What genders and names do you give your characters?

Sloty

I mostly do 3 male, 3 females...
Do you have some good names , mostly for Dwarves, Gnomes and Halforcs?

Jarrakul

Most of my parties are gender balanced, but 4/2 splits aren't unheard of. As for names, I tend to use either mythology or baby name sites. My favorite shut down, but I'll link the one I'm using these days.

http://www.thebump.com/baby-names

For dwarves, I like Scandinavian names or Germanic names. For Gnomes, I'd probably do the same, but aim for sillier-sounding names. For half-orcs, I'd probably just use human names, or the names of mythological monsters.

Lord_Tansheron

I never make male characters.

Also 99.99% of my NPCs are elves.

Names I usually make up as I go, I try not to repeat.

kcwise

I usually like to have an equal mix of male and female characters for some reason. As for names, I usually make them up, but sometimes I like to grab the dictionary and use an earlier version of a word. So, for a dwarf you might take the word rock and use the Middle English spelling rokk.

JuliusBorisov

Hey, @Sloty , have a look at this thead: http://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/36776/picking-a-good-character-name - there're lots of useful links for character names there.

Son_of_Imoen

My parties usually are a 3-3, 4-2 or 2-2 mix of males and females.

Mostly I think of names myself, things that just sound right, but if I find myself lacking inspiration or search for specific meanings of names I use Google, character generators or the Encyclopedia Mytholica.

I added a post to the topic @bengoshi mentioned in the post above mine with more info on that.

Nimran

When it comes down to gender, most of my characters are female, because I find it easier to come up with names for females. I often struggle to come up with good male names, and I end up with only a few male characters as a result. The same holds true for any of my written stories.

SharGuidesMyHand

Typically, five out of every six of my party members are usually female.

As for names, I have a bad habit of making up a simple 2- or 3-syllable name and then throwing an "a" at the end - i.e.: "Alandra," "Kalindra," "Daloria," etc.

Kenji

Dagna, Female Gnome Illusionist (Dwarf Mage in IWD II)

Here's her IWD style (kinda) portrait: http://fav.me/d4m0r71

A reference to DA:O's Dwarven Scholar of the Circle

Aureol

I am very proud of my name-making skills, even if the rest of the world would cringe at them

My first Icewind Dale party:

-Dmirio Sulsaris, Human Male Cavalier
-Rahamas the Broad, Dwarf Male Berserker
-Aureol Cuillan, Human Male Priest of Lathander (namesake)
-Lavinia Cuillan, Elf Female Totemic Druid
-Roamer Elysae, Elf Fighter/Mage
-Groma Roscal, Gnome Female Sorceress

So, only two fit the Dwarves/Gnomes/Half-Orcs department, and there was an even split in gender.

Vallmyr

Kenji said:

Dagna, Female Gnome Illusionist (Dwarf Mage in IWD II)

Here's her IWD style (kinda) portrait: http://fav.me/d4m0r71

A reference to DA:O's Dwarven Scholar of the Circle

Dagna is the best character in the entire Dragon Age franchise, imo.

Anyway, my party leans toward 2 males, 4 females. This is because I base my party on a novel I'm writing. While there are only four main characters in the story, two male and two female, I add two more supporting characters since I like having a full party. My favorite supporting characters also happen to be female and such. I use cute names like Piro Faeren and Milly Vex for my gnomes. My elves use drow-styled names such as Val'myr which means Black Necromancer. For humans I use names corresponding with their nationality. Kitze Tribal and Aiyumii Kikyo are two characters that are both from Kara-Tur.

I also sometimes using last names like "Swiftarrow" and "Songblade" to imply their family is known for a certain class. Van Songblade is a half-elf bard that comes from a family of blade bards.

Aria Phoenix
Van Songblade
Fay Swiftarrow
Piro Faeren
Val'myr Zaur
Aiyumii Kikyo
Milly Vex
Kitze Tribal
Teron Vosh

Those are common names I use for characters.

Skatan

I used to create chars that was mostly based on "me", meaning male and usually fighter/melee based and/or thieves. Nowadays, for all IE games as well as other RPG's, I tend to create females.

I am a feminist and the idea of women being equally f-ing bad-ass and brutal fighters/killers appeals to me. It's my way to help towards gender equality; females doesn't have to be frail beings like mages and clerics, shooting pebbles at the enemies while their strong, robust male guards are in the front. I like to do the exact opposite, RP a weak male mage guarded by a fierce half-orc barbarian woman, etc.

I've tried to lure my GF to play with me by showing her all my cool female charnames etc, alas her interrest is null and void .. I'm living with the real-world Shar-Teel..

GreenWyvern

Skatan said:

I am a feminist and the idea of women being equally f-ing bad-ass and brutal fighters/killers appeals to me. It's my way to help towards gender equality; females doesn't have to be frail beings like mages and clerics, shooting pebbles at the enemies while their strong, robust male guards are in the front. I like to do the exact opposite, RP a weak male mage guarded by a fierce half-orc barbarian woman, etc.

A BG RP with my GF involves me taking the role of Peppernose, a female Insane-Neutral Half-Elf Fighter-Thief that carries around her dead cat "familiar", Stinky, while and murdering everyone she can get away with. My lovely-dove is Red XIII [No relation], a male Chaotic-Good Half-Elf Cleric-Mage (Bhaal-Spawn), whom strives to be a nice person, and work for the forces of good!... though, he tries his best to let Peppernose's action slide by, which is why his alignment leans towards the right.

A IWD RP with my GF involves her taking the role of Sheera, a [female Chaotic-Evil Dwarven Defender, whom IS UNSTOPPABLE IN EVERY WAY AND SHALL DESTROY EVERYTHING WITH HER MIGHT AND HER MIGHT ALONE! My character, Bahlthazar, a male Lawful-Evil Elf Mage-Thief that wishes to manipulate Sheera for his own wealth and power... though, after much abuse from Sheera, he has onlu become more of a submissive wimp than an evil dictator.

I'm writing a story about a young [female] kobold named Sapphire, who one day hopes to be as great of a warrior as her adoptive human mother that saved her during a raid in which her mother was forced to partake in. The adoptive human father... is a simple blacksmith.

In the same world as the story with Sapphire, I have another story that revolves around a small band of adventurers. The self-proclaimed leader is O'Crah, a female "I don't need Alignments to label me!" Three-Quarters Orc [One-Quarter Human] Mage... who as you may tell, is like a bad Tumblr stereotype, and hates stereotypes. Then there's the male True Chaotic Elf Barbarian, who is probably too dumb to even understand what stereotypes are!

Sooo, what I'm trying to say is, gender isn't really a deciding factor for the personality of my [and my love's!] characters. Yes, I have physically strong males and mentally strong females, but the role is reversed just as often!

Vallmyr

@GreenWyvern ohhhhh I'd love to read about Sapphire

Nonnahswriter

I'm doing a run of IWD:EE with all female characters. I plan to do another run with all male characters if I ever get around to completing the first one. *whistles innocently*

Otherwise, I try to go for a gender split. Some of my parties are comprised of character casts from stories I've written, though, so if there's an uneven split like 4-2 or 5-1 somewhere, then so be it.

Skatan

GreenWyvern said:

A IWD RP with my GF involves her taking the role of Sheera, a [female Chaotic-Evil Dwarven Defender, whom IS UNSTOPPABLE IN EVERY WAY AND SHALL DESTROY EVERYTHING WITH HER MIGHT AND HER MIGHT ALONE! My character, Bahlthazar, a male Lawful-Evil Elf Mage-Thief that wishes to manipulate Sheera for his own wealth and power... though, after much abuse from Sheera, he has onlu become more of a submissive wimp than an evil dictator

That sounds like my RL relationship.

Eliteseraph

My current party is all angelic wrath:

Evangeline
Celestine
Victor
Furiosa(Thank you Mad Max)
Alexandria
Delphina

I had also considered Victoria, Angelika, Christiana, Gabriel and Gabriela. However, I only have 6 character slots and picked names that seemed to fit the portraits. It ended up being 5 females and 1 male. I know...I know...sounds like a harem anime or something. xD

Kurumi

I just create female chars and some of the names, I often use are..

Abigail Shadowbane aka "Desire"
Ashley "Don't Call Me Ash" Ravenwood
Looma Swift
Scarlett (and/or Isabelle) Dundragon
Annabel Lee
Elvcice'ylene Torett
Yvalee Sszarra
Vanessa Avellone
Celia Aers
Mara, Mialee, Oji, Elowen, Mitsuko

Don't ever make a bet with a tiefling. - Planar proverb.

semiticgoddess

I have some common recurring characters in my games.

Female:
1. Poppy. Elf, half-elf, or gnome. Usually a druid, sorcerer, or cleric/mage.

2. Snowy Tae. Halfling or gnome. Cleric or cleric/mage.

3. Sala Tora. Human. Fighter, fighter/druid, or fighter/mage.

4. Scrawl. Human, half-elf, elf, or gnomet. Any spellcaster or monk. It all depends on which portrait I use.


5. Sil. Human. Cleric/mage, mage, or fighter/thief.

6. Blueberry. Human, gnome, or halfling. One of my Phase Spider kits.

Male:
1. Fobie. Human, halfling, or half-elf. Bard, thief, ranger, or fighter.


2. Bloody Howard. Human. Paladin or fighter.

3. Marilyn Blueapple. Dwarf. Fighter.

4. Horun Fallows. Fighter or druid. Used to be a female in an old Tutu run; the only thing that stayed was the name.

Poppy and Snowy Tae are by far the most common. They use the IWD2 "Female Fighter 3" and "Female Fighter 4" soundsets almost exclusively. Sometimes Alora's soundset goes to Poppy.

atcDave

I typically split male/female pretty equally. I often think in terms of couples, but certainly not always. I have done "buddy" and sibling themes too.

For names, I lean heavily towards Greek mythology. And I mean Greek, NOT Roman.
I occasionally borrow from other mythos, Arthurian and Carolingian foremost.
But then the real wild card is PnP characters I've played with. Especially if I'm using characters made by other players. So I may have a party with Odysseus, Diomedes, Briseus and Jill.... Oh well....

T2av

Always my name Trav for both male's and females PCs.. As I am narcissistic... I'm mostly solo, but if I do take along 1-2 others.. Usually my father's name, and one of my best friend's name (female)

JuliusBorisov

semiticgod said:

1. Fobie. Human, halfling, or half-elf. Bard, thief, ranger, or fighter.

What a magnificent avatar!

recklessheart

I tend to go for 4male 2female, and generally have a majority of 3-4 humans (though I rarely dual-class), with 1-2 elf and/or half-elves, and a token short character. Nothing is set in stone.

I change character classes and such every time, though, so names always change.

Cheesebelly

For gender, I try to keep it as even as possible 3-3, 4-2 or 2-4 if a full party.

Names are tricky, I usually mash buttons until something cool appears. For instance, a good half-orc right hand to my "protagonist" would be 'Vargath the Cleaver" - no typo there, he's a half-orc, certainly not "Clever" by any means

Calmar

My first IWD party were
Rasger (male human fighter),
Dromgor (male dwarf fighter),
Eraiya (female elven thief),
Olben (male human druid),
Gordalus (male human wizard; that old guy in the blue robe),
and my female human cleric whose name I unfortunately can't remember right now for some reason.

My decisions as to what gender and class were mostly determined by the cool portraits that inspired me to build the approproate characters. The names were inspired by the style of BG and my assumption that in the northern setting of the game I ought to have characters with somewhat Northern names (I didn't know the party comes from all over Faerûn).

BillyYank

I tend to mix genders fairly evenly.

For humans in IWD I stick with germanic style names like Wulf, Gunther and Gudrun.

For elves, I usually just smoosh a couple of elvish sounding syllables together like Raelynn or I use some the more obscure names from Tolkien like Celebrian or Maethros.

Halflings usually get English names like William, Thomas or Elizabeth.

For dwarves I just throw a bunch of K's, D's and H's at the screen and see what sticks.

Every few games, I'll name a character Rhiannon because Stevie Nicks.

DJKajuru

I usually try to balance the party aestheticaly by having three or four males and two or three females.

The names I pick the most are Thallen, Landgrave, Huon de Salynges, Unferth, Tyrfing, Radra,Annah Delsenora and Galahad.

Also, I try to balance the races by having at least two humans and one shorty.

Skatan

BillyYank said:

For dwarves I just throw a bunch of K's, D's and H's at the screen and see what sticks.

Kroddh
Dhok
Hoddak
Kandok
Krohm

.. am I close?

Reliant

I take names from Sci_Fi movies and TV shows. I generally use Vulcan/Romulan names (T'Pol, T'Pau, etc) for Elves and I just finished a complete game with a Cavalier names Reliant - he has an 18/64 strength!

ifupauline

Only japanese female name -_-

chuukogu

Usually I include characters from both genders: two males, two females and the last two can be either. Obviously this is easy in IWD - it's a good thing that games like Baldur's Gate have all kinds of useful characters to pick from.
I really like the idea of creating an entire party with their unique personalities, even if said personalities may seem paper thin. At least it's "my" paper, ha ha! Naming can be difficult, but it's part of the charm.

I have lifted several names from the works of Michael Moorcock: Ulrik, Xiombarg, Gaynor, to name a few.

Sometimes I just take a name from a random scifi/fantasy/pop culture source and change it. My current monk is "Colleen" ... because the character portrait is actually Korra from a certain popular cartoon. Running out of good names and imagination, I used some joke names, too, such as "Hans the Nice" for a fighter->cleric dual class.

My assassin is named Alice now - she's female, but I was actually inspired by Alice Cooper. I have great respect for a guy who picks a name that is traditionally considered a girl's name. And he's a great musician too