Guild Wars 2

Can someone please explain to me on how almost all the names are taken when trying to make a new character?
Example:
Xowen
Xowin
There is more but my complaint/question is are these names really taken. and or what are the odds im picking “odd” names that others are thinking of. like who else is thinking of naming their character Dobbs or Kinnard.

Not to sure if this has been brought up or not sorry in advance if it has. but maybe ANET can “flush” dead accounts older than 3 years. i know how this sounds “what right does anet have to delete character names blah blah blah”

Had this issue too when attempting to make my second sylvari. (Surprisingly, my first sylvari’s name went through after only one added letter.) Eventually gave up and made a norn and an asura instead. :P

i know how this sounds "what right does anet have to delete character names

Not a right, but a policy decision in a “come and go game” where people would stop playing if they came back and their character’s names were gone.

Not all are taken. Add a title. Change a letter. Add a letter. Or realize that name was pretty common if all variations are taken, and try another.

No, I tend to agree. I’d even shorten it to 2 years.
don’t delete the character or their stuff, just rename them numerically.
After 2 years if a player comes back, all they have lost is a name.

Hopefully, names are already cleared when characters are deleted.
I suspect any problem related to obtaining Black Lion keys has already been dealt with.

Anything 6 characters or below is probably taken :x

Anet will not unlock name.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Requesting-a-Taken-Name/first#post4248872

Gaile Gray.6029:

We do not take character or display or guild names away from valid accounts. Someone may step away and return to the game later, so the names must stay in place.

Teehee

But yeah, If I came back after a while and they changed my name and gave it to someone else, I would be mad.

Tumult.2578:

No, I tend to agree. I’d even shorten it to 2 years.
don’t delete the character or their stuff, just rename them numerically.
After 2 years if a player comes back, all they have lost is a name.

Hopefully, names are already cleared when characters are deleted.
I suspect any problem related to obtaining Black Lion keys has already been dealt with.

yeah i didnt mean the account but the name :P

No. Why should a name be taken away from one and given to another? This is not a subscription game, so one can come and go as desired.

Consider how many millions of accounts there are. Multiple that by five. That is roughly the minimum number of names in use. On my main account I have 15 characters and am sure there are many other accounts with over 5 characters, so that number only goes up from there.

Yep, when the game started, I made sure to get single word names that I wanted asap, and even when I recreate those characters/delete em, I make sure to make another char as a place holder if I don’t need the name right away.

Chances are, if the name is uncommon, but in a book or something, it’s been used with every variation lol.

Ven Zehn.6573:

Yep, when the game started, I made sure to get single word names that I wanted asap, and even when I recreate those characters/delete em, I make sure to make another char as a place holder if I don’t need the name right away.

Chances are, if the name is uncommon, but in a book or something, it’s been used with every variation lol.

Let me check on Hairy Pawter

There is more but my complaint/question is are these names really taken. and or what are the odds im picking “odd” names that others are thinking of. like who else is thinking of naming their character Dobbs or Kinnard.

If I remember correctly, the last time they gave numbers there were 7 million accounts made. Now, out of those 7 million (plus however many more since then) accounts, what are the odds that someone is going to try out “odd” names for their chars if all the common names have been taken? I would say pretty good chance of it. And truthfully, I wouldn’t consider either Dobbs or Kinnard odd or unusual.

Also keep in mind that, unlike some other games, Character names are global for your entire server cluster, not just one server. You can’t be “BobTheDestroyer” on Tarnished Coast, and have someone run the same name on Gate of Madness for instance, which makes a single name unique across all US or EU or Asian servers.

Use a second name. (And more unique the better). Use any first name you want, and add the same second name to it, that you like.

Works much better.

I have a lot of simple names, Jane, Anya, Teyla, etc, but they all have a second name. Some names i thought ‘this will be take no matter what, even with second name, but surprised me how well it worked out’.

As for short names, you are not alone in liking short names. And short names are much harder to make unique. This game is 3 years and half old. A lot (and i mean this) of people have tried all kinds of unique names. Like Jenhifer (instead of Jennifer) etc. I’ve seen so much names like that, that Op’s situation doesnt surprise me. It is what it is.

A lot of people have now free accounts, some bought the cheap 10 euro accounts for login reward, some people love making alts and have 68 character slots. And we are with a LOT of players. Add that all up, and the chance for a short name not to be taken is almost non existent.

Use two part names, they are a kind of standard in GW2 franchise. And be more creative. In my history, i don’t think i have ever run into that problem, and when i’m thinking of a name i don’t generally consider the possibility of it being taken, so i don’t try to use odd or unnecessarily weird ones.

Yeah, I can’t get on the ‘delete their name if they have been inactive for ’x’ time or longer’ bandwagon. Nope, sorry.

I would be utterly kittened if names that I stayed up all night to get at launch were suddenly “gone” because I chose to take a break, or because life was more important than a game for a period of time.

Add a surname. All mine have them, that way, I get what I want.

I certainly wouldn’t like to log onto the game if I inadvertently couldn’t log on for a year, to find “Your character’s name must be changed” and to find someone else has it.

In before someone else does this meme:

penelopehannibal.8947:

I certainly wouldn’t like to log onto the game if I inadvertently couldn’t log on for a year, to find “Your character’s name must be changed” and to find someone else has it.

In before someone else does this meme:

Yeah, My main have had his name since Beta of GW1. Would be really po’ed to lose it because someone has zero imagination when it comes to naming there toons.

Just this afternoon there was a new guildie in guild chat saying that he hadn’t played in 2 years and had just come back to the game. I bet he wouldn’t even had logged back on if he got to character select and found that all his chars had their names removed and he was expected to get brand new names.

BrotherBelial.3094:

Add a surname. All mine have them, that way, I get what I want.

This is my tactic also. I’ve named 15 or so characters since launch and had one name rejected, even recently. Since my first game was GW, and one could have a surname there, I was surprised (to say the least) when I first played a game that allowed only a single name.

When I created Zerina, I thought I was being clever and somewhat original adding “In Aeternum” as her surname. I mean, who uses that?

I was rather astounded to see about 30 other characters during her life that have “Aeternum” as their surname.

Im happy with my 3 letter name xd

Game has been out for multiple years, names snagged since launch are going to be significantly more original when compared to the XBL style “XxNinjabladeAssassin666xX”

Luckly though the name selection seems forgiving with accented characters as well as more than enough space for a first and last name.

If there was an unaccented name you wanted from the start, shoulda played earlier. It’s why blade and soul was selling reserved name slots, which I’m to cheap to buy into but it’s not unexpected that when I go to make my account a few of my commonly used names will be taken.

Even at release I got a bunch of PMs being like “kitten U, U TOOK MY NAME!” even offers to pay for some :/

Just so you know there is hope, consider a combination of 6 random letters. The total possible combinations is 26^6 or over 308 million combinations. Sure, not all of those are allowed, or even resemble names, but keep searching and you should be able to find one. (if you go for 7 letters, you have over 8 billion combinations.)

This is just how it works in an MMO that has been out for as long as this one.
Just be happy this one lets you use spaces so you can create a surname or a title or a title and a surname. Those spaces are the things that make it possible to use common names over again.

Just smash your fingers onto the keyboard and out comes a name!

I love this idea, because for years selfish players have been stealing my cool names by picking them before I do.

Oh yes. Better log in often, XXXX 123Legolas123 XXXX, or someday you will be mine!

BUAHAHAHAHAAAA!

cough

Or you could just use umlauts like everyone else.

Signed,

XXXX 123Lëgöläs123 XXXX

Majic.4801:

Or you could just use umlauts like everyone else.

Signed,

XXXX 123Lëgöläs123 XXXX

^This, you can try using accented characters to still get the name you want

As someone who likes 3-6 letter names – yes, this can be a bit annoying. I’d never use umlauts or any surname either. You end up being pretty limited.
Still, having them pretty much give away the name that you leave behind as your legacy isn’t something I agree with. It could also lead to confusion or scamming even if the person has a different account name.

It’s kind of a rite of loyalty for older accounts to be able to take more commonly desired names. A bonus for getting into the game first.

Even at launch you can’t have every name you want. I nabbed the name “Mo Mo” at pre-launch but “Momo” was taken before I could turn around and make a second character. :P

I like that common names are all taken by this point. Makes it more fun having to think of something truly original and interesting if you’re wanting your character to stand out.

If you don’t like last names, I like going with descriptors or titles. like Bob “The Great” or something like that or Jane “Of Kryta”.

Also mostly easy to bypass by adding a second name after. Which could be a name or just simply Xowen the second or X O W E N or anything the like. Can also be with different letter combination like Xoween or the like.

Solocup.3069:

like who else is thinking of naming their character Dobbs or Kinnard.

Is this a troll post???

The name Dobbs is that common that there are even T-Shirts with it

http://www.redbubble.com/people/spacemonkeydr/works/6625624-harry-and-dobbs-harry-potter?p=t-shirt
http://shirtoid.com/30921/harry-and-dobbs/

and another character in Harry Potter has it as surname.

http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Emma_Dobbs

Harry Kinnard was a well-known American general during the Vietnam War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Kinnard

Of course after 3 years and millions of accounts and characters all very common names are taken, but it is not hard to find names. I have 28 characters and only 1 time I needed a second try in naming and the names of my characters are quite common. For example my norn guardian is named “Asleif Janson” which are both quite common Nordic first and last names.

I’ve had to change a chosen name twice: Phloxx became Tracker Phloxx and I had picked a translation to Welsh name for my sylvari elementalist that was already taken (I don’t remember what name I had in mind, it’s now Fudlosgi Tân, which means something like smoldering fire).

But even for Bayllanna I used my original spelling…

If you’re getting the name from a book, movie, TV show, web comic etc. then chances are it’s taken, no matter how obscure you might think it is.

I found this out when I randomly decided to name a character Zanthia after the main character in a point-and-click game from the early 90’s. I’ve never met anyone else who had even heard of the game, but Zanthia was taken, as was Mystic Zanthia (Royal Mystic Zanthia was too long), Alchemist Zanthia and every other variation I could think of.

But even in those situations you might be able to get it with a slight variation. Like my sylvari Alleria Wildrunner. Or you can add your own title, last name, first name etc. to a character. I forget what exactly I did but a while ago I even managed to find an available variant on Kvothe (then got annoyed that I couldn’t make him a Mesmer/engineer and deleted him).

But by far the best approach is to try and come up with completely original names because those are far less likely to be taken. Aside from the examples above (2 of which were temporary characters anyway) I always invent my own names and I almost never have trouble getting the ones I want.

It also means if the name is taken you can easily adjust it to find something that’s available. Using other languages is a good approach – even if the English word has been used chances are other variants are available. Or you can add a last name/first name/title/nickname etc.

As for taking names away from other people: No, absolutely not.

It might seem like a reasonable suggest for people whose character names are just something to be called in chat, or to tell who items are soulbound to. But for those of us who take the time to pick a name which means something to us, which relates to who the character is this would be a horrible idea.

You may as well suggest randomising a characters appearance, or changing their profession because it would have the same effect of ruining the character.

If I was unable to play for whatever reason and came back to find my character names had been changed just in case some random person wanted to use them I’d quit the game forever. Because the alternative would be to delete them and start over and I don’t think I’d have any desire to do that after having 3 years of effort ruined.

Triple Trouble starting in x minutes. Please join my squad /squadjoin XXXX 123Lëgöläs123 XXXX

Attempt 1,
attempt 2,
attempt x*y

/ragequit

Please can we have a cut and paste option on the chat window

My friend bought gw1 ,, but not gw2. Recently I was able to “take” one of his screen names for my own.

No, you should never take away somebodies name. This game was literally advertised as being designed so I can pick it up and put it down whenever I feel like it. Now I need to worry that my names will be gone? I was here first, I logged on day one to get those one word names. I bought the pre-order to play in the headstart. Me, not you. And you want to take away my ability to take a break without coming back and being named “name123456”? Get the hell out of here.

Also GW1 and GW2 names are now completely separate.

There was a system where anyone who had logged into GW1 in the run up to GW2 being released would have their character names reserved (and therefore had to link their accounts to use them), but that ended a few months after GW2 came out. After that anyone could use a name in GW2, even if it was being used already in GW1.

Which makes sense IMO. I have 8 GW1 characters and some of them I absolutely wanted to make sure I kept the same names, but others I doubt I’ll ever use in this game.

(Although I think it was mainly for established PvPers who were worried about people impersonating them in GW2.)

Even if you think you’re being original, chances are that isn’t the case. Most one word names are taken (ones that make sense, anyway) and their spelling variations. 7 million accounts is a lot, and then you have to consider that many people have multiple characters, even if they aren’t being used.

Even if the name you want is from an abstract book or series, the writer may have looked to other things for inspiration and thus the name has been taken under different circumstances.

For example, Danikat, I actually knew a girl called Xanthe. I believe the name is greek for pale or blonde. That’s not a far cry from Zanthia, and I would be willing to be that a few people looking for names for their blonde-haired character would be willing to find a name that means such.

Baconomics.8674:

Or you could just use umlauts like everyone else.

When people do that, I stab them, in my mind. -_-

Though, I did totally run into someone unironically using my beta-Rev’s name. Except he didn’t use the special accented í characters, and I was sad, because my poe was better.

I use surnames since in GW1 you had to take at least two names. Also it gives more realistic names and variety imo. No one is just called Karn or Peter. They are Sir Peter the Impertinent or Karn from the Underwood. It’s so much better.

There are a lot of WoWerz here who think they only can use one name and the results are like Pétêr or Kârñ. Horrible, horrible or even worse: Karrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn or Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. How in God’s name can you name your character like this? What are those people really. Kills the whole immersion.

BumbleBee.8456:

Triple Trouble starting in x minutes. Please join my squad /squadjoin XXXX 123Lëgöläs123 XXXX

Attempt 1,
attempt 2,
attempt x*y

/ragequit

Please can we have a cut and paste option on the chat window

Yes, please. I need a better way to block emote-spammers~

Frankly such name locks should NEVER be implemented in multiplayer games at all. The time for what that beginning programer level design offers left years (if not decades) back.

It is one level of “realism” that I wish more games would be more cognizant about implementing.
I have zero issues if companies want to make it such that per your account, you can only have unique character names. Aka. Both Player A and Player B could have a character called “John”, but neither A nor B could have a second character named “John”.

I see no reason why the same account couldn’t have characters with the same name, either. Frankly, from a social perspective, I think this makes more sense, as then you only have one account (primary key being account ID in the database) for whisper chat to go to, instead of having to do some kind of name-resolving through a secondary/tertiary interface to discern which account name you’re looking for in order to whisper the correct “John”.

This would probably also cut down dramatically on special character use shared by characters on the same account – There’s no need for someone making characters of the same name to make his other characters named “Jôhn”, “Jöhn”, and “Jòhn”, which could be then used by other players, while still preserving the integrity of “first-come-first-serve” on names, but potentially increasing the character name spread while not complicating the social aspects of the game.

OneYenShort.3189:

Frankly such name locks should NEVER be implemented in multiplayer games at all. The time for what that beginning programer level design offers left years (if not decades) back.

It is one level of “realism” that I wish more games would be more cognizant about implementing.
I have zero issues if companies want to make it such that per your account, you can only have unique character names. Aka. Both Player A and Player B could have a character called "John", but neither A nor B could have a second character named “John”.

Bad idea.

What happens then if there are 1000 chars named John in the game and you want to email one of them but only know that the name is John? What happens if someone sends items to John but instead the items go to John? Support won’t help in this sort of situation. They’ve already said emailed items are considered gifts.

i used to have Shiro Tagachi in GW1 but i foolishly deleted the char
i have Eir StergaIkin now though (with the L in Sterga"L"kin being a capital i)

ProtoGunner.4953:

I use surnames since in GW1 you had to take at least two names. Also it gives more realistic names and variety imo. No one is just called Karn or Peter. They are Sir Peter the Impertinent or Karn from the Underwood. It’s so much better.

There are a lot of WoWerz here who think they only can use one name and the results are like Pétêr or Kârñ. Horrible, horrible or even worse: Karrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn or Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. How in God’s name can you name your character like this? What are those people really. Kills the whole immersion.

What? WoW only allows single word names?

On the one hand that makes no sense at all given the number of characters in Warcraft games with surnames, family/clan names, titles etc.

On the other hand that explains a lot of odd conversations I’ve had with new players in both GW2 and Elder Scrolls Online. The strangest was a guy in ESO who was spamming chat demanding to know how so many people got “invisible letters” in their name.