How do you name your character?

Bode · Post by **Bode** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:22 am

I'm curious how everyone names their characters. Do you go with a name generator? Do you research a little lore for background? Do you invent your own name that seems to fit your character?
Personally, I've always taken my time naming characters. I try to associate different races with different languages, and then look up some translations and/or baby names online to try to find something that sounds good and also means something. A previous stealth-oriented dunmer male character, and my namesake, was Bodeyn Vanlot, a bit of a distortion on a dutch translation of "messenger of fate." A female bosmer thief I played a short while ago was Serene, not actually a different language, but intended to be misleading, initially indicating serenity but actually meaning a siren. My current female altmer mage is named Armelias, a direct finnish translation of 'merciful,' also sounding a bit like 'armistice.' I like spending some time on names, it's a simple thing that adds a lot of depth to a character.
I nerd out a little on my characters. Heh.

m@nyt1mes · Post by **m@nyt1mes** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:01 pm

Nords are Arken or Mogen, Wood Elves are Ferinir or Lewin (yes, the guy from SI). I never play Anything Else.

SwedishBerzerker · Post by **SwedishBerzerker** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 2:57 pm

Call me boring, but I always name my character my own name, and make him a copy of myself. At least the first time I play it. Arena, Oblivion and soon enough Daggerfall and Morrowind... and all other rpg games I get my hands on.

WartBoy95 · Post by **WartBoy95** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:05 pm

Usually a nice name that fits their looks. But almost always I do my online ID. WartBoy95.

Xaeryx · Post by **Xaeryx** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:10 pm

I always take my time, and I usually invent something that fits the character and (hopefully) the race. Marec Sete is my Breton main, and his name is a reference to the nice French town of Sète. My Dark Seducer character is called Sarane, which is based on the name Saranne, meaning "gracious princess." And my Dark Elf alchemist/thief is named Varlan, which is purely made up but deliberately related to Varla Stones.

Dark Spark · Post by **Dark Spark** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:19 pm

My Redguard Harbinger is 'Victor' simply for the pun with competing in the Arena.

My Breton Spellsword is 'Roderec' in reference to Rodarcus/Rhydderch, a Briton king who was, according to Arthurian legend, married to Merlin's twin sister. Have to imagine a fellow like that, a knight married to a sorceress, would have some skill with both magic and combat abilities.

And my Imperial Ranger is 'Casandra' because she's half-insane and knows exactly what is going to happen in a quest, even if the NPCs don't know. Her attitude to Fate becomes a little hinky in that regard, which makes for a fine assassin.

m@nyt1mes · Post by **m@nyt1mes** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:26 pm

Dark Spark wrote:And my Imperial Ranger is 'Casandra' because she's half-insane and knows exactly what is going to happen in a quest, even if the NPCs don't know. Her attitude to Fate becomes a little hinky in that regard, which makes for a fine assassin.

i have done that before, it helped a little as far as replay value

Тeatime · Post by **Тeatime** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:55 pm

I have a couple of names that I've used several times but I always chose the name to go with the character. Sometimes I do a little research to make it appropriate for the race but mostly I just take the name from somewhere in my head.
'ts funny how certain names have manifested themselves as characters. For me anyone named Lailath must be an assassin whereas Melian/Miriel must be gentle in some aspect.

Lord Hirotake · Post by **Lord Hirotake** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:24 pm

You all make me look quite bad!

Mine is named Hirotake... simply because it's my favourite Japanese-based name and I use it on most things, seeing as I wanted my character to be a samurai.

I wish I'd taken some time and got a good Dark Elf name. I keep finding that I want to start over and change things I did wrong! Lol.

Xaeryx · Post by **Xaeryx** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:36 pm

Lord Hirotake wrote:You all make me look quite bad!

Mine is named Hirotake... simply because it's my favourite Japanese-based name and I use it on most things, seeing as I wanted my character to be a samurai.

I wish I'd taken some time and got a good Dark Elf name. I keep finding that I want to start over and change things I did wrong! Lol.

If you're playing on the PC you can just use the setactorfullname command on your character to change names. However I think Hirotake is a cool name - you should stick with it.

Lord Hirotake · Post by **Lord Hirotake** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:39 pm

Lol, thanks. I use it on most everything; I used to use Fearless, but that was not such a good name, so for more practical things I used Hirotake, and now I use it on most everything. =O

Anyway, in the future I'll name my better characters better names. :p

gibson · Post by **gibson** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:21 am

I always name him after what im thinking of at the time, this means it could end up anything from Ji'me H Endrix to Blunt McSmokealot (yes these are real examples).

D4rk 0ne · Post by **D4rk 0ne** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:30 am

I usually do some digging around in terms of historic contexts or names that fit with TES lore.

I have a Nordic Warrior named Gyllenfalk, which is derived from Nordic words for "golden falcon."

I have a Breton Mage called Althalos, which I can't recall the exact source for but I assume came from various mythological scourges on Wikipedia. If I'm playing an Orc, Khajit, or Argonian, I use Lore for reference and try to come up with something that fits with their naming style while also sounding unique and fitting for their play style.

I don't give many of my characters last names, and I'm not really sure why. Partly I suppose simply to avoid the character limit...

antftw · Post by **antftw** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:37 pm

When it comes to names, I'm at a loss. My Khajiit was D'Argo, my Bosmer was Rygel (both taken from Farscape.) The only "original" name I've given a character was Antonius to my Breton. Not very original when that's my name, pretty much.

shadow_of_sithis · Post by **shadow_of_sithis** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:33 am

i check onlione for a proper way of naming a certain race, then i just make one! out of something i found

Dragour · Post by **Dragour** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:19 am

Well I'm a creative writer so I usually just use named I made for my stories, like Dragour (dragon-argonian), Jinha (forest elf-high elf), Ardion (angel-breton), Bull Boa (minotaur-orc), Limura (demon-dunmer). And there are alot more I have that go to certain races but as you see I like to be myself and use names I personally make

Cloud_Nine · Post by **Cloud_Nine** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:05 am

I usually either use a name of a historical character that i read about in a book in TES, Make up a name that i think sounds good, or my favorite method is to use names of Historical or powerful figures from our own ancient times, such as ancient Greece.

Doctor Meaticus · Post by **Doctor Meaticus** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:42 am

Usually I play an Imperial so I just use Greek or Roman words I know off-by-heart.

Bode · Post by **Bode** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:47 pm

Cloud_Nine wrote:I usually either use a name of a historical character that i read about in a book in TES, Make up a name that i think sounds good, or my favorite method is to use names of Historical or powerful figures from our own ancient times, such as ancient Greece.

I might try that sometime, thanks for the idea.

questionmarkw · Post by **questionmarkw** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:01 pm

I name my character in all games, Excelsior. It sounds strong.

gibson · Post by **gibson** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:04 pm

questionmarkw wrote:I name my character in all games, Excelsior. It sounds strong.

If youve seen the southpark with Al Gore then you will understand why I think it sounds the opposite of strong and manly.

leroybrown · Post by **leroybrown** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:27 pm

gibson wrote:
questionmarkw wrote:I name my character in all games, Excelsior. It sounds strong.
If youve seen the southpark with Al Gore then you will understand why I think it sounds the opposite of strong and manly.

I agree, im totally cereal.

For me it depends. If i dont care ill look around the room and whatever i see becomes a name. "Sabine" was one guys name, i looked down and saw my metronome which says "sabine/zipbeat" so that became a name. If i want a kickass guy ill generally draw from history.

questionmarkw · Post by **questionmarkw** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:03 pm

Uh oh. . .why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like that clip. . .

Pavouk106 · Post by **Pavouk106** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 1:40 pm

I name my character really easily "~Pavouk" (translated to english, it's Spider) when playing male and "Fibi" (written czech pronunciation of word Phoebe, which is my wife's nickname) when female. I don't use other names (except for "Pavouk" and "Pavouk106")

matt314hew · Post by **matt314hew** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:55 pm

I just made up a name. I named him Damien. I think my next character is going to be Geno. and After that Santonio

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