Poll: How do you name your characters in singleplayer games?

[DoPo]

Specifying SP, since the naming in multiplayer can be influenced by lot of things, whereas in single you have total freedom.

Something random I thought of. Way back in the past I used to name all my characters same, however, for at least a decade I've stopped doing that. I don't really care that much about the name of my character in most games, since it's rarely even relevant - if there is a "random name" button I tend to go for it, otherwise I leave the default name. I make an exception if the default name is not a real name, e.g., in Fallout: New Vegas it's "Courier" by default. When I do have to come up with a name I just go with the first one that comes to mind that is vaguely appropriate (say, "Vanessa" for a female character, or "Vincent" for a male one).

 

[CaitSeith]

If the character has already a predetermined name, I leave that name. Otherwise I use either my avatar name or Gerard (from FFVI).

 

[CritialGaming]

Depends on the game. In MMO's I always try to be punny. Otherwise I usually use the default name because it isn't funny if nobody else sees it.

 

[DoPo]

In MMO's I always try to be punny.

That's one reason I tried to specify singleplayer games. There is also the fact that sometimes you aren't allowed to have the same name as another character, so you have to find a name that doesn't clash (or add numbers/letters to it until it works).

 

[American Tanker]

References to other games. No, really.

In Mass Effect, I always played FemShep, and did my best to recreate the face of Jennifer Mui of the Mercenaries games by Pandemic. Voice actress reference, as FemShep was voiced by Jennifer Hale, who also did the voice of Mui. Considering that I think of Kaiden's voice actor, Raphael Sbarge, as RC-01/262 "Scorch" of Star Wars: Republic Commando, I think it's safe to say that Mass Effect is the only BioWare property I have any familiarity with.

My two most recent Fallout 3 characters were both based on Star Wars, with Galen "Starkiller" Marek and Luke Skywalker being the picks. These two were chosen purely based on the Lone Wanderer's stated age in FO3, being that the character's supposed to be 19 years old at the time the LW's dad runs out from Vault 101. I generally try to pick characters that are supposed to be in their late teens or early 20s to base my Wanderer on.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

It really depends.

If I'm playing a game for the first time then I will either do the default name or something fitting for the game. Unless I'm replaying an RPG then I will make multiple characters and give them different names.

If it's a Pokemon game that I've played more than twice then the character will have a funny name. Usually to make conversations funny or just dumb. 'Oh shit' is kinda funny for some reason when you're talking to Professor Oak.

 

[SupahEwok]

Either the same web name I use everywhere for multiplayer, or my middle name for single-player.

 

[bluegate]

Usually just the default name, if there is no default name then I will usually use my real name or a simple nickname, for example my name here.

I just can't be bothered to rename default names or to come up with funny or original names, I used to put some thought into nicknames, but since names never really mattered, I stopped caring a long time ago.

 

[DoPo]

but since names never really mattered, I stopped caring a long time ago.

Yeah. It's ever so slightly annoying, really when the game goes "Name your hero!" and then proceeds to call you something generic all the time. It's really a problem with voice acting - if all dialogue is text, then they can freely refer to with the name you give them, but you cannot voice act any single possible name. So they have to resort to using a common title - "Shepard" in Mass Effect, "Dragon Knight" in Divinity 2, etc. Which means that the name you choose is meaningless. They may as well not have the option there.

 

[Mcgeezaks]

Usually my real first name.

 

[Zhukov]

I'm utterly terrible at naming things. I couldn't even come up for a good name for my own dog when I was a kid.

So I just have a few go-to normal-ish names I use for characters.

For multiplayer games I just use 'Zhukov' or some variation thereof.

 

[DoPo]

Usually my real first name.

Yeah this is what I've usually done since SNES days.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Depends on the setting. Most recently I've made it a point to make an original Japanese-sounding name for my playthroughs of Persona 5 and SMT 4: Apocalypse, changing it with each New Game + of such games. Latest is Shukiji Ohabara, the leader of Masquerade.

On the other foot, for large cast RPGs like Final Fantasy I will use casts from shows I liked as a kid. I remember using the cast of Looney Tunes for Chrono Trigger and Gargoyles for a party in Final Fantasy VII. Naturally, Yuffie was Demona and Aeris was Elisa.

 

[Chewster]

Usually something appropriate to the setting that incorporates elements of my nickname.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Tenel Ka is my go to name for the overwhelming majority of characters I play as, as long as I can change her hair color to red and her eyes to green.

Followed by that, it's usually Aimee or Xyra.

Yes, I always choose to play as a female.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

I've used a combination of all of the above, *except* the default. Just seems kinda boring.

When I was much younger, it was always some dumbass name (Butt Bandit, Sir Bongalot) but I eventually grew out of that (thank god) and started using names somewhat appropriate for the setting or character. I liked Alina for females, and usually some Nordic name for guys. I liked Japanese names for monks/dual-wielders/dex-based rpg characters for some reason (Oda Noburu was my Neverwinter Nights monk).

Once in a blue moon I'll use a random generator. I've never used my real name unless by accident, or because my computer thought it was clever and picked it up from my user names or otherwise.

 

[DoPo]

Typically just run with the default character name(s)
I have some go to names in reserve if they don't provide one
If they have a random button I tend to roll through the predefined possibilities and If I dig one I'll use it

Couldn't bring myself to rename any character in Chrono Trigger
Renaming Frog should be illegal

 

[Hawki]

I try to keep it in-universe and in canon as much as possible.

Take Link for instance. I've always called him Link, because that's his name. If I'm at all discretion to choose the name, then I try and make that name sync in-universe. So for games like WoW and LOTRO, I used the random name generator, because it would give me names that fit the character better. Or if I'm given full discretion, I'll try and make the name fit the setting as much as possible. So, say, take Diablo II, where I played through as a paladin. I chose the name "Roland," in reference to the poem 'Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came'. Fits the idea of a knight, name matches the setting, etc. Or, for Fallout 3, chose the name "Adam" as a reference to the Biblical figure. Leaves the vault (Eden), after committing 'sin' (take your pick), enters a literal wasteland. This being a setting with a "Garden of Eden Creation Kit."

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I don't really have a regular naming scheme. Sometimes I'll go with me regular online handle (Chimp), sometimes my own first name, or whatever first name first comes to mind, or just some silly punny name. I never take the default tho.

 

[balladbird]

I like to think that I'm passably creative. I'm no writer, that's for true, but at the very least I like to hope that I can be a bit original when it comes time for me to do something like take a turn as DM or other such things.

that said... I am HORRIBLE at names. I can't think 'em up, I can't rate them, I can't do anything with 'em. Just ask my pets: My dog, Dog, my cat, Cat, and my two macaws, Bird, and Bird 2. Yes... seriously.

thus, if there's a default name for a create-a-character, I'll usually run with it. If not, I'll either use my real first name, or my screen name here... as they're all I've got when it comes to names.