked why we were calling his child dinner money...
...
If that story is not bad enough... You should have seen the chaos caused when little Angus spelt his name wrong...
Bard: Harper, Melodi
Cleric: Medicyne
Thief: Dyrk
Druid: Aspyn, Willow
I almost always use the same names, which are just characters I've played D&D with over the years
Good Male - Tyr Re'Ling
Evil Male - Tyranus (my favourite)
Good Female - Alora/Aurora
Evil Female - Midnight
Halflings - Melliwani Correthalia (my black skinned, orange haired thief who 'acquired' a town)
Lleywellyn
llillibad
Gillyllylion
Yullilly
Go italian and chuck in a few unneeded o's at the end.
Samio
Danneo
Anduineo
Daveneo
Ivanho
Tyranusyeo
Go american and chuck in a few unneeded y's.
Brady
Goriony
Irony
Epiphany
Jallily (Don't ban me!)
Go jamaican and add a few tings to things...
Uglyting
Badting
Evilting
Revolting
Go native american and name after the first thing the chief saw after the birth of the child, whilst using a common name...
Dave of the windy trees
Emma of the bubbling brook
Sarah of the sharp knife
Karl of the lame cat
Why not try to put 'em all together
Gillillylioneo-ting of the fallen tree
...
Whatever you do... Don't waste time on it!