Names

[der_kluge]

Last year, I ran a brief side-trek game with temporary characters. One of the regular players had gone out of town, and didn't want to miss our regular game, so we played this diversion, and when she returned, we resumed our regular game. One of the players in that game had a character concept that was a half man/half cow that was cursed at birth. Essentially, he was a minotaur without the stats. I think he opted for that since he figured the regular version would likely be too powerful. Fair enough. I allowed it. He named him David.

"David?!"
"Yes, his name is David. It's a perfectly normal name."
"Well, yes, I suppose so."
"I just don't have this hangup about fantasy names like some people do."
"..."

Well, I guess I do. Anyway, my campaign is about to begin, and this player wanted to ressurrect that character from that game and play him again. But, this time I'm actually allowing him to play a minotaur (though toned down from the MM version). I'm just hoping he doesn't name him David. David the minotaur. Ugh.

Do other people have hangups about using regular names for a D&D character? I could never make a sorceress and name her Melissa, or a powerful wizard and name him Robert. IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!

 

[Crothian]

Personally, I have a list of names that are common for the player races and nations to help with examples of what the names are like for their race. I've found this helps a lot.

 

[francisca]

mmmmm. how about D'Veed as a comprimise? Or DyVed (dyuh-ved) (pardon the butchered phoenetics, please)

 

[der_kluge]

Personally, I have a list of names that are common for the player races and nations to help with examples of what the names are like for their race. I've found this helps a lot.

I can only imagine that my players would balk at such a notion.

 

[BSF]

*laugh*

Well, my character's name is Stephen. Not exactly exotic. And don't you be disparaging the name of David! It's a great name, I like it!

I chose to play somebody named Stephen because it is rather "normal". I wanted to be different from the other fantasy names. However, I see where you are coming from. A catchy persona name is fun and helps keep everyone more in character around the table. You don't need an exotic fantasy name to do this, but it definitely helps! There are a bunch of name sites on the net. Heck, RPGNow has a bunch of downloadable name lists. Gaelic, Roman, Dutch, French, English, Elvish, Dwarvish, etc. Sure, some of those are "Real world" names, but they would still be good to use.

As for your minotaur, even if he picks a mundane name, there is nothing saying that everyone will call him that. Do everything you can to get him branded with a kick butt nickname! Once upon a time, I had a player whose character wouldn't tell the party his name (He was a necromancer and reluctant to spread his name around). The party were passengers on a ship when the captain ordered them disarmed and captured with the intent to sell them off into slavery. The party fought the crew and ended up winning. During the battle, the necromancer (with no name) used a chill touch on one of the crew members. A fellow named Olaf. When the rest of the party found Olaf dead near the ballista with no apparent wounds and a look of horror on his face, and the necromancer confessed to "taking him out", the group dubbed him Olaf-Slayer. Not the most noble of names, but it seemed to work. So, you could always try to get the character a nickname that will stick. Though, don't be too heavy handed with it, the player might not be too keen on it.

- David

 

[BOZ]

David the minotaur. Ugh.

heh. eh heh heh. eh heh hehheehehehheheheee....

 

[Wombat]

My last wizard was named Julia Peregrina.

I saw no problem with having a common name.

**shrug**

If you want a particular style of name in a game, set parameters. Otherwise let people choose.

In my current game my players are named Beleth, Tobias, Gunther, Muadib, and Saryana.

 

[Tauric]

Yeah, I tried the whole 'list of names appropriate to races/cultures' thing, and it went over like a lead balloon with my players.

As far a David goes, remember, in the Bible he was both a warrior and a poet. Even if you only take the Old Testament as literature, and not Scripture, this makes it a suitable name for a bard, at least.

Jason is a relatively normal name, yet he was a Greek hero, and a great inspiration for a adventurer, in my opinion.

Or, you could do like Samwise Gamgee. Sure, his name is Samwise, but everyonr calls him Sam. So, your players name could be Davidoneth, but everyone calls him Dave.

 

[Crothian]

I can only imagine that my players would balk at such a notion.

Why? Nations do have names that are much more coomon and races in the PHB even have lists of typical names. I've found that this adds a nice level of detail to the game.

 

[Darth Shoju]

Why? Nations do have names that are much more coomon and races in the PHB even have lists of typical names. I've found that this adds a nice level of detail to the game.

I agree. We generally go by the suggestions under the races in the PHB as guidelines (except the guy who plays our gnomish wizard, he took all the suggested names for the same character!). If I were playing in a homebrew I'd be quite impressed if someone had a list of common names by race and region. I'd most certainly use them as a basis for picking a name if not for the actual name itself.