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How do you normally come up with character names?

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
I used to give them random "fantasy" names until i matured and began giving them names like dumbfuck, shitlord, faggot dipshit, nigger etc. Whatever immediately comes to mind.
If HBS ever comes up with a MMO version of their game, it would be hilarious to have those as callsigns :D

Kevin and the rest of the HBS gang would blow several gaskets.
 

Norfleet

Moderator
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Messages
12,250
I go through a progression of naming systems. I begin with appropriately thematic and fitting names for setting. I progress into more comical names and those derived from references and memes, and then, by the time I hit the umpteenth character in an MMO that has long since become about farming, they turn into various references about artificial entities and ADDITIONAL PYLONS.
 

Jason Liang

Arcane
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
8,337
Location
Crait
I have a couple of signature characters, otherwise I take names from literature, myth, religion, comics, games, etc...

Robert Jordan learned from Tolkien how to name things well.

Signature -
Qinalo (Chinese Latina cartel hitman)
Xi Ravenhair (Geisha Assassin)
Sawa Scarlet (Ninja Pirate, for Arcanum)
Valkeros and Valkyrie (twins)
Callisto (Diablo 2 Amazon)

Snake/ Reptile Squad (I used this for Pool of Radiance)-
Python
Viper
Asp
Adder
Taipan
Couatl
Ladon
Hydra
Sidewinder
Diamondback

Myth/ Religion -
The Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Great fit for Wizardry) -
- Conquest (Evil Lord)
- War (Fighter)
- Death (Ninja)
- Famine (Mage)

Pagan (Great fit for Dragon Quest/ Final Fantasy)-
Apollo
Ares
Athena
Artemis
Persephone
Theseus (fighter/ thief)
Cassandra
Iphigenia

Folklore -
Gwyn (Robin Hood's daughter, archer)
Achren
Loki + Leah
Yuki no Onna
Charis
Taliesin
Aurellius
Uther

Books-
Eilonwy (enchantress)
Laurana (elf archer/ paladin)
Goldmoon
Sturm (knight)
Brightblade (knight)
Alhana
Gilanthas
Lord Soth
Kitiara
Dalamar
Lorac
Crysania
Steeltoe
Midnight
Rowan Mayfair (witch, necromancer)
Melisandre (pyromancer)
Margaery Tyrell (princess)
Daenerys (dragon queen)
Theon (thief archer pirate)
Euron (pirate necromancer)
Littlefinger
Tywin
Sansa
Fortuona/ Tuon
Lanfear
Demandred
Lan
Egwene
Elayne
Faile
Perrin
Mesaana
Semirhage
Graendal
Taim
Logain
Siuan
Lelaine
Liandrin
Rhuarc
Ishamael
Bashere
Brigitte
Sparrowhawk
Ged
Ogion
Tenar

TV/ Film -

Heisenberg (for Arcanum)
Fring
Swearengen
Alma
E. B. Franum
Doc Cochran
Marlo (Fallout 2)
Stringer
Bunk
Omar
Kima
Proposition Joe
Carcetti
Snoop
Tig
Chibs
Otto
Bobby Elvis
Peter Quinn
Dar Adal
Abu Nazir
Faith
Cordelia
Drusilla
Angelus
Prue
Piper
Phoebe
Paige
Paige Jennings
Frank Black
Lara Means
Mulder
Scully
Machete
Boromir
Arwen
Eowyn
Galadriel
Ilsildur

Gaming-
Lucita
Fatima
Gabrin
Fleurdumal
Anneke
Quira
Mariel, Lady Thunder
Genina
Alexis Sorokin
Sally Tsung
Hoturi (fighter, yari (spears))
Rekai (archer)
Shahai (necromancer)
Rance (fighter)
Shizuka (wizard)
Maria (thief/ sniper)
Kanami (thief/ ninja)
Uruza (tactician)
Sill (white mage, mage)
Pope (cleric)
Senhime
Suzume
Natori
Omachi
Orime
Yuzumi
Reset
Kaybwan
Kaybnyan
Alesio (pirate fate witch)
Allende (pirate king)
Yngvild (Barbarian weather witch)
Margaretta Orduno
Reis
Delores Whateley (necromancer)
Katie Karl
Los Ojos
Wendy Cheng
Sorceress Ygraine
Aquiela
Duchess Brymin
Tepheroth
Duty
Trespass
Frost
Zartoch
Rreg'jen
Castus the Burning
Mai Tai
Marthe
Aidan
Joanna
Wren
Mieu
Kitana
Kula
Mature
Hotaru
Larcen
Shadow
Jetta

Porn Actresses-

Ajenda
Katsumi
Rayvenness
Lovelace

Ex-Girlfriends-
Kelly
April
Renee
Rachel
Eliza
Apple
Xi
Ping

Codexers-

Dayyalu
Reinhardt
Nevill
Celerity
Comte
Eriador
Janise
Jamminous
Micoselva
Blaine
BrazilianSlaughter
Kalin
Eryfkrad (bard)
Infinitron
 
Last edited:

Citizen

Guest
<Dumb name> the <Characteristic>

It's easier to rember their roles in a party this way.
 

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
<Dumb name> the <Characteristic>
It is better than some of the American Indian names. Not everyone can have such glorious names like Sitting Bull or Crazy Horse. Imagine if you are the poor guy named Shitting Buzzard or Vomiting Coyote...
 

Cyberarmy

Love fool
Patron
Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
8,451
Location
Smyrna - Scalanouva
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Mostly Frost, bonus points if game allows me to pick a dwarf!
If I need to name more then one, I just go wild and use anyone or anything near me, mostly combination of names/things.
 

Jason Liang

Arcane
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
8,337
Location
Crait
Mostly Frost, bonus points if game allows me to pick a dwarf!
If I need to name more then one, I just go wild and use anyone or anything near me, mostly combination of names/things.
Frost.jpg
 
Self-Ejected

Sacred82

Self-Ejected
Dumbfuck
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
2,957
Location
Free Village
some weird fantasy language. A bit Tolkienesque sometimes, but then the fucker borrowed from mythologies too.

I do some faggy LARPing thing where I imagine the character in detail and pick a name that seems to go with it.

I honestly enjoy picking guttural sounding names for brutish characters. I have the most trouble coming up with names for humans tbh. You don't want a character whose name sounds like your highschool crush or a complete faggot.
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
5,624
I'm not a creative person so I usually name male characters "Sigourn" (in a fantasy setting), or something appropiate to the setting (like Deckard for cyberpunk, Max for post-apocalyptic, and so on). I named my Arcanum character Cleveland Mark Blakemore. I also named my Icewind Dale party after The Witcher characters. When it comes to female characters, I try to think of something that sounds pretty, like Elizabeth (New Vegas) or Lana (Baldur's Gate).
 

Big Wrangle

Guest
For the mist part it depends on the seting, then I take a few seconds to think of a name that would work there. I never really put too much thought into it.

But there are times where I just don't even think; I named my Arcanum character Salty Man after all.
 

ERYFKRAD

Barbarian
Patron
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
28,240
Strap Yourselves In Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I just go Black Company and name them with descriptors.
"Slink" for the thief, "Bravado" for the Bard, etc.

"Faggot" for the mage.
 

Ocelot

Learned
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
363
Ocelot because I'm completely unimaginative. Good thing it's not a gendered name.
 

Beastro

Arcane
Joined
May 11, 2015
Messages
7,952
My usual character names I've built up over the years.

Real people? Are you kidding or delusional enough to know enough about them to command them in a game?

I have a buddy that is super into old X-Com and does this along with his online buddies names with his guys.


Brings to mind the rocket jock I named as a kid playing Countdown to Doomsday = Smelly Joe.
 
Last edited:

Orbito Sol

Literate
Joined
May 16, 2018
Messages
11
Naming a character to me is practically the Olympics. A name should be lore-friendly, sounds nice, and contributes to the character's identity. Bonus point if it's an MMO RP server where most good names are taken, you guys wouldn't believe the orgasm I get from getting a good one. Uh!
 

Eyestabber

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
4,733
Location
HUEland
PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
Rpg character name generation procedure:

- punch the keyboard a couple times
- add vowels as needed
- Remove excess characters


Done. My character now has a name and I can move on to the most important part: making sure he is capable of murdering every single shit the game allows me to murder.
 

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