i usualy use these:

http://rinkworks.com/namegen/

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20010208b

http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php

sometimes, mostly in games i just try or not taking too serious, i use something with lot of 'X' and numbers in it for fun... :)

Originally posted by 77lolmac77
You'd hate my character names, most of them are after rappers

or along the lines of my main, Eyesmokeganj

You should use Tupac in Star Wars so you can get in some epic nerd-ups-man-ship when someone calls you out for having an inappropriate name. (Tupac was named after an Inca king,  Huttese is based on Inca languages)

I have had so many names over the years. I usually try to come up with something clever that fits into the type of game I'm playing. I want it to fit the character also. My name on Tribes was SniperCSniperDo, My FFA PVP game characters are usually named Legion or Seppuku. I am Dontaze_Mebro on PS3 network. SO look me up, and do try to be a little creative. Remember names with numbers in them are for pedo's

When I was a young child, probably around four or so, my sister was studying Russian. It's one of my first childhood memories, the time when she looked at me with a smile and said, "Sputnik means 'travel companion' in Russian. We'll be travel companions in life, so you're my Sputnik." Fix the spelling a bit to fit English and, as always happens with nicknames, it got shortened over time, to Sputt. I had already used it outside of games in the early 90s, but it didn't stick until I competed in Quake when it was new (so, late 96?).

Alt names are trickier. Usually I end up using a word in my native tongue, a word that has the quality of whatever I'm playing. A tank could be "the brick", a mesmer/enchanter could be "pretending". a fire mage could be "sizzle", etc.

Oh.. I do have a name that amuses me to no end, and it translates loosely to "honey", "darling" or "loved one". Whenever I log in and guild chat scrolls by as "Hi, Honey!" or "wb, Darling", it cracks me up. Positive reinforcement, right?

(mind you, I don't speak Russian and the translation she used for sputnik could be wrong - it doesn't matter any more)

Well, I too hate immersion-breaking names, but there is one awesome name in SWTOR I've seen - "Steakhouse." And all his/her characters are named different types of steak. I lol'd.

100% with author on immersion breaker names. I understand that some people couldn't care less how their characters named. But it still hurts the eye. Mos Quito and Steakhouse excluded, of course. :) Clever and/or humorous is adorable. :)

Originally posted by 77lolmac77

I want names that people will remember though. Instead of being lore-inspired name #420,024 Id rather have a name that people will see and go "hey, I remeber seeing that guy before" especially in PvP.



I wouldnt roll on an RP server with names like that so I dont see anything wrong with it.

 

I suppose it works in PvP. Speaking from a personal standpoint however, if I see a name like eyesmokeganj then I make a point to try and avoid grouping with that person. I just assume they're a bit of an idiot.

Sorry. It's just that so many times in the past I've found myself in a group with someone named after a statement (often in a comical way) and they've been a complete detriment to the group.

I know it's probably not the truth for all people who follow this naming trend, but it's a stereotype that sticks for me. Quite a few times in SWTOR I've been looking to do a particular heroic quest and seen someone shouting for more people. If they have a terrible name I wait.

Originally posted by SputtRosa

When I was a young child, probably around four or so, my sister was studying Russian. It's one of my first childhood memories, the time when she looked at me with a smile and said, "Sputnik means 'travel companion' in Russian. We'll be travel companions in life, so you're my Sputnik." 

 

     My two year old is on my lap while I drink my morning tea and browse the forums here. I read him that line and he poked my nose, called me "Putnik" and laughed. Just thought I'd share!

     On topic though, yeah, names like that used to bother me. I don't know if it's cuz I'm getting older or kids chill you out or something, but I don't really care anymore. Unless they're just strait up profane, then I just report them and forget about them.

"...names via online baby naming sites..."

^This.  I also have a couple names I like that I just kind of stumbled upon through trial and error, and have ended up using them more than others.  But yeah, that "name already taken" is such a killer.

Silly names in game are immersion breaking for me, but sometimes they do make me laugh.

My other hobby is amateur radio and I use various electronic parts as the name for my characters.  Such as ...

Diode , Zener, Pentode, Dipole and so on.

I'm really pleased that Bioware has a naming policy that forbids use of things like leet speak or random collections of letters.  I wish the policy was enforced a bit more but at least it's there as a reference.

I hate games that encourage you to run alts.  Probably the only one that I enjoyed where alts are encouraged is DIABLO and maybe GUILD WARS.  For the most part, I do not understand it/I think it is terrible.

I wrote a long post a long time ago about why, but I don't know where I've put it :(  Having one character per server is vastly superior IMO, it helps build community, immersion, and attachment to your character, friends and to the world.

I have been using LunaCrist since OG Neverwinter Nights. At the time it was kind of a joke being "Jesus christ that's ludacris you lunatic!" mashed down. Ever since he's been my main and first char in every MMO i play, gaming forums etc. I guess you could say he's my online persona.

Others I use are Galiel, a play on Galadriel from LotR, Celladur - a play on Cellar door, Lemilinus or Lemi was from the dwarf random name generator in NWN, Sanguine - for blood, Hinjai - based on the rad online cartoon Ninjai, Saass - was Luna's pet panther in NWN and many many more.

Over time they all developed similar backgrounds over multiple games and platforms and I feel comfortable rping them because of it.

Most of my character's names are based on sounds I like, the prononciation varying based on the language (I speak both French and English so I often mix up the prononciation to come up with names). If a game has some sort of name distinction (like Lalafels in FFXI-FFXIV where parts of the name is repeated), or indicators/suggestions (like in LOTRO were they suggest you use certain sounds depending on each race), then I tend to try and follow those a little more.

Even though I don't RP (at least not anymore), I still try to make names that are as RP-friendly as possible. It ruins the immersion for me when I see "UrMumLol" running around, I just want to PK him so bad.

( Just a FYI : MadnessRealm isn't a name I use for gaming, only for Forums)

Originally posted by precious328

So the ultimate question: "Why do people use stupid names like "pizzadeliveryguy"?

I honestly have no idea. But I agree that it is an immersion breaker. Moreover, these "funny" names aren't even funny. They are just stupid. When I see a name as such, I honestly think that the owner of that character is stupid.

 

It wasn't intended as a judgment.  I was (and still am) genuinely curious how people go about naming their characters. As opposed to Coyote's column last week, this is from the other side a little bit. Not that I haven't laughed or been entertained by some of the sillier names I have seen, but I was trying to understand why someone might run around named pizzadeliveryguy.

It likely has to do with the way we see our characters. Not that I'm all srs bsns about things, but I like to create something different each time. And I don't approach games as "I'll play for a month and see." I admit to being a bit old school in that I want games I can stay around in for a while (themepark, sandbox, or something in between).

Originally posted by WhiteLantern

I've always turned to my collection of Dennis Mckiernan books for inspiration for characther names in fantasy games.

Sometimes, I use Japanese names if my character needs to feel "exotic".

My TOR character is named after a lesser-known GI Joe.

My DCUO character has the only wholly-original charcter name I've ever come up with. It's based on his civilian background (which is based off of mine) and his powers.

 

 

 

I've had, in the past, the names Aravan, Vanidor, and Vanidar, but my usual name is (unoriginal and stolen, yes...) Modru.  I went with Modru for ages in WoW, and since then, haven't played many other games long enough to really remember what I've named 'em. 

I think the most original name I came up with was Farg Igorg when I played FE for a bit.  The term Farging Bastage kept popping into my head, so I rolled with it.

I agree, I love to dedicate a lot of time to find an appropiate name for my character when i decide to play an mmo, ¿Why? because that will increase my interest in it.  Same goes to character creation. If you create those links between you and your character you wont get bored easily.

In the end, my characters represent bits of myself to me.

I just realized I put more thought in naming animals like in pokemon, or pets in MMOs or stuffed animals...while for humanoids I just make up a random name. I have no idea the origin of the names I make up, but they do sound like they would all belong to the same culture...you know how some names sound english or german etc, so I'm wondering what culture/s influence my names the most.

I never named a character after an IP character, so now I'm interested in calling one Lavitz, not a common name, but I wonder if I'd make the character like Lavitz or not.

I never use the same name twice, never use a variation (blueman, redman, etc..)

I open up a map and look at city names sometimes, lots of cool names to be found there.  Frankly, when i see someone whos name is a sentence, I think to myself, geesh, thispersonhasnoimagination.