Naming Characters After Yourself?

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

What does Bob do then?

Obb??

 

[MarkB]

What does Bob do then?

Plays Sir Trebor the Minty.

 

[Doctor DM]

My name is Bob and I actually played a Trebor in a 3 episode mini-campaign.

Normally though when I (and my brother) make up character names, we try and give subtle "shout outs" to cool stuff. Usually kind of obscure and you wouldn't think about it, but if you ask, it comes from somewhere.

My current character is Jake Cauldron, Jake from Jake Chambers of Stephen Kings The Dark Tower, and Cauldron from the book The Black Cauldron. My brother played a halfling Rogue named Underhill (I hope everyone gets that). I had another character named Tony Ender (Iron Man, Ender's Game), another named Azeroth (a continent in the Warcraft world, this was before WoW, so it was a little more obscure at the time). Ect, ect. I could easily make up a completly fictional name, but I like giving little tributes to stories I like and respect.

 

[DragonLancer]

My brother played a halfling Rogue named Underhill (I hope everyone gets that).

I once played a halfling named Maxwell Underhill in a 2nd ed campaign. He died half hour into the first scenario when he backed out of a fight and reversed into a gelatinous cube.

 

[Zhaleskra]

I was guilty of naming a character after another Player once. I changed one letter. Now I upfront admit that coming up with names is the hardest part for me. Not because I'm not creative, but because it takes a while to pick a name that I feel fits the character. I have also used massive random name generators and other weird ways of getting names, like rolling a d30 ignoring results above 26, and using the resulting letters to create a name.

 

[steeldragons]

I think we all agree, there is no such thing as a "wrong" name for fantasy game character.

I'll also concur on the "distracting" or just plain "silly" names so beloved by some players. If it is derogatory or inferring some inappropriateness, then I think it is fair to say it ought not be allowed.

That said, I definitely concur that details/trends of the existing world, if significantly detailed, should be taken into consideration. Human names have...a "sound." Elf names have a sound, dwarven, halfling, etc... Whatever that sound IS in your world of choice, that should be acknowledged and fed into.

If you're not feeding into your game world...then why are you playing the game?

If I wanted to interact with people named John, or Thomas, or Bob or Al...why am I playing a fantasy game?

John=Jahn...Thomas=Thom (perhaps pronouncing the "th") or Bob=....ok, there's really not help for Bob. lol. Bahb, maybe? But unless you're reading it, doesn't matter. hahaha. Al is short for Aladeramporte...that sorta thing.

It's not just about disrupting the play for the DM, but disrupting "suspension of disbelief" for the rest of the group. A particualry good DM should be able to work past this...but with everything else...why should he/she have to?

It's a fantasy game...it's not so hard to come up with a "fantasy" name. Coupla consonants, coupla A's or I's...no big.

But, to the point of the OP, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to name characters in a fantasy game.

--SD



But point blank, there isn't, nor should be,

 

[prosfilaes]

Human names have...a "sound."

I'm not sure that's really true; what sound do Ruth, Rose, Latesha, Thomas, Alexie, Kobo, Kazushige, Sakuden, Atsuko, Ryoi, Yuri, Ilya, Evgeny, Saurmag*, Vakhtang, Mithridates, Guaram, Adarnase, Stephanoz, Nakaaya, Hukwe, and Kinjikitile all have? And that's just five different human cultures, all having been normalized for the English alphabet.

* Did Tolkien know Georgian? Not just this, but some of the Georgian names sound very Tolkienian.

Elf names have a sound, dwarven, halfling, etc... Whatever that sound IS in your world of choice, that should be acknowledged and fed into.

Maybe. But many people use working names for other culture; Yoshimaro Satō wrote in English as Henry Satoh, and Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski wrote in English in another name (and this one you might guess). Many of the Tanzanians on the Wikipedia list I referenced were using English names. I recall one person writing of his frustration when some people he worked with in China managed to tease his English name out of, because then instead of getting called his Chinese name, he got called badly mangled versions of his English name.

I can see Elves using human names (so humans don't bastardize their real ones) and halflings (because it makes things simpler for humans, and it's a little secret that sets other halflings apart from the humans.) Dwarves, on the other hand, are probably going to insist on using their own names and you getting it right. (Of course, that's just my stereotypes of each race.)

 

[shadzar]

Human names have...a "sound." Elf names have a sound

I'm not sure that's really true; what sound do Ruth, Rose, Latesha, Thomas, Alexie, Kobo, Kazushige, Sakuden, Atsuko, Ryoi, Yuri, Ilya, Evgeny, Saurmag*, Vakhtang, Mithridates, Guaram, Adarnase, Stephanoz, Nakaaya, Hukwe, and Kinjikitile all have? And that's just five different human cultures, all having been normalized for the English alphabet.

* Did Tolkien know Georgian? Not just this, but some of the Georgian names sound very Tolkienian.

Maybe. But many people use working names for other culture; Yoshimaro Satō wrote in English as Henry Satoh, and Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski wrote in English in another name (and this one you might guess). Many of the Tanzanians on the Wikipedia list I referenced were using English names. I recall one person writing of his frustration when some people he worked with in China managed to tease his English name out of, because then instead of getting called his Chinese name, he got called badly mangled versions of his English name.

I can see Elves using human names (so humans don't bastardize their real ones) and halflings (because it makes things simpler for humans, and it's a little secret that sets other halflings apart from the humans.) Dwarves, on the other hand, are probably going to insist on using their own names and you getting it right. (Of course, that's just my stereotypes of each race.)

For both things, I think what is meant is that the name fits into the game world, as in biology dictates what sounds some can make, and a name given to a race would be based on simpler sounds that race can make...normally. Those sounds within the race could depend on dialects.

A race that only chirps, as that is all the sounds they could make, wouldn't actually name someone "Bob" since they could not pronounce it.

So if the name fits in the world/game you are playing in then it is fine, but if it causes a problem for any reason, then maybe the name just doesn't quite fit and another choice could be made.

I do however disagree with the names "John, Thomas, Bob (Robert), and Al" as not being fantasy enough, but that is personal preference as I know those names have older roots than today and were still widely used back them. I can see that they don't seem to be very fantastic which could be the very reason since they are used widely today, and what is being looked for with the names is something more interesting since it is a game based on fantasy being played rather than modern times.

 

[steeldragons]

I'm not sure that's really true; what sound do Ruth, Rose, Latesha, Thomas, Alexie, Kobo, Kazushige, Sakuden, Atsuko, Ryoi, Yuri, Ilya, Evgeny, Saurmag*, Vakhtang, Mithridates, Guaram, Adarnase, Stephanoz, Nakaaya, Hukwe, and Kinjikitile all have? And that's just five different human cultures, all having been normalized for the English alphabet.

* Did Tolkien know Georgian? Not just this, but some of the Georgian names sound very Tolkienian.

Maybe. But many people use working names for other culture; Yoshimaro Satō wrote in English as Henry Satoh, and Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski wrote in English in another name (and this one you might guess). Many of the Tanzanians on the Wikipedia list I referenced were using English names. I recall one person writing of his frustration when some people he worked with in China managed to tease his English name out of, because then instead of getting called his Chinese name, he got called badly mangled versions of his English name.

I can see Elves using human names (so humans don't bastardize their real ones) and halflings (because it makes things simpler for humans, and it's a little secret that sets other halflings apart from the humans.) Dwarves, on the other hand, are probably going to insist on using their own names and you getting it right. (Of course, that's just my stereotypes of each race.)

I see your point, prosfilaes. Well taken.

However, for most fantasy worlds...there's an understanding that elves names sound different than dwarf names than human names. By all means (and I do so for MY world's human cultures/nations) Human names sound different from region to region, culture to culture.

I urge ALL DMs out there in ENworld to do the same. I suspect many already do.

BUT, I am saying, there is an accepted "suspension of disbelief" when one enters into a fantasy game. For myself, this doesn't include people named "Charles" or "Robert."

IF one has a world setting where "Thomas" or "Robert" or "Elizabeth" or "Mary" is the "norm" for human names, then great. And I'm sure there are MANY people playing out there that this is the case. Specifically, I'm sure, "Modern" or "Supers" games do this.

All of my superhero/comics characters have "everyday" names, for example.

But for me, and my FANTASY game world, it's not. Female names ending in "-ith" or "-aine" is a common trait...male names ending in "-on" or "-an" is the HUMAN norm. (and that's just a single country/kingdom)

If you don't submit yourself to the setting...then, again, why are you playing that game? Go have a FBI agent in some Modern game..."Bob" would be totally acceptable in Shadowrun. "Joe" or 'John" or "Bill" would be a natural fit for Boot Hill.

But not a "fantasy" oriented world, IMHO.

Specifically for varying race names, as you cited with human cultures, these races have separate history, mythologies, cultures. They have cultures and (in most settings) languages of their own...often far out-dating humans...so why should/would an elf take a name that is "easier" for humans? As an alias, maybe...Not to mention, the complete possibility, that one's campaign may have, let's say, dwarves being the dominant culture?...or halflings having far outpaced humans for reproduction? Why would ANY race submit themselves to another's naming conventions...unless that character/family is entrenched in a culture other than their race's own.

Like I said, there's no "right or wrong" for names. Obviously. We're talking about a GAME that is meant to be enjoyed by a group of individuals. If everyone can live with a given choice. Then great...not just "great", that's how it should be.

I can't imagine playing in a group that dictated to me what my name COULD be. But nor would I present a name I knew was not within the world's "norms." (insofar as fantasy worlds can have norms And if my heart is set on a name (a fictitious name for my fictitious character) then I see no reason I wouldn't be willing to alter the spelling or punctuation to fit that world.

But everyone's on the "same side" as it were.

It's up to the players and DM for a particular group to decide what "sounds" right...or why certain names exist or don't.

THIS, of allll things, should not be a point of derision within the group.

Have fun and happy naming.
--SD

 

[tuxgeo]

. . .
Specifically for varying race names, as you cited with human cultures, these races have separate history, mythologies, cultures. They have cultures and (in most settings) languages of their own...often far out-dating humans...so why should/would an elf take a name that is "easier" for humans? As an alias, maybe...Not to mention, the complete possibility, that one's campaign may have, let's say, dwarves being the dominant culture?...or halflings having far outpaced humans for reproduction? Why would ANY race submit themselves to another's naming conventions...unless that character/family is entrenched in a culture other than their race's own.
. . .

Some cultures don't have "family names"; a "Daffyd ap Llewellyn" might only be named "Daffyd" in some times and places, and the rest of what he's called would be explanatory ancestry.
In Tolkien, Elrond's whole name is "Elrond"; Arwen's whole name is "Arwen." (Undomiel is merely a nickname, as well as a poetic honorific.) If Elves try to fit into a human culture that expects people to use family names, they might very well adopt things such as "Jones" or "Williams" as a passable family name; or they might apply a translation of one of their nicknames into a human tongue to make an acceptable family name.