Poll: Is it [wrong] to name a child after a [video game character]?

[DragonsAteMyMarbles]

This is the main reason I've decided that should I ever procreate, I should be allowed to choose the kid's middle name and nothing else. Middle names are less consequential, and could easily be ignored by the child outside of filling forms in.

Not that I'd be so cruel/idiotic as to call someone "Megatron", "Razputin" or "Sagacious Zu", but still. Safer to keep me away from the first name.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I think it's a little more important whether or not the name is STUPID.

There are plenty of videogame characters with regular or exotic names that are perfectly acceptable, and while people should be able to name their children whatever they want, provided the child can change it later, I wouldn't advise naming your child Tarkus, Raiden, Dovahkiin or Pikachu.

...actually no, f*** that, Tarkus is a great name. Raiden, Pikachu and Dovahkiin not so much, but videogame character names are more acceptable to me than I first thought. Better than countries the kid wasn't even born in at least. I've seen at least one asian kid called Lebanon. That's the real crime here.

 

[Roroshi14]

I dont think its that silly, if the name sounds reasonable enough, i.e. my nephew is named Logan so I call him Wolverine. My own children will be named after pop culture figures as well, one from games and one from television/ history. My son will be Alijandro Vega after Zorro/ Alexander the Great, and my daughter will be Larissa or Lara. Its the meaning behind those names that makes it important... Well TBH my daughter's name is mostly cuz I like the name Lara, but my son's name is important to me cuz its after my two biggest heroes and influences.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

That would depend on the name, wouldn't it? If you have a passable name like Gordon, Marcus, Alessa, Heather, Chris or Leon then it doesn't really matter WHY they named you like that. If it's something a little more conspicuous, like Sora or Donkey Kong, then yeah, it'd be silly.

 

[chadachada123]

...actually no, f*** that, Tarkus is a great name. In fact, videogame character names are more acceptable to me than I first thought. Better than countries the kid wasn't even born in at least. I've seen at least one asian kid called Lebanon. That's the real crime here.

In my graduating class, we had exactly five black girls and two half-black-half-white girls (out of 400 kids total), and all but two had extremely bizarre names. Asia, Christmas, Princess, Angel, and Diamond. And a Mexican girl named America, but her name actually makes sense.

So two continents, a royal title, a mineral, an angel, and a holiday, in our graduating class.

OT: One of my childhood friends is named Ileta, which is rare as hell but is still a cool name, so I've been used to unique names since childhood. As long as they actually SOUND like a name (as mentioned, Zelda, etc), they're cool in my book. I draw the line at names that are way too obvious or likely to get the kid made fun of, like most Japanese sounding anime names, being that I do not live in Japan.

 

[Liv's Runaway Snail]

Thanks for the fantastic responses so far, I will post the article's link here when I'm done. Give me a couple weeks after I finish a few other projects though. ^^

 

[Christemo]

Depends entirely on the name. Lightning, Raiden or some absurd name you´d never see? I´d say that´s a bit much.

A perfectly normal name like Jaina, Elise or Geralt? Sure, why not. I´m gonna go ahead and admit that if were to have a daughter and could decide on the name, I´d call her Illyasviel, or atleast Illya.

 

[ImperialSunlight]

Is it wrong? Silly? Stupid? [even if its an established name like April and Nathan] Why?

Not wrong morally (I'm morally nihilistic, and I won't get into that right now), but if you want your child to be successful, you should be discreet about it. It could get them bullied and make it harder for them to get jobs.

Is it worse than naming your child after a movie/tv show/book character? Why?

Nope. No difference. Apart from characters from books, who, probably because of general pompousness, are considered much more sophisticated.

Does it matter if there is a positive background story behind it? (i.e the character stands by good morals that are inspiring/meaningful to you).


No, but I suppose it would make sense to choose a name that means something to you.

Where should you draw the line? Between established and totally obscure. Does it matter?

See question one.

I personally want to call my son Solaire if I have one. Which I probably won't. Or if it's a girl, Mara.

 

[bug_of_war]

Naming your kid Dovahkiin (example taken from above) is dumb but I'm totally naming my first-born Brynjolf.

I wouldn't be so opposed to Dovahkiin if they named the kid that because that's what they wanted, but the fact that they did it to win a competition kind of just makes my head spin. You shouldn't have a child for any reason other than you want one and the same goes for the name of a child, you're being selfish in naming the child after something so that you get free games, it's morally wrong to use your child.

 

[Aeonknight]

My son is named Commander Shepard. When I have a daughter, her name will be Commander Shepard, too.

Also: http://blogs.babycenter.com/celebrities/robin-williams-explains-zeldas-game-name/

If it's a common name it's alright, or a name that sounds normal, at least. Zelda sounds normal enough. Naming your child Dovahkiin is pretty fucking stupid, though.

and that commercial just rocketed Robin Williams to the top of my "favorite celebrities" list. He was already pretty high up mind you, but still.

 

[Risingblade]

Depends on the name. Most characters have pretty good names, it's up to you as the parent not to choose one of the stupid ones.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

1.) Nah, I don't think it's wrong. As long as the name sounds pretty normal by today's standards, I think it's acceptable to do.

2.) I don't see any difference between video game or TV/Book naming. I think the same rule from #1 applies. As long as the name sounds normal, then I think it's okay to do.

3.) I don't think it matters, but if there is a positive backstory behind the name, I can imagine it will only benefit the parents.

4.) Draw the line? Well, "real" names likes Josh or Adam don't push any boundaries, unlike some of the Norse-inspired stuff from Skyrim or such.

Also, if I have a daughter, I plan on naming her Margaret. Because the Velvet Room assistant in Persona 4 is named Margaret. It may be kind of old fashioned, but I still think it's a nice name. If that doesn't sit will, Elizabeth works too. ;D

I haven't decided what I would name a son, though. Maybe John (Marston) or Scott (Pilgrim).

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Its fine but normal naming rules still apply. For example, you don't go naming your kid 'Masterchief' or 'Nightwolf'. Something like a normal name is fine, or even Dovah as short for Dovahkiin is decent.

 

[New Troll]

As long as the parents like the name, it really has no difference where they got their inspiration from. Just as long as they consider the consequences of their actions (i.e. naming their child Mega-Man might get their child mocked and bullied.)

 

[BOOM headshot65]

I actually had a run in with something like this at my work one time. I was carrying out for this couple with a little girl about 8 years old with them, and this is what happens. They were both dressed in Halo stuff, ok no big deal, but then I heard the name of thier daughter:

*starts bagging thier stuff*
Man: *says something to daughter, including her name*
In my mind:"Did he just say........nah."
*up on getting to thier car*
Man: "Cortana, get in the truck."
in my mind: "Did he seriously name his daughter Cortana -_-"

Now I will admit that I am not totally immune to this. I will be naming my children after people, but thier names make more sense:

Daugher:

May [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/May_(anime)] Annabelle[footnote]No one in particualr. I just think Annabelle is a pretty name.[/footnote] M*****, Susan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony] Mayville[footnote]My girlfriend/thier mothers maiden name[/footnote] M*****

Son:

Robert Lee [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee] M*****, Thomas Jackson [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson] M*****

 

[JagermanXcell]

Nah, I see nothing wrong with it just as long as its normal sounding, and if the parents see it is a beautiful sounding name with a touching background to it.

I drew the line in the sand back when parents named their kids Dovahkiin.

Sure it'll only benefit the parents, but just as long as the child lives a normal life and isn't made fun of for it
*Looks at Robin William's daughter*


So, friking, cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute.

I wouldn't advise naming your child Tarkus, Raiden, Dovahkiin or Pikachu.

...actually no, f*** that, Tarkus is a great name.

I imagine my son Tarkus scoring a goal/homerun/touchdown, with me at the bleachers playing THIS song, quoting THIS historic moment of gaming:

Spoiler

 

[FEichinger]

Interesting amount of people considering "Cloud" a stupid name. For me, that's in no way different from "Hope" or "Joy", which have become pretty accepted names nowadays.

Also: If it sounds like it could be a human name it's fine. Facebook is a company, Dovahkiin is a title and Sparta is a place ... Doesn't matter where the name comes from, if it's stupid, it is stupid.


Edit: This thread also gave me this sudden desire to watch Dead Poets Society again ...

 

[GeneralFungi]

I have a sort of guide I use when deciding on whether a name is a good one. It goes something like this.

Is it a name you would like to be called? Yes or no.

If no you're just a dick who shouldn't be responsible for children. The end.

If yes, is it only because you are proud to show off your dedication to a game? Yes or no.

If yes, change your own name. Children are not just trophies for you to display yourself. If you want to display dedication it would be better to change your own name. How would a kid explain the name you've given them in 20-30 years time?

If no, and you like the name because it would fit an actual human being actually living on the planet earth, congratulations! That might just not be so terrible after all.

Or you could keep the terrible name anyway because you're a terrible person.

 

[sXeth]

Without getting into weird robots or made up languages, most of the names in videogames are based off real ones anyways.

To grab some prior examples from the thread:
Cortana is a fairly minor rearrangement from Courtney. Zelda is a somewhat used name (granted, more in the 40s/50s. I have an uncle Garret. Link's a bit odd, but "Linc" is a short of "Lincoln" and fairly popular (particularly in the US). Mario is ridiculously common in italian-descended families.

Some other seem silly, but not so much if you get into the origins of what names we have. Neil means Cloud, for instance.

 

[Pebkio]

I say yes, but just because it's a bit lazy. Otherwise it's cool. Now, if the person did the research and found a vg character with the same last name and THEN named their child after that character, not so lazy. But mostly, if you name your child "Link" or "Samus" or "Blooregard Q."... you deserve a slap in the face.

It is no better or worse than if you used a comic book, or a movie, or a song.

I guess if the character really really inspired you to name your child after that character, then it's kind-of alright. But again, find something more personal than what can be experienced by the entire universe. So yeah, to me, the background matters.

What's supposed to be a name anyway? Current standards? Those were set by people who, at the very start, used non-standard names. No, don't draw a line, use what really matters to you.