How do you pick your character names?

Remove all ads!

Here's a story for you (from a geek): I always have trouble thinking of names, so I once played through BG2 with a character called Coffee Mug, because I looked for inspiration from things around my computer desk .

 

Dai'altha Vanya- Elven Fighter/Cleric of Selune
Maron- Avariel Cleric of Sune
Raven d'Malkin- Drow priestess of Eilistraee(sp?)
Minstra del Gardia- Elven druidess
Cascade- Elven lieutenant (named because she wears multi-coloured clothing

Skip- Human Fighter
Tycho- Human fighter
Alandro- Human swordsman

Lots of these names are taken from real names. For example

Daie- Dale (Not my name, honest!)
Alandro- Alesandro (sp?)
Tycho, obviously
Skip, yeah well, he's not a kangaroo, I promise

 

Hehe, once upon a time, I wrote a random name generator in Basic. It wasn't great and some functions were obviously flawed in such a way that I couldn't repair, but some of those I really liked.

Forgot to mention the middle earth name translator.

 

I use names from my favourate characters in books...I'm usually too lazy to make something up, and most of my characters have been called "Morham".

Occasionally I get inventive, and I just take a name that either rolls off the tounge, or comes from the throat, depending on the race.

 

Belisarius Durendal - Always my paladin. Belisarius is my favorite general from history and Durendal was Roland's sword in the "Song of Roland."

Thorfin Skullsplitter - My favorite dwarf name. Also a character in the movie "Erik the Viking."

Balin Thunderaxe - I made up, but Balin is from LotR...Another good dwarf name.

Nimbul Alewine - I made this one up too. Great name for a halfling thief. Nimbule because he's nimble and Alewine for his favorite drinks!

Rem Stoneybrook - another halfling thief name. I made this one up too...I can't remember why - It just popped into my head. He was my longest running character in ALFA

Valleryn Sunstorm or Autumnleaf/Eowyn Silverheart - Two names I made up for a female cleric in IWD and ToEE.

Circe Anthalas - ANother made up name for an elf mage.

Gandor the Red - my first wizard when I played paper DnD. I was 11. You can figure out where Gandor came from. "The Red" just sounded cool.

Dwalin Hammerhand - another cool dwarf name I came up with. Dwalin was Balin's brother in "The Hobbit."

As you can see, I like making up names...

 

@Jiggajay

Original? Isn't there a character in BG2 called Arkanis Gath? You just added the "u"?

 

A friend of mine loves to make his names things that will be funny in context of the game. I.E. Dumbass in BG, 'I forgot your name' in something, 'I like beer' in something else, sorry, I don't remember the funniest ones.

 

^Didn't The Magpie name a BG character Wanderer, just for giggling when you first meet Uncle El? Ho there, wanderer, stay thy course a moment and indulge and old man.

 

That reminds me; I once named my character "Master" in an SNES game. It was hilarious hearing everyone call me master.

Has anyone else ever considered taking a four-character MP party through BG1 with the names Dimwit, Boob, Brainless, and Moron, just so you can laugh in Emissary Tar's face?
.
.
.
Actually, that's not a bad idea. I could do the classic single-class setup (F, M, C, & T) and blast everyone's intelligence to match the names. I shall have to think on this...

 

Almost always based on books, hence I have had recent characters called:

Arya
The Hound
Malta
FitzChivalry

 

I just randomly draw names from the randomest places. Sometimes I make them up. Sometimes they're a noun. Most of the time, they're quite lame. Often, I name them after obsecure characters in obsecure things. Sometimes I name them based on their apperance, but that obviously doesn't extend to the IE games since they pretty much all look the same...