How do you name your characters?

[DarkHin]

Gotta say, an interesting thread (giving us all an option to self-profile while satisfying our curiousity), and not sure one that we had before.

The threads that induce conceit get all the love.

Anyways, thanks for your acclaim. I'm sure it will go straight to my head.


DH

*Edited for diction. (yes, I'm that pretentious)

[DarkHin]

I just want to say I'm impressed by the thought and energy many of you put into naming your characters. On glaring exception is Veilan, whose naming method is simply stupid .

Thank you all for sharing.

Now if only the rest of you laggards will get to responding.

[CloudDancing]

Thinkpig showed me page 12 of the Forgotten Realms Compendium (3.5) and it has a list of names by region.

[JonnyJerny]

Clearly, the only respectable character names are Gardakan & Mordak.

On a more serious note, I usually consider culture, nationality, faith and station of the parents. Then, creative inspiration (Amthail instead of Amlaith) or outright stealing (Aszûne) comes into play on occasion. I don't use RNGs (though I enjoy them for their own sake and amusement value), but kind of have a random name generator in my head. I like play with expectations ("Rondrian" for a servant of Rahja, not Rondra), and try to avoid naming characters "fitting" for what they do, unless it makes sense, though I like to keep a vague mental association that works in my own head. I also enjoy plays on real, possibly historic names (Berol, instead of Karol, which is modern-day Karl). I also like to see "suggested names" lists for a setting, and then work something out that is identifiable as similar but not on the list (Barí for my The One Ring dwarf).

While that may sound all very thought-out, it usually just starts from some spark of inspiration that I then justify in hindsight .

Gotta say, an interesting thread (giving us all an option to self-profile while satisfying our curiousity), and not sure one that we had before.

Cheers,

lol

[Ithildur]

We could do with more threads like this one.

[puny]

picking a name is by far the the most difficult part for me when it comes to character creation process, i hate it.

[Galadorn]

picking a name is by far the the most difficult part for me when it comes to character creation process, i hate it.

Yes. It is the hardest thing to do in character process. But I am the opposite to youze! It's my favourite part!

[Veilan]

Names only the hardest part in games like NWN, where your appearance choices are so limited that it's not that difficult to arrive at the least of evils .

[Zelknolf]

Names only the hardest part in games like NWN, where your appearance choices are so limited that it's not that difficult to arrive at the least of evils .

Technically, your appearance choices are infinite. It's just that the prefabs are unimpressive.

[oldgrayrogue]

picking a name is by far the the most difficult part for me when it comes to character creation process, i hate it.

100% true. I literally spend more time on this than any other aspect of the character. Depending on race and class I do research on line as to something that I think is suitable to the race, background etc. But mostly it has to be something that I think sounds cool. I like to also keep it short and easy to type as a courtesy to other players.

Some examples:

Thoron -- wild elf ranger -- translates to Eagle

Corio D'Sarte -- Luskar rogue

Voric Mael -- Moonsea Zhent

Toc -- Waterdeep Rogue (those who know the name's history will chuckle)

Cael -- wood elf ranger. Translates to "Arrow"

Thori Blackhammer -- Mithral hall Dwarf

Czor Var -- Rashemi ranger/berzerker

Bjorn -- Ruathym Warrior

Lash Stone -- Ranger from the Sharp Teeth

[DarkHin]

picking a name is by far the the most difficult part for me when it comes to character creation process, i hate it.

100% true. I literally spend more time on this than any other aspect of the character. Depending on race and class I do research on line as to something that I think is suitable to the race, background etc. But mostly it has to be something that I think sounds cool. I like to also keep it short and easy to type as a courtesy to other players.

Some examples:

Thoron -- wild elf ranger -- translates to Eagle

Corio D'Sarte -- Luskar rogue

Voric Mael -- Moonsea Zhent

Toc -- Waterdeep Rogue (those who know the name's history will chuckle)

Cael -- wood elf ranger. Translates to "Arrow"

Thori Blackhammer -- Mithral hall Dwarf

Czor Var -- Rashemi ranger/berzerker

Bjorn -- Ruathym Warrior

Lash Stone -- Ranger from the Sharp Teeth

Pah, it isn't a properer Elven name without at least five syllables.

[Mick]

picking a name is by far the the most difficult part for me when it comes to character creation process, i hate it.

100% true. I literally spend more time on this than any other aspect of the character. Depending on race and class I do research on line as to something that I think is suitable to the race, background etc. But mostly it has to be something that I think sounds cool. I like to also keep it short and easy to type as a courtesy to other players.

Some examples:

Thoron -- wild elf ranger -- translates to Eagle

Corio D'Sarte -- Luskar rogue

Voric Mael -- Moonsea Zhent

Toc -- Waterdeep Rogue (those who know the name's history will chuckle)

Cael -- wood elf ranger. Translates to "Arrow"

Thori Blackhammer -- Mithral hall Dwarf

Czor Var -- Rashemi ranger/berzerker

Bjorn -- Ruathym Warrior

Lash Stone -- Ranger from the Sharp Teeth

Pah, it isn't a properer Elven name without at least five syllables.

...and four apostrophes.

[Galadorn]

I see a Mick.

[Brokenbone]

Good old Mick. Hello.

[boombrakh]

I usually pick surnames that has one syllable or can be easily shortened to a nickname with one syllable. If not that, then at the most two. And I agree with puny, picking a name is by far one of the most difficult things during character creation. I mean, you are going to have to live with that choice for the rest of that PCs career. Before I arrived at "Jax'eth Gyxx" for my present PC, I went through several iterations of the "same" name. It just didn't "feel" right until I got what I have now. And "Jax'eth" was chosen because it could be shortened to "Jax" and that is was more of a gender neutral name (even though I mostly associate it with a male name) because it is my first character I've ever played that wasn't a male and more often than not in my experience, males portraying female characters tend to overdo it. That's why a less "female" name helps me stay grounded. Or at least that was the idea from the start.

Also, the name "Jax'eth" sounds hard and aggressive which is what the character is. She is heavily influenced by drow/half-drow culture and I wanted the name to reflect that. The last name "Gyxx" is stolen from Pathfinder, but serves to enhance the aggressive sounding element of the complete name. "Jax Gyxx" sounds a lot more "pointy" than "Larethen Orand'erathin" which is how elven names mostly sound.


Anyways. That is my 2 öre.