The Naming Constant of Chars

The "those who got renamed" thread brought up an interesting question (at least to me). For those who have played multiple MMO's, how constant is your characters name? I remember I started in Everquest with a character named Trinak and generally speaking have always have had that toon name in other games. Over the years I've added Synith and Mij to my MMO char name constants. How about you?

Back in the day of D&D (AD&D), I made Gypse the wife to Chaze Bloodheart. In DAoC I got stupid on some of my names, I am not going to tell. In Warhammer, there was life to Blockhead, Gypse poked her head out once there, so did Chaze, and I had Cuefire, but now in Rift it has been the home to Gypse and her Half-sister Lady. Cue went rouge, and stays hidden most of the time.

Most of my names have origins in old-time, pen-n-paper Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (god how I miss those times). I have probably about five to six names that I've reused consistently, however there are a few that I've created completely new for a game here and there. This makes me think back to a number of my characters across a few different games. Funny how you miss the characters, but not necessarily the game.

I was never consistent with my character names in my AD&D days... but that was 30 years ago [ack!] However, all through my MMO history (DAoC, GW, WoW, WAR, and now Rift) my characters have all been variations of "Stoat"... often repeating between games as well: Stoat, Stoats, Stoatoo, Stoatee, Stoatart, Stoatour, Stoative, Stoatix, Stoateven, Stoataight, Stoaten, and Stoatspaw. The original Stoat was Stoatgobbler (from a Monte Python skit)... That was the name I used throughout my FPS days (in the ones where you could rename "Player 1-4" to something else anyway): Doom, Hexen, Heritic, Quake, Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem, Unreal, Half-life and Medal of Honor... I probably forgot a few, but you get the idea... heh heh... Stoatgobbler made his appearance in DAoC (Hib/Guenivere)... I made it to level 20 before the RP name gestapo caught me, and they renamed my character to "Mykor"... Well, that wouldn't do - so I deleted him, and the first Stoat was born (Lurikeen Ranger).

When I started Playing EQ I treid many, many, many names and always found them taken as it was a popular server and I started about 6-8 months after release so most of the popular names were gone as well as their variations. But I found one for my Barbarian - "Jarnsaxa" that had not been taken. Jarnsaxa had been one of the lovers of Thor in Norse mythology. After that - I also played DAOC for awhile and had the same problem since I went to a RP server and strated years after the game release - I don't even remember my characters name there. I began using vaiations of Morigana, Rayvyn, Beannighe, Kalypso along the way and just started using Mamba. Morigana is probably my favorite name for a mage charater and Rayvyn for a ranger class - with Mamba and Beannighe for rogue/assassins. I have always embraced Norse/Celtic mythology but studied Ancient Greek, Roman, and Eqyptian mythogy - and it is generally from ancient gods/goddesses that I pull my names. Mamba came up in this game as a play on the word since she started out as a Bard/Assassin - Mamba the dance vs. Blacm Mamba the poisonous snake - but I went away from the bard - but she is still has an assassin build. Unfortunately for me - I really have to like the name I have attached to my character - and I have ones I am really fond of - one of the main reasons I do early orders - for early access - and start 4-5 characters immediately to reserve my names. I still have Rayvyn abnd Kalypso reserved in this game - just don't play them :)

» Edited on: 2011-05-29 13:10:14

Mahret was the name of my first character in Asheron's Call. I had 2 friends waiting in game and another on the phone keeping me company while AC installed and I created my template, character and picked stats. He wasn't patient when the first dozen names I picked were taken, so I settled on a shortened version of the name of my favorite Anne Rice character; Maharet. My love for MMO's has outlived my love for Anne Rice and thankfully it's maybe once every year or so someone asks me if that's the origin of my name. It's a little embarrassing now, but I've spent 11 years with the name Mahret as my alter-ego, I just can't bear to see it die. Some of my old alt character names from Asheron's call I always "reserve" or use: Mael, Akana and Zivah.

» Edited on: 2011-05-29 17:10:36

Wolfenstein [Mage] has been my online (MMO) handle for a smidge over 11 years as well. I pay homage to the great classic of Wolfenstein3D. :) Most of my names in AC1 (where Mahret and I met <3) were characters from several of the games that Stoats mentioned. My stint in EQ1 gave rise to Galendale [Warrior] (based off of some AC1 lore and Babylon 5). Several MMO's later, WoW came along and so did Ascension [Priest], Donnerjack [Rogue], and Valyria [Mage or Warrior]. Those of you who read Zelazny will recognize my rogue and those who read Martin will recognize the last one. If I have more than 5 character slots, I have a handful of other names I throw in the mix, but like Morigana, I always try really hard to either pre-order or be there the first day of Retail to nab MY names. :D

Elthurien was once a Pen and Paper Munchkin character called "El'Thug". As I matured a little (note: a little) he became known as Elth then later Elthurien, merely the name Elth prefixing Urien of Old Cumbrian heritage. Needless to say, Elthurien & Elth have been used by myself since the early 90's in one form or another and he is always a male elf (despite my distaste of male elves, the name just doesn't fit a dwarf or human). The personality of Elthurien is loosely based on the Pen and Paper character that I took through the Temple of Elemental Evil. His full name was Autumnwind El'Thug.

I always use a brand new name for every character I play. To me, the character tells me what they want to be called, based on their appearance and class, and the lore of the game. Fairybella is named so because I rolled her on Guardian side and there are alot of fairies in Silverwood, and my lil dwarf female is so cute and magical and originally was a druid. So I wanted to name her Fairybella (pretty fairy) so she would fit into the scenery of Silverwood and also have her lil fairy follow her around (named Sparkles because of the graphic effect of the dps spell she casts). Well I no longer play the druid soul but not enough reason to reroll her to rename her. I still miss Sparkles.

MasterElements comes from an old 3DO game called Hero's Chronicles: Master of the Elements, I shorted the subtitle a bit. It's been my handle for 10 years now. Usually for account names and such as I played Diablo 2 a lot and in there your account was your handle and the character names were mostly just names. MMO-wise I've always tried to come up with names that I like, that would be funny when read, in warhammer being killed by "Abullet"(My engineer) was bloody hilarious to me.

Ah, walks down memory lane can be so fun. Thanks for sharing all. I'm curious, for anyone who knows, has Foghladha always been Foghladha?

when you ask him about the origin of Foghladha... get in vent and ask him to say it for you ;)

Donaliam was born from combining my First and middle names when I was searching for names in WoW. I got bored of using Ghuile which is basically the Street Fighter 2 Character with an "H" added. "Don" and "Donald" were just lucky shots at getting my names. Most of the time I try to use other Language spellings of my name. you might Domhnal around sometimes as that is how it is spelled in Gaelic.

» Edited on: 2011-05-30 11:00:30

I've been using the name Mythgarr since about 1998. I've tried several other names throughout the years (Akanon and Parthinaeus are the two big ones) but Mythgarr has been the most consistent.

I abandoned the name I had used for 20 years when I started playing warhammer, I first took a random name for a toon that ended up as my main and I really didn't like it and started to play with other names and Booie the chosen was born. And if that name ends up on the GM's Sugar Honey Ice Tea list, then I'm done

I was MacDeath (a Highlander Armsman) in DAoC, a Barbarian in AoC and a Warrior here in Rift. I created MacDeath on the Rift forums in May of 2010 and was VERY active on the forums until the game went live. Now I never post there. I was MacDeath in Alpha, in every phase of Beta and created a MacDeath character on several servers during the headstart to protect my name. Like many here, I am quite attached to that name and would be upset if asked to change it. And, yes, it is a pun on Shakespere's MacBeth who was based on a real life king of the Scots.

» Edited on: 2011-05-31 08:22:43

My original name set was Comal and Balthor back when I played PnP D&D and on computer games. Tunnels of Doom anyone? I added Teched(variation of touched) for some FPS games and sci-fi MMOs. I started using Belgae Achren for DAOC when I rolled my first char, a hib ranger. Bashir came from the scout that I acquired when I was on nimue. So now my names are pretty steady Belgae(rogue), Bashir(mage/cleric), Comal(mage/cleric). Warriors are now named Claytor thanks to my wife and her sister.

Well, for me...My normal name i carry around as a male char is Cicavic. I've had Cicavic for...12 years? The female names vary from Illila, Lilli, and Myli.

I usually tire quickly of the "try to make up a name I like that isn't already taken" and resort to the random name generator in most games. When I start a new game, I will try the names I used in the previous game for characters that roughly correspond. So, for instance, Galrois came from WAR's random generator. Galrois of WAR was a healer, and so when I decided on a Cleric for Rift I tried that name and it worked. My main EQ character was a Wizard named Adaael, a name from the EQ random name generator. I used Adaael for a Bright Wizard in WAR, and have a mage with that name in Rift (currently sitting in the starting area just holding onto the name). If I were to make a warrior or rogue in Rift, I'd probably go with the Rift name generator, as I don't have any warrior-like or rogue-like characters from previous games whose names I remember.

I've been using Elsimer since my days on various BBS sites (the Dallas/Fort Worth area was full of them back in the days before the Internet). The name came to me after finding I needed a handle to register at some of the sites. I wanted something that sounded magical and strong, so I wanted it to have 'el' in there somewhere. Thus the name Elsimer came to me staring at an old RGB monitor and some ASCII graphics. I've been using it ever since. Kreesis is more recent. I was starting a game of In Nomine and needed the name of a strong angel of judgement. I went for a more phonetic spelling of the Hebrew word meaning "god's judgement" and Kreesis has been my cleric and occasionally has served other roles. My final name, Setth Atumson, came from my time at eBay. Since I was in SafeHarbor's newly-formed division I was told I needed an alias. It needed to be unique to work at eBay and something not obviously fake. I enjoyed Egyptian mythology so I went with the name of the god of the desert, Set. I added the h so it wouldn't be confused with a word. Since Set's father was Atum I went for the wordplay of putting Seth's surname as Atumson (Atum's son). Since there are generally a LOT of people who go by "Seth" in MMOGs, I went with the less popular Setth to make it obvious (relatively) that it should be pronounced as the Egyptian god's name and not the Hebrew prophet.

I'm a Pandeist Asatru Discordian. I am aware that makes no sense. It amuses me to believe 5 impossible things before breakfast. Discordians have a tradition of assuming HOLY NAMES. This is not unique with Erisianism of course. I suppose that Pope Paul is the son of Mr. & Mrs. VI? And also TITLES OF MYSTICAL IMPORT. Several of the Asatru have a tradition of creating a "bird rune", a set of 3 runes that describes basic personality traits. So I chose Sowulo, Ansuz, and Isa. Isa is Ice. Strength of will, but also rigidity, and a tendency to be aloof & keep to myself. I work to change a lot of that. Ansuz is for odhr, mental activity, reason, inspiration, removal of bindings. I think. A lot. I also try to be more open & free. Sowulo is the Sun. Education, anger, fire, change. I rarely get angry, it's too dangerous. But the energy, the desire to change something I don't like, THAT I use. So SAI is my name. SoAnIs when SAI is taken (first 2 letters of the rune names.) For a long time I'd used "Peregrine" as a name. I tend to move from interest to interest over time, peregrinating through activities. Also, I like birds. Since every man, woman and Child is a Pope, I can add that. The rest are just silly inside jokes & such. Find meaning if you can, but that way lies madness. It's also subject to change without notice. "Pope SAI Peregrinus the First, Deathbird of the Outlands, Guardian of the Great Wheel, Head Knight of the Order Of The Five Sided Temple, Priest of Loki, KSC, POEE" (Of course that means I'm the knight of head, not the leader! That wouldn't be silly enough.) So my first 3 characters are SAI, SoAnIs, and Peregrine. The fourth is Iorlach, "Eagle" in old Scots Gælic. Since my ren faire group portrays 1390s Scottish mercenaries I've used that as my name for some time.

» Edited on: 2011-06-01 10:09:58

*tosses a golden apple in SAI's general direction*

Well, I AM the fairest of all... ;)

Since Asheron's Call, my Mains name was always Lonnus_Maximus, as my real name is Lon and around then is when I saw Gladiator. All my alts would usually have the name Lon in it - Lonmax, Lonnus_Maximis, Thelonster. That was a long time ago... and about 8 months before Rift started, and leaving a guild that I was with for about 4 years, I decided to rebrand myself, and that is the current Neon_Splatter. That will usually be my tank, my DPS Neon_Stryker, my healer Neon_RX, and my mages, I haven't really played one yet so I have not decided on it. Neon_Splatter was a guy I played a FPS with way back in the Asheron's call days, and I just always really liked the name. I googled it before I chose it to see if he was still around playing anything, but no results, so I stole it!