Where did you get your WoW name?

by Amanda Rivera Nov 14th 2007 at 9:01AM

Ippy on LJ has been thinking names of late. He asked for people to tell him how they came up with the names for their characters. Coming up with a character name is always a challenge for me. It's not that I don't have ideas, it's just that for the most part, when I start a new alt, they are a blank slate on that character selection screen, and I find it hard to pigeon-hole someone I barely know with a name that might only allow them to play a certain way or take certain talents.

As it turns out, there are all kinds of places that players get their names, from mythology to foreign languages to household pets. I currently tend to use two different types of naming conventions. I have those boring character names I have been toting from game to game with me over the years, and I have the "I should so name a druid Roflmeow" inspiration moments. Yes, I can be silly too on occasion.

In any case, I extend this question to you, the reader. Where do you glean your inspiration for naming your characters? Or are you the brave type to choose names from the randomizer and have done with?

Tags: Character-naming, LJ, Names, Naming

Filed under: WoW Social Conventions, Virtual selves

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)

Brainwrap Nov 14th 2007 9:10AM

My main and 1st alt are both inspired by my first job, working at a movie theater. They are projection booth issues, Brainwrap and Chemsplice. Some of my others are either from the randomizer or names of characters from Transformers that I could get through.

sezmra Nov 14th 2007 9:11AM

I generally use names I've used in all the other MMORPGs I've played... overall dating back to '97.

This name, the one I use most, was formed sometime in '98 from using random columns and rows of letters.

Says-mrah. Not Says Mr. A or Armzes backwards. :P

Eildon Nov 14th 2007 9:12AM

My main's name 'Eildon' comes from a group of hills in the borders in Scotland near where one side of my family comes from, so it has a personal touch to it plus I thought it sounded very LOTR'ish and honorable for my human pally. My alt gnome rogue's name is Ichabod (big Tim Burton fan) and it's just the funniest name I've ever heard. I plan to call my first born son that, the poor wee tyke :D.

Belais Nov 14th 2007 9:14AM

When I have to pick a name I try to use a native language from my country (Peru), its Quechua...

I got some alts named that way:

Chaska (flower)
Miska (sweet)

And my main is Laramiel (My real name whith some scrambled letters :P)

by the way... first??

Drew Nov 14th 2007 9:14AM

I typically use a noun involving the class/race of the character folled by a verb in its participle form. i.e. Skullbasher, Hoofstomper, Braindrainer

zerorez Nov 14th 2007 9:16AM

I was named something that some people decided was bad and they got together and reported me, I was pulled out of an instance and forced to change it right there. I was angry so I looked up anger in various languages really quick since I had to get back into the instance to help out.

I chose Colere since I am french.

Dylan Nov 14th 2007 9:18AM

My first character name came right out of the randomizer, just because I found it to be so funny.

My new main though, I took a bit of time with. I named her Stigma because she's a Draenei Shaman, which makes her a bit of an outcast among the alliance.

Swarfy Nov 14th 2007 9:21AM

Well my druid(First toon I made) is named 'Swarfette', My Significant other, gave me that. My priest came from the nickname my druid got. Instead of calling her swarfette, I was called 'Swarfy'. My pally is a name that I want to give my daughter(If i ever have one).

Safety Dancer Nov 14th 2007 9:22AM

HA HA HA...well if bliz found out they would probably be a little pissed but my wow name is Rearadmiral (Rogue). It's gotta be painfully obvious why I picked that name. From the shirts that say "Rogues do it from behind" to the fact that a lot of attacks a rogue has you need to be awkwardly positioned around the enemy's ass. Lucky enough for me a "Rear Admiral" is actually a position in of the the branches of Military

Marcelo Abans Nov 14th 2007 9:24AM

MAbans
Marcelo
Abans

All variations of my name (Marcelo Abans)

The only other name is Sakujo which is for my rogue which means Eliminate in Japanese.

Vestras Nov 14th 2007 9:25AM

My primary name comes from a short story I had published a long ways back. Other characters names are from various others in that same story, or corruptions of their names since they were taken on the server I was on. A few are reversals of existing words. Arahas for example.

Nails Nov 14th 2007 9:29AM

Nails - 70 undead rogue - inspired by the spikey hairstyle that i choose for him

Veyron - 41 BE priest - the name of the fastest and most powerful production car ever built

Xeo - 41 draenei priest - just made it up. i wanted something really short

Laramiel Nov 14th 2007 9:29AM

By the way... all my toon are sweet horde ladies...

Metaphyzxx Nov 14th 2007 9:29AM

My main's name comes from a contestant off of Americas Next Top Model (Toccara)

Most of my other alts get names from some of the more "obscure" biblical references (Jerubbaal, jechoram, Gehenna and Sheol - hunter team)

Station Nov 14th 2007 9:33AM

My main's name is from a book, Sandtiger. My alt's name is Ozymandias, from the King of Kings. I also have a rogue called Penzance (from the Pirates of). I have a mage named Nemmerle (from The Saga of Earthsea) and I also have a retadin named Retnoob.

Todd Patterson Nov 14th 2007 9:35AM

I got my name from the job I had in the Air Force
PMEL
Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory

Omeprazole Nov 14th 2007 9:39AM

Omeprazole is used in the treatment of dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease my two other Alts are Losec and Prilosec.

Lykaon Nov 14th 2007 9:39AM

I usually play female characters. So what I do is start with a female name and then see if I can stick a 'y' in it. That's my system. If no 'y' makes sense, the name is discarded.

I have:

Tabytha
Jynna
Symantha
Aryssa
Lorylai

Then I have my 70 warrior who is named after a Star Trek bit character:

Ziyal

My male character name is one I've used through many games and websites, including my current blog.

'Lykaon' was a greek character who served human flesh to Zeus and was subsequently turned into a wolf. It's also the root of the word lycanthropy. It's an especially good druid name, which is where I use it. Though I never play my poor druid.

Ian Nov 14th 2007 9:42AM

My backstabber, Epicurias, just came from a love of cooking.

My priest YoureHealed was pretty much self explanatory.

Juwon Nov 14th 2007 9:42AM

I give my character names because I see the names as funny or the roll the class I pick.

Troll priest called Jimmy Hendrix
Dwarf Paladin called CrusadaNight (could not fit it full name)
Dwarf hunter Dragtarious (combination of my star sign… dragon and Sagittarius)
Female Blood Elf called YoungandFit (cause after me, I am young and fit)