Cantr II Discussion Forum

Kelna wrote:6. I didn't name this one. Told someone I had an idea for a character, and instead of talking me out of it, he picked a name. And the name was so fitting, I couldn't help but spawn him.

He sounds like a truly vile individual. Burn him at the stake.

I keep lists of names I like for writing, so I just picked all of mine from that or used a random name generator.

1. I needed a name that sounded both strong and mellow. Although the actual word means something rather melancholy, it fits him well in aesthetic.

2. I modeled this character after another character from a show. The name is similar to that character's last name.

3. This character actually changes his name in-game quite a lot as he travels, depending on where he is. So far, I'm pretty sure nobody has noticed.

4. I set this name up as an intentional way to develop his character. The name initially suited his personality, but he is slowly changing to the opposite. The name is becoming a nuisance to him conversationally.

5. I needed this name to convey raw, unfocused energy. And it does!

I used a random name generator for all of them and tinkered until I was happy. Except for the one which was inspired by my lunch.

Crownless wrote:I used a random name generator for all of them and tinkered until I was happy. Except for the one which was inspired by my lunch.

Now that is hilarious.

I just write down whatever feels good at the moment... that's how I ended up with Japanese and Italian names, and a dude named Elizabeth. XD
Some actually are based on the mental image I had of my character before I spawned them, and are symbolic of their inherent nature.

First account: Everybody started with names. The names were pretty random, but usually analogous to real world names - Malachi, Hank, Dirk, Kate, Tucker, Addie, etc. One character, a later spawn, was spawned with the name 'Trouble' but introduced as 'Trevor Bell' because of how similar it sounds to Trouble IMO, in keeping with the whole real world names thing. I did have a character named Mackrel (retarded, so he didn't get a real world name) and then another character who spawned in the wild and was renamed She-Wolf by a sailor who found her roaming around on Fu... But that one wasn't my choice. [Edit: I think Tank was a first account character, too, and I guess that's not really a "real name" - more of a redneck name, or a dog's name, but he was a fun character.]

Second account: Mostly in line with the first, though a few characters didn't spawn with names to start with (Flask is one such example - he was my swamp spawn who went a bit feral and anti-social. Travelers stopped in the swamp, he spawned, and they left. He had to make his way to civilization and beg for food, dismantle machines for parts, etc., etc. He named himself Flask after finding... a flask on the ground. Tada.) I did have a character named Sagely, which isn't exactly a "real name" but he did occasionally call himself Sage Lee, though ended up as Sagely James in the end, anyway, due to taking on a lover's last name. A few of these characters (the women, I think, mostly) didn't spawn with names but were named later on, or chose names later on. Another unnamed character was told they hit hard enough to shatter someone's shield, so they ended up as Shatter - which fit, because personality-wise, that character was sort of designed to be easily and irreparably broken.

Third account: Most spawned characters did not spawn with names. A few have, but these names are usually pretty out there and not exactly analogous to real world names - the names of mythical rivers, animals, or emotions. The majority, however, spawn nameless and usually choose their names within an hour or two. In most cases, it's as simple as having them look around and spot something notable. In one case, the character spotted two statues and took the names off both statues, combining them to create his own name. (In memory of so-and-so, and in memory of this-and-that becomes so-and-so this-and-that.) In other cases, they spot resources and name themselves after a resource, or an object, etc. I've had a few characters who name themselves after the recently deceased, adopting their name in lieu of their own. A few of these nameless characters were named by others. One nameless character in particular has remained stubbornly unnamed after 4 IC years (so far.)

Whether it's a Cantr character, a char for a story or a MUD or an RPG, I nearly always spend stupid amounts of time agonizing over names. No one single method, I usually start with a core concept for the character and then try out various things till I find one that clicks and just feels right.

Anagrams, baby name sites, obscure synonyms, archaic spellings of more common names, dictionary sites for various other languages, silly puns, all have been tools in my arsenal. And sometimes I just try out random letter combinations until I find one that sounds good. *shrugs*

Most of my names are from stories I've written ^^

I have a random name generator built into my head, sometimes I take cues from surroundings and the char themselves.. skills etc,..