Naming Your Character In RPGs?

Thanks to InsertCredit for their feature discussing the player-inputted choice for character names in videogames. They discuss some of the joys of DIY character naming ("Some people will buy an RPG, only to name the characters after their favorite profane words"), as well some more unlikely pleasures ("I became obsessed with buying used Final Fantasy VI cartridges for 100 yen at a certain game shop in Akihabara, just to see what all the characters had been named.") Taking a lead from this distinctly unconventional article, what names have Slashdot Games readers entered for characters in their favorite RPGs, and why?

Comments

Short Welsh Names

[Y Ddraig Goch]

usually work the best for me. The Welsh alphabet uses the same 26 characters as english but the pronounciation and the dipthongs are more complex. Also all the dd's, ll's, and y's male the names properly fantasy like. However lately in games that I have several scenarios, I've taken to naming my characters after their class. It's easier to keep things straight.

Big Numbered Scrabble Tiles

[robbway]

I've noticed that Star Trek and a lot of fantasy and sci-fi stories use names with a lot of the 5-thru-10 point scrabble tiles. X's (Xannix), Z's (Zai), and Q's (Qui Quon) are for aliens. K's (Krakus) and J's (Jaran) are for ethnic names. It's so formulamatic it's funny.

Another convention is to use lots of vowels (Bea Ai), lots of consonants (Kwllk), or apostraphes (T'Den, Q'Sung).

I invent names quickly with as little thought as possible, a lot of times following the sterotypes above. It's not great, but it works.

It's probably cheaper to collect monickers in chat rooms than buying Final Fantasy cartridges, though.

Re:Big Numbered Scrabble Tiles

[robbway]

In the trivia category, this site expounds on Star Trek name origins. Not only does it sound like someone has too much time on their hands, the explanations sound, for the most part plausible and correct. It's actually a really good read!

My usuals

[RevRagnarok]

I didn't think you cared, but since you asked... ;)

Anything online that is long enough to actually fit, I use 'RevRagnarok' (gee, look around this post). That's just become my online alter ego. http://www.revragnarok.com/ explains the reasons - basically, Ragnarok is just such an interesting story, etc, and I am also a legally ordained minister. Many of my friends now refer to me as "Rev" in Real Life(TM) and even at work (which can get embarassing).

For some of the console games, just "Ragnarok" fits. Or some shorter form. Then when they say (in games like FF8) that we need to get to the Ragnarok I think "But I'm right here ppl..."

RevR or even RR is used sometimes, like when I am very limited. Just, contrary to my evil friend's obsession, never 'Rag' or 'RevRag'! ;)

Some previous ones:
absorto (in middle school a spanish->english dictionary said it meant 'mentally lost')
X-Phile (loved that show early on)

- RR

Ultimate nerd

[Alizarin Erythrosin]

In high school I was looking through my chemistry book and came up with Alizarin Erythrosin. It's the name of 2 pH indicators. It just sounded so good together I've used it ever since.

Can't get much more nerdy then that.

Take the easy way out

[Torgo's Pizza]

Just Google for "RPG Name Generator" and you'll be set. Yeah, it's the lazy way out but I'm tired of sitting at the computer trying to think of some creative name. Let the generator do it for me (it's often more creative than I ever could be with names) and let me get to playing. I do name the main character myself however. The only game I can think of that you were forced to be really creative was with the pen and paper RPG Paranoia. In fact, a while back I was talking with Greg Costikyan about it and we agreed it was one of the best features of the game.

Best name generator around

[farphel]

The best one I've ever come across is fantasy name generator.