What Do You Name Your RPG Characters?

[Saltyk]

Depends. Is there an actual name? If so, I go with that, most of the time. If not, then I'll use one of various names. Like my user name, Saltyk, or, in the case Mass Effect and similar games, I used my first name. Though in that case, no one ever references your name at all.

In MMOs I tend to use several spice derived names after Saltyk. Paprika, and Basil for example.

 

[deleted139124]

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[Jolly Co-operator]

"Kosk" "Anomander", "Pearl".

Kosk sounds really unique and awesome. I approve. I haven't heard of the source material of Anomander, but linguistically it sounds just as unique as "Kosk". If a bit less so. It gives the character some _character_, if you know what I mean.
Pearl, while a name that is used IRL from time to time, can help define the type of character you are playing. I'm thinking a neutral to lawful good that prioritizes loyalty as a core value.

I usually spend _way_ too much time searching for a name for my characters. Mostly I go for something from either history, science or mythology, and focus on those that have some relation to the character I'm going to play. Although, I have some go to, nonsensical names I keep around just because they sound cool.
Some examples:

Diablo 3

Female Monk, named: XiWangmu, after a chinese goddess known as the "Western-" or "Queen Mother", which I was first introduced to in the sci-fi epic Xenocide, by Orson Scott Card.

Male Witch Doctor: Houngan, the term for "male priest" in Haitian Voodoo.

Female Demon Hunter: Durga, the hindu goddess known as the invincible goddess of power.

World of Warcraft

Female Undead Warlock: Arocheae, the latin name for a poisonous mushroom.

Female Undead Priestess: Mechtild, a historical medieval mystic and nun.

Male Death Knight: Mowbray, named after 14th century Thomas de Mowbray, a brittish noble turned rebel who was beheaded in his struggles.

I'm glad you like the name "Kosk". I'm actually kind of proud of it, since I usually don't come up with completely original names.

I like your history/mythology inspired approach to names. I often use that same approach when nicknaming Pokemon (when I can't think of a decent pun, that is).

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

For some reason, I find myself using the name "Kosk" a lot. I don't know why I came up with it; it just randomly popped into my head one day, and I decided I liked the sound of it.

More recently, I've been using the name "Anomander", in reference to a character from the book series I'm currently reading. Even though the characters I make never match the awesomeness of their namesake, I still like to use it.

I'm also fond of the name "Pearl". I first used it in Pokemon Pearl, as a little joke. The protagonist of Pokemon Red was named "Red", so I thought I'd name the protagonist of Pokemon Pearl "Pearl". While the joke was admittedly unfunny and I should be ashamed of myself for thinking of it, I did come to like the way the word sounded when used as a name. It has a short, snappy nickname-ish sort of sound to it.

(Coincidentally, Pearl is also the name of another character from the book series I'm currently reading. Kind of funny, considering I first played Pokemon Pearl about five years ago, and only started reading that series a few months ago.)

you're reading the malazan book of the fallen, aren't you? I still haven't gotten over my residual grief from those books, and I read them over a year ago. its great stuff, in other words. I won't spoil it, but you are in for one hell of a ride.

OT; I usually end up naming my characters the first thing that comes to mind, which is usually the name of a character from somewhere else. for example, one of my shepards is called "delilah" because "hey there delilah" was playing on the radio (bad, I know). sometimes, i get more ambitious, such as naming Hawke from dragon age "Toma", but usually i dont deviate from this.

Yep, that's what I'm reading. I'm about 30% of the way through book 4. I thought I might be let down by it, since I had just finished reading the Wheel of Time, but actually, I've liked the Malazan BotF even more, so far. It feels like it's willing to take more risks than the WoT, and the characters are more likable (probably because they actually have a sense of humor). Along with likable characters, the Malazan series has had some grade A badasses; I thought Lan from WoT was cool, but then I met Coltaine.

Speaking of Coltaine, I like using his name in games, too.

 

[absulute]

Many years ago, my Shadow Priest was called Absolute (which I thought was a cool name for a priest, and I was drinking vodka at the time)

Anyway, I moved the server he was on and the name was taken, so I made the slight change to Absulute. Now pretty much every character is Absulute.

Although my last New Vegas courier was called Pissface. Make of that what you will.

 

[MrWunderful]

Wow you guys get really creative with your names.

I always use default if there is one. If not, I either use my name "Corey" or one of my cats names "Dexter" or "Holly". Maybe in the future I will look into cool names.

 

[masticina]

I tend to use short almost magical lyrical sounding names. They have to sound good.. as if they are sung far over the wind.

Nye'la for instance, a lovely two twoner.. ending with an a that is a very open sound.

 

[thehorror2]

In games with enough facial customization where I can approximate my own face, I always name one character Adam, after myself. Other than this, I have no set pattern for character names.

 

[luvd1]

I usually make up a pun/stupid/ a real persons usually off the news names. Like if I was playing a RPG now, I would name him/her Ahmadinejad or James clapper or a mix like Clapper Ahmadinejad.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

On most RPGs, I usually stick to the default names that are provided. It just makes it easier to identify with the characters.

In terms of the Disgaea games, I usually name them with whatever comes to mind first (i.e. Bule Mage named Shiva). As I restart my Disgaea 2 file, I'm naming my units after characters that I've created in my fictional works.

 

[luvd1]

Lamb testicals was a good name.

 

[Skorm034]

"Skorm" the evil demon-ish presence in the original Fable which I loved as a kid and "Sam" after my favourite Spartan; Sam 034.

Or in the case of every Legend of Zelda; Fuck me
and Pokemon; Slut, besides in the new ones because that's banned, I go with "Slutt"

 

[Silverback91]

Generally things rather lore friendly. My default fantasy name is Lratos with an ulmat over the "a". But in Fallout my characters are generally hairy men named Jean, and my persona character name was Keichi Asano.

Overall i try to keep a name that is friendly with the lore of the game.

 

[scorptatious]

Normally, I just stick with the default names of characters in RPG's.

However, I'm currently playing through Disgaea: HoD and I'm finding myself naming certain characters after characters from other games I've played or even shows that I watched.

For example:

Red Skull: Vivi from FFIX
Green Skull: Riki from Xenoblade Chronicles
Blue Mage: Lulu from FFX
Warrior: Blank from FFIX
Ronin: Sakaki from Azumanga Daioh

For WRPG's like the Elder Scrolls games or Mass Effect, I tend to use my own name. Charlie. Even if it makes no sense for an Argonian to be named that. XD

 

[Proverbial Jon]

My Elder Scrolls character is always a female Khajiit called Ra'naia Faye (pronounced Ran-eye-ah Fay.) That's just the way it is.

I always play as a female where I can so I often use that character's name again or I'll make something up on the spot. I can't start the game until I'm happy with the name though.

I have lots of names stored up (and subsequent personalities that go with the name), just for the occasion that I need to make a character.

Right now, my current fave is Scales-For-Brains; the headstrong, overconfident, bit-of-an-asshole Argonian Rogue who is an incredibly competent thief who simply has extremely bad luck. Also: as another trait of the character, I am obliged to attack and kill every Khajiit I see...

"I'm not racist, I'm just careful... and don't like cats"
-Scales-For-Brains

[sub][sub]Yeah... I'm that one guy that puts waaaay too much thought into their RP characters...[/sub][/sub]

I love this idea and your approach to the game! :3

Although I hope your character never comes across mine. She doesn't take to kindly to people trying to kill her for no good reason...

 

[thejackyl]

Depends on the kind of character I play. If it's just an account name, I'll use Dhallus. He's the villain of a story/game that I'm working on, and I'm VERY proud of him. If there are actual character archetypes to choose from I'll choose from a handful of names also from the same story/game.

Dhallus: Heavy Armor, Warrior, Necromancer, or general tanky classes
Kobalt: Light Armor, Stealth, Rogue-type classes
Neiya: Elemental, Caster, Psychic classes

 

[Halfie2]

I prefer to use the random name generators in games that have them.
Other than that there's my usual Halfdead, Humonard or stealing a name from other sources.

And if that don't work [del]use more gun[/del], I go for the good old keyboard smash where I hit random keys and either add, remove and/or rearrange a few letters to make a name as seen below.
example 1: lgoabshnj -> Goab Shinj
example 2: öwyjgknoba -> Ökwyj Gnobar

 

[Bluestorm83]

If characters already have their own lore names, I leave them as they are. If I'm creating my own character, I try to imagine up not only a unique name for them, but a personality type too. I find it a lot more fun to play RPGs, especially Bethesda ones, if I adhere to my own internal lore for my character. I had a guy in Fallout: New Vegas who I named Clive. He could wear any armor but ALWAYS wore his lucky cowboy hat, refused to use any non-bullet firing weapons, and had a serious alcohol problem. If he found any alcohol, he'd immediately drink half of what I found, and save the rest for later. If he was ever not drunk, it was time to drink until drunk. Every single time he went to any town, right after finishing his entire stock of booze, the first stop was finding a doctor to cure his addiction. Which lasted until the next time he found any drinks... and the cycle started all over. LOTS of fun playing as him.

 

[SuperSuperSuperGuy]

I usually name my characters after me. Unless I'm playing as a girl, then I just go through the list of girl names that I like, which is significantly longer than the list of boy names that I like.

Sometimes I like to give my character a joke name, though; I called my Oblivion character "Edward the Facesmasher" because I thought it was funny. He punches things and throws fireballs and doesn't afraid of anything.

 

[teh_Canape]

well, if it's male, I go for Deus (extremely fitting for shin megami tensei games isn't it) or my own name
if female, either Maken or Firefly, because they sound cool