What Do You Name Your RPG Characters?

[Tamashikiri]

I usually name the main character "Necros" (the Latin word of death, I think), after a now-dead forum-based web novel I used to write.

In the case of supporting party members, I usually name them after characters from other media. For instance, in Chrono Trigger I named Lucca "Wrench" (after the gadgeteer genius sidekick from the webcomic Antihero for Hire), Marle "Vivi" (after the Alabastan princess from One Piece), Robo "Omega" (after one of Eggman's robots in the Sonic series, because "Megatron" was too long), and Frog "Gawain" (after a knight from Arthurian lore).

And I know Zelda isn't actually an RPG but when I don't rename Link "Necros" I've called him "Tanis" (after the half-elf protagonist from the Dragonlance series) and Zoro (a One Piece character again).

 

[unbreakable212]

Either Abdel or Gorion, both influenced by Baldur's Gate! Other than that, usually names of some close friends or just random names from books/shows.

 

[Mikeyfell]

I go default.

And I'm of the strong belief that every game that has a nameable protagonist should have a built in name generator, because I don't like coming up with names.

And after my tenth time through the game "Default guy" just doesn't cut it any more.

Like one of my Shepards was named "Mutombo Shepard" just because I wanted to hear Mark Meer's Canadian ass voice comming out of the most African Shep the customization tools would let me make.

It was good for a laugh

 

[Sunrider]

I usually go with my own first name, Linus, if I use male characters. For female characters, I use Mirel. I'd give you a background story about where I got the name from, but I honestly can't even remember. =(

 

[Ryotknife]

Male - Ryot/Zanken
female- Rveya

Truth be told I actually like Rveya better

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Oh yeah! Also, if that's a female character, then it's either "Lili" as in Lili from Tekken, or "Chie". I don't even have to explain Chie, right?

 

[TehCookie]

I usually look for some sort of characteristic and name my characters after that. Like my Kahjit in Skyrim was called Seravii because she looked like a serval or the P3 MC I called Rigel because his hair was blue (it's a blue star). I rarely use the same name for everything. Though if the game already has a name I use that.

 

[Trueflame]

snip

Congratulations on reading the Malazan series, truly one of the best examples of the fantasy genre that I've read. Similarly to you, I usually like to use names of my favorite characters from books, although most commonly I go with either Tyrion or Kellhus. The latter in particular is always good for the sort of character I like to play in games like Skyrim, which is a jack of all trades who excels at everything.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Mycroft. Or if it's a female character either Zoë or Triss. Sometime I'll name male characters Rubashov as well if its a second(non-main run)

From Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Ragnar's Dreamfall, The Witcher and Arthur Koestlers Darkness at Noon, respectively.

 

[HunterTheron]

I have a few go-to characters, each has a particular archtype they fit.

Theron is my male ranger/hunter/sniper
Chara is a female assasin/rouge/thief
Cadoc is a male warrior
Circe is my female warrior, also she's Theron's sister
Alister is a male mage, usually some type of Elf.
Wil and Erika are my melee/magic hybrid characters

If I want to play something else then I generally just make up something on the spot.

 

[danm36]

Gerald Von Taschentoff
Jarod Gobblecoque
or my standard Halmera

 

[blackdwarf]

Male: Derrick
Female: Leona

Sometimes variations if I already used the names: Xerath, Vhaljun, Borando.

 

[Foolery]

If it's a western RPG like Fallout I usually go with Sawyer. Simple. JRPGs I just keep the default or use my own name if required. I save most of my creative and clever naming for Pokemon.

 

[Mrmac23]

In just about every game where i can name my character, i've gone with Derek Kered. I've used the name for so long on both male and female characters that i've decided that they're all actually the same person, who is an incredibly bored god/time lord that can change any aspect of himself at will and is the ultimate Mary Sue. I find that imagining his absent-minded thoughts as he goes through each game puts a more amusing perspective on everything.

 

[Roxas1359]

Depends on what genre really.
If it's a JRPG then I usually just keep the names to their defaults.

However, in WRPGs I usually name my guy characters either Maxieon or Erasmus. Female characters are either Elika or Neronium. I always interchange between male characters and female characters though. Another characteristic is that they must have purple hair, which is why Skyrim disappointed me in that I couldn't change my hair color! >.<

 

[PPB]

I have a bunch of original fantasy-appropriate names that I keep reusing in most fantasy games. Most of them are inspired by LotR, D&D and Warcraft.

Sometimes I use a name from a character in a different game. For example, I had a paladin in NWN named Verigan, from the famous paladin weapon in WoW. More recently, I named all of my Diablo 3 characters after Baldur's Gate NPCs, my main Demon Hunter being Solaufein (wanted to call him Kivan at first for the joinable ranger in BG1, but the DH preview with the spiky armour screamed Drow).

More often than not though, I try to use names I came up with.

 

[___________________]

Tits-ahoy. That's the best name. And don't you forget it.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Fitz.

It's anticlimactic, and that's why I like it.

Also my Fallout New Vegas character is basically Robin Williams.

 

[JagermanXcell]

Males- Acrixus. Its just a cool sounding name. It fits in most of your typical RPG settings, scifi, fantasy, ect.
Female- These I usually have to think about. My most recent ones were Raven, Natalia and Vera. The idea is to have a cool new Fem name for every new RPG I play, so far I'm on a roll.