Naming Characters After Yourself?

[Janx]

I included Legolas as it too would still fall under the "disrupt the game" clause.

Two players both having male elves, and one picks Lagolas and the other complains because they want the name but didn't think it would be allowed...I have sen it happen. So best to leave well known names as off-limits for DM and PCs.

Names that are clearly from well known properties like Legolas, or that don't fit the setting, or are just plain silly are disallowed in my game.

a joke name makes for a joke character.

So to the OP's original point, if my world doesn't have PCs with "English" names, then the example names wouldn't fit and thus be disallowed.

 

[steeldragons]

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.

Sorry, it's really late where I am in the world...What is your point?

I fail to see anything that contradicts what I posted. Wherein did I say anything about "family names"?

And why/how does elves fitting into human culture "expect" family names? And how is that relevant?

Again, FANTASY setting. FANTASY names. That's all I was saying.

There is no such thing as what ELVES do/expect for names...There is no such thing what dwarf names sound like...um...elves and dwarves aren't real.

But we, collectively, have an idea of how they sound...and yes, that probably goes back to Tolkien.

...

There is no RULE for naming in a fantasy genre setting.

 

[TarionzCousin]

a joke name makes for a joke character.

The very first game of D&D I ever saw, in Junior High School, had two characters named "Joe Rockhead" and "Bella Oxmix." With names like that, it was impossible for the DM to ever have an NPC converse seriously with them. It made the game a silly game.

If you want a serious game, or at least one where you can somewhat immerse yourself in the otherness of the imaginary world, pick a name that fits in to that world.

If not, knock yourself out. Comedic names are especially fun for one-shot games at conventions--with the DM's approval, of course.

P.S. Bonus points for identifying where "Bella Oxmix" originated. Yes, I know someone will get it quickly. We're all Geeks here.

 

[prosfilaes]

Again, FANTASY setting. FANTASY names. That's all I was saying.

D&D is fantasy, but has humans with real-world armor and weapons. More specifically, the Garrett, P.I. novels are fantasy, and have characters named John and Dean and Saucerhead. Discworld has Sam and Fred and Sybil and Susan and Tiffany.

Normal names have a grounding effect, just like other familiar aspects. I certainly find them more realistic then a party that has a F'Lessar, a Yak'Kak'Rar, an Aeng, and a Ranlad the Brave, all supposedly from the same culture.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

P.S. Bonus points for identifying where "Bella Oxmix" originated. Yes, I know someone will get it quickly. We're all Geeks here.

Star Trek, the gang boss from A Piece of the Action.

I have no problem with players naming their characters after themselves. Names I can't pronounce, those I have problems with!

 

[TarionzCousin]

I have no problem with players naming their characters after themselves. Names I can't pronounce, those I have problems with!

I once had a Top Secret™ character who was always angry because of the name his parents had given him. It was spelled "Jepenisff" but pronounced "Jeff"--the "penis" was silent.

 

[Nifft]

"Jepenisff" but pronounced "Jeff"--the "penis" was silent.

• "Aren't they usually?"
• "Sometimes a hard consonant, sometimes soft."
• "... rolls off the tongue ..."
• "Why not just name him Richrichardard?"

Cheers, -- N

 

[TarionzCousin]

• "Aren't they usually?"
• "Sometimes a hard consonant, sometimes soft."
• "... rolls off the tongue ..."
• "Why not just name him Richrichardard?"

That's easy enough for you to say, Mr. Named-After-A-Hero-Character!