How do you normally come up with character names?

[Cael]

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]

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]

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

 

[agentorange]

joe

 

[Citizen]

<Dumb name> the <Characteristic>

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

 

[Cael]

<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...

 

[Background Character]

I name all main characters "Main Character"

 

[Cyberarmy]

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.

 

[funkadelik]

I name all my singleplayer game characters after Greek and Roman Gods/Goddesses.

 

[Jason Liang]

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.

 

[Sacred82]

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.

 

[Sykar]

<-

 

[Sigourn]

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).

 

[Lazing Dirk]

Ex-Girlfriends
-Apple

I'm imagining a family who names their kids by flipping through a book for toddlers. First was Apple, then Ball, followed by Cat.

 

[Jason Liang]

Ex-Girlfriends
-Apple

I'm imagining a family who names their kids by flipping through a book for toddlers. First was Apple, then Ball, followed by Cat.

There was a big mormon family who named their kids Mark, April, May, June, and Julie

 

[Ninja Destroyer]

 

[Tom Baker's Arse]

When naming characters, I always try to adhere to the lore of the particular game that I am playing.

 

[Big Wrangle]

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.

 

[frajaq]

When naming characters, I always try to adhere to the lore of the particular game that I am playing.

this but unironically

I'm an immersion fag

One time when playing WoW I saw a Orc Warrior running around called Greenboi, it made me furious

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I just go Black Company and name them with descriptors.
"Slink" for the thief, "Bravado" for the Bard, etc.

"Faggot" for the mage.

 

[Sranchammer]

I just go Black Company and name them with descriptors.
"Slink" for the thief, "Bravado" for the Bard, etc.

"Faggot" for the mage.

I never read the books but I do the same thing.

 

[Ocelot]

Ocelot because I'm completely unimaginative. Good thing it's not a gendered name.

 

[Beastro]

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.

joe

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

 

[Orbito Sol]

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]

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.