How do you name your video game protagonist?

[jon88_il]

Hi guys,

I was wandering if you have any method to name your main protagonist in your games?

 

For example whenever there is a default name for a character I would go with it as I like the story to be told as the dev intented (i.e. Tidus in FFX or Zer0 in borderlands).

But when there is a nameless protagonist (like in Persona 5 or Skyrim) I would always go with "Roland" which is based on Stephan King's dark tower charcter "Roland Deschain" AKA "The Gunslinger" (don't know why, I always found this perticular charcter fascinating).

 

What about you?

Do you guys have any perticular method to choosing your charcter names?

[Vanilla]

If I can’t think of anything cool I go with naming it after myself. 

[Elvick_]

Female: Ginger, because I've always liked it as a name for brown haired characters. If they don't have brown hair, and I can't change it, I try to think of something else that fits. Or just play a male.

Male: Elvick, because... duh. It's my go to.

Pretty simple for me.

[dennish8stennis]

If the character already has a name, I normally stick with default.

 

But if not, I tend to go with my name, Dennis, if the character is male.

For females, I either go with the first name that pops into my head or a baby name generator because I suck at coming up with names lol

[Feral]

Usually just stick with the default name because I suck at coming up with names.

[Kittet3]

I usually go with Kitt because I'm too lazy to write my entire username. Sometimes I use "Sise" because that's what my little brothers call me and they use to watch me play all the time. If I have to name multiple characters, I usually start sticking an x at the end of their name so I remember that they are important, otherwise I have trouble remembering them from the other NPCs. 

[Pumpkin Head Cthulhu]

If there is no "official" name then i usually use Fasalina (for female characters; see Gun X Sword), male characters it varies.  A few choice names I use are Jareth and Navarre

Edited January 7, 2019 by Void

[Nightstream88]

I just use the name Cynder, or Cynder Kiryah which is a name of a dragon I seem to wind up as in numerous dreams I have and have been that dragon numerous times I do usually use that name regardless of what the character's gender is. Another name I may use if naming a horse or other travel companion I usually pick Sylver which is a name of another dragon that has shown up in my dreams quite often as well, quite a bit of names I use in game are related to that and for rivals I usually pick the names Zephyr and Rishara two different dragons who seem to cause me nothing but trouble.
But in the case of like Final Fantasy X I probably would just use Tidus since it feels like it would fit more rather than using a different name.
Also another name for a travel companion name I use is Glacia name of an ice type dragon another dragon that also shows up in my dreams quite often and says they are my daughter as well.
 Nicknames depending on environment I go with Lucina, since Lucina is one of my favorite fire emblem characters and also have been Lucina in a dream a couple of times.
 And another name I also use for either Friend/Rival/companion is Astra which is apparently the name of a human girl who has shown up in my dreams quite a few times as well, and it seems like my spirit is fused together with theirs kind of like Jaden/Yubel from Yugioh, although Astra could essentially take over my mind and body and do whatever they wanted if they desired to do so. 

Edited September 4, 2019 by Nightstream88

[Lillia]

Usually naming them kuro or going with default name 

[Redgrave]

It depends on how they will look. If I can have them look cool then I'll go with Redgrave but otherwise I just think of a name based on what they look like. So if they look like a royalty sort of character then I pick a royalty sounding name.

[communistwookiee]

I use the tried and true method of picking a random letter and then just sounding out some that seems like a name.

[Kittens Are Awesome]

Chungus or Sir Spoodge. Sometimes Dr. Acula.

[Lava_Yuki]

I used to always name my character after other favourite game characters. Now I just name them my own name if it's a girl (Lava) and Yuki if it's a boy.

 

Previously in games like Pokemon, Persona and Harvest Moon, I used to pick names like Yuna, Rikku (from FFX), Yuri (Tales), Kairi and Aqua (KH).  

[JaM]

I always go for default or official name if the caharacter has it. I remember spending some time searching for the name for P5 protag before I played it which was "Akira" by that time.. And then months later turns out to be Ren.. Oh well.

 

For characters with no official/default name I use the Random option, then I pick a name that I think fits the character's appearance. If no random option, I always go with Nanami for female characters. And for male, Jin. Heh, I am lazy on thinking name so when new character join - they are either Jun, Jon, Jan or Jen.

Edited January 10, 2019 by JaM

[Viper]

99% of the time it's "Viper" been doing it for nearly 25 years. However in something like a racing game, I tend to use my real name. 

Edited January 12, 2019 by Viper

[Terra]

It's usually Terra. Sort of like my nickname now, it just fits me. 

[TheFalseDeity]

MC is usually Aeterna and side characters usually keep their default names. For stuff like Dark Souls with multiple character saves i just go through my favorite female names after Aeterna has been used.

[Honor_Hand]

If the character has a name the developers intend for it, I go with that one. If there is no such option and a random button is present, I go for that one. If none of the previous options are present and I have to input a name of my creation, I go with [insert HH´s real name here] as my option.

 

Curiously though, my real name can easily be used for both male and female characters alike and fits perfectly.

[Kaiwan]

I use default name whenever possible, if there is no default name like in MMO, I use my forum name Kaiwan

if it is taken, I will use my PSN name it's pretty unique

[Beyondthegrave07]

Normally, I go with the default name, unless it's a second playthrough. Then, I reference other video games, movies, TV, or anime characters. I usually try to get clever with it if possible. For instance, Joker from P5 was named "Jack Napier" aka Batman's Joker. Right now, I'm playing FFIX, which I played to death on the PS1, and named all my characters after KH characters. It's like man, when did Sora become so cheeky with Kairi?!?

 

 

[Intoner_Zero]

Usually go with default names. If I have to make one, my favorite go-to is Deimos.

[tjoe1bkhjtqxm]

Default or if you have to change it, "A"

[WhiteDragonAura]

I stick with variations of my username just to be consistent.  I normally go with White Dragon for any MC I'm playing.  I'll use Aura as a back-up name in case the first one goes over the letter limit.

[Hunter226037]

If its a female character I usually call them Sindragosa because I just like how it sounds. If it is a male character I just name them after myself.

[Vrisnem]

First option is always the default name. If it's not stated directly in the game I'll Google it. 

 

I don't like using my name in games. I used to do so regardless of gender (my legal name can conveniently be broken down into 1 female and 2 unisex names) but after I started playing online games and visual novels with dating elements I decided I no longer felt comfortable in doing so.  A couple of years ago I started using Senka (from "сенка" = shadow) on a whim when naming a cat in Nintendogs+Cats and it ended up sticking. Although the original was a male and now I use it mainly for female characters. I haven't named a male character in a while. I'm not really sure what I'd go with if I did. Maybe I'd just shorten Senka to Sen.